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Smailholm Tower
Smailholm Tower is a peel tower at Smailholm, around five miles (8 km) west of Kelso in the Scottish Borders. Its dramatic situation, atop a crag of Lady Hill, commands wide views over the surrounding countryside. The tower is located at grid reference NT637346, just west of Sandyknowe farm, and is now a Scheduled Ancient Monument in the care of Historic Environment Scotland. In June 2007, it was awarded the maximum "five-star" status as a tourist attraction from VisitScotland, a rating bestowed on only eight other sites in Scotland.
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1.6 km
Smailholm
Smailholm (Scots: Smailhowm) is a small village in the historic county of Roxburghshire in south-east Scotland. It is at
grid reference NT648364 and straddles the B6397 Gordon to Kelso road. The village is almost equidistant from both, standing 6 miles (10 km) northwest of the abbey town of Kelso. Since local government reorganisation in Scotland in the early 1970s, Smailholm has been part of the Scottish Borders Council.
2.3 km
Brotherstone Hill
Brotherstone Hill is a hill near St. Boswells and the Eildon Hills in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, with two standing stones from the megalithic age, on the summit of Brotherstone Hill, at a height of 418 metres. The stones differ in height (2.45m and 1.60m) and stand 16 metres apart. The stones mark the boundary between the old Borders counties of Roxburghshire and Berwickshire.
Brotherstone Farm is situated off a minor road, between the villages of Gattonside and Smailholm.
2.5 km
Bemersyde Moss
Bemersyde Moss is a Scottish Wildlife Trust nature reserve and a Site of Special Scientific Interest at Bemersyde in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland. Located near the River Tweed, this reserve features a mix of marshlands, willow scrub, and open water, creating a vital habitat for diverse wildlife. It particularly hostsbirds in the warmer months and wintering wildfowl, such as teal, shoveler, goldeneye, and wigeon, during colder months. The site also supports mammals like otters, which can be observed throughout the year.
2.9 km
Borders Abbeys Way
The Borders Abbeys Way is a long-distance footpath in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland. It is a circular walkway and is 109 kilometres (68 mi) in length. The theme of the footpath is the ruined Borders abbeys (established by David I of Scotland) along its way: Kelso Abbey, Jedburgh Abbey, Melrose Abbey and Dryburgh Abbey. These abbeys were homes to monks, who lived there between the 12th and 16th centuries. The route also passes through the towns of Hawick and Selkirk, and close to Abbotsford House, the home of Sir Walter Scott. Along the Borders Abbeys Way there are several rivers: Jed Water, River Teviot, River Tweed, Ale Water, and Rule Water.
The route was opened in 2006, and is managed and maintained by Scottish Borders Council. It is now designated as one of Scotland's Great Trails by NatureScot. The route links with four of the other Great Trails: the Cross Borders Drove Road, the Romans and Reivers Route, St Cuthbert's Way and the·Southern Upland Way. About 15,000 people use the path every year, of whom over 2,000 complete the entire route.