Questions about Peebles

Here is the Visit Scotland's take on Peebles. Peebles The Borders are lovely but you would really need a car to make the most of the area. You won't have the spectacular scenery of the Highlands, more rolling hills, but you are only an hour from Edinburgh by bus (best not to drive in Edinburgh).

I agree that even though there are buses having a car is best. The Borders are a great area to visit. Here are some suggestions.

• Jedburgh Abbey Also in Jedburgh is a Mary Queen of Scots connection. Tower Houses were very common in Scotland.
• Abbotsford This is Sir Walter Scots home. I enjoyed visiting.
• Traquair House It is a very interesting old house that has a maze--and of course a Mary Queen of Scots connection and a Prince Charlie connection.
  
• Floors Castle The really old castle is gone and all you can see is the raised motte near the river. But the gardens are wonderful! And it is very near Kelso so you can swing in and see that Abbey.
  
• Hermitage Castle Other castles look like they belong on a chocolate box, but this castle belongs on a box of weapons! Its location is amazing. It is in the Debatable Land where the Border Reivers reigned. And there is a Mary Queen of Scots connection.
  

Pam

Cocoa Black in Peebles is one of Scotland's best chocolatiers.

We stayed there years ago. The town is nice, but there’s not much to do in it. Nearby, we visited some woolen mills, Jedburgh and Melrose abbeys. Peebles was our last stop before returning the rental car.

Peebles - Birthplace of Scottish (and Australian) national treasure Eric Bogle.

Thank you for all of your lovely replies! I should have mentioned that we will have a car. If we stop in Peebles it will be our last couple of nights of two weeks in Scotland (following two weeks in Switzerland before that). I'm thinking we might not mind having a lazy but beautiful couple of days at the end of all of that traveling!

We have gone to Scotland twice in the last few years and both times have made Peebles our home base as we have family who live there. In fact, we will be back there exactly a year from now as we attend our nieces‘s wedding! I’ve been thinking about our trip next year which is what brought me to the forums tonight - I was so excited to see Peebles mentioned in a thread title!

We stayed in two different flats that I found through things like Airbnb and both were lovely. We have enjoyed the restaurants and pubs, delicious chocolate from Cocoa Black, walks along the river, and day visits to Melrose Abbey, Roslyn Chapel. It’s a nice drive to Edinburgh. On Saturday morning we enjoyed the market. If you have specific questions I can ask my brother in law - he’s lived in the area his whole life :)

We'll be in Peebles on September 7 for the Highland games. We will also be spending a few days in the Borders, staying in Melrose. Plan to use local Borders Bus options to get from one town to another. Has anyone been to the Games in Peebles?
tdgillett