Day 4 - Melrose Abbey & Lunch with Barry

Melrose Abbey

Our plan today is to tour Melrose Abbey in the lovely town of Melrose, Roxburghshire, in the Scottish Borders.

So I instructed Our Lady to direct us on the shortest route from our Oak Cottage to Melrose. As it turns out, the shortest route is nowhere near the travel time as the fastest route. At the town of Coulter it diverted us from a safe and reasonably high speed A-road to a windy, narrow, low speed and more harrowing no letter road along the side of a ridge line in the Southern Highlands. Needless to say, the drive was beautiful as we looked out across the Tweed River to the mountains beyond. However, it took us at least a half hour longer to get to Melrose.

Officially known as St Mary's Abbey, Melrose, it was founded in 1136 by Cistercian monks at the request of King David I of Scotland (who just happens to be my 26^th great grandfather). Melrose is considered one of the most magnificent examples of medieval church architecture anywhere in the British Isles. The exterior is decorated with some of the most fascinating sculpture found on any medieval church building including - demons and hobgoblins, lute-playing angels, cooks with ladles and a now famous bagpipe-playing pig.

Unfortunately, probably 75% of the abbey was off-limits due to repair work. However, one of the major reasons for our visit was still approachable - the burial site of Robert the Bruce's heart. As The Bruce lay on his death bed, his single regret was that he could not fulfill his solemn vow to go on pilgrimage to the Holy Land. He asked his life-long friend, Sir James Douglas, known as Black Douglas, to carry his heart there instead.

Douglas, in the thick of the fighting, threw the heart of the Bruce deep into the melee, bidding it "Go first as thou hast always done." Douglas himself was killed in the ensuing fighting. The casket containing the heart of the Bruce was carried back to Scotland by Sir William Keith of Galston, where it was finally laid to rest at the Abbey of Melrose. The Bruce held great affection for Melrose Abbey and had left instructions that his heart was to be interred there. His body was buried at Dunfermline Abbey, the traditional last resting place of Scottish kings. (More on that at a later date).

Before leaving Melrose Abbey, I must add that, on our journey to England some years ago, we visited Tintern Abbey in Wales. There I learned that Tintern was the sister abbey to Melrose. And I should add that I feel personally connected to this Abbey having spent most of my younger years living on Melrose St. in Jackson, TN.

Barry Austin

As we were ending our brief tour of the Abbey we heard the nearby drone of the pipes. We found them playing just on the green in front of the Abbey. They played several sets including many of my favorites such as The Battle's O'er and Green Hills of Tyrol. As the band finished their set and marched off up the street who should I spy walking up but Barry Austin himself. For anyone who has been on Alex's tours, Barry is very familiar as one of the owners of Austin Travels and Alex's luxury coach driver. I have not seen Barry since he came over to the States in 2012, but I spotted him from 500 feet.

After hugs and greetings, we headed on up the hill on the tail of the pipe band where we caught them on the town square. We listened to a couple of sets and proceeded on to The Townhouse for a proper Scottish Sunday lunch - roast beef, Yorkshire pudding and roasted veggies. Excellent! We sat for some time reminiscing about Alex and the tours. Finally we took leave of The Townhouse and proceeded back to the parking lot where we reminisced for another 30-45 minutes. Finally we had to make our way back to Oak Cottage so we said our goodbyes. However, Barry said he would get in touch with us when we get to Edinburgh.

On our way back, we made a short stop in Peebles, which has kept its old charm. We finally headed back to Oak Cottage, Our Lady routed us back along the same back road. Not sure why. I changed the settings for fastest route rather than shortest.



We stopped at the Colebrooke Arms for our last meal there (they are closed Mon-Wed). After the proper lunch we all settled for a bowl of soup and an appetizer. Then to the house for bed.

All day I had been struggling with a cough. This would turn worse over the next few days.