Scotland - we had a blast!

Day 1: We left Durham and headed north in the sunshine to Melrose Abbey, the beautiful monastic ruins where Robert the Bruce’s heart was buried. We had a fantastic tour around the Abbey, heard stories about the bell tower and ‘The Pig of Melrose’ before seeing the memorial stone where the heart was reburied in 1998.

We re-boarded the coach and travelled a short distance to Abbotsford House (former residence of Sir Walter Scott). We enjoyed lunch together then wandered at our leisure around the visitor centre and grounds, enjoying the gardens in the sun and touring the fascinating house.

Day 2: Afer a hearty breakfast we travelled to Helix Park to see the Mystical Kelpies  before we head across the Forth Road Bridge

We met our guide at Dunfermline Abbey and Palace for a short talk in the Nave, recognising the similarities in the carving of the columns made by the same masons who had worked on Durham Cathedral.

After admiring the stained glass and, of course, visiting Robert the Bruce’s final resting place, we split up to explore Dunfermline. Some chose to visit the Home of Andrew Carnegie, the library had a fantastic exhibition and some simply chose to sit in the sun for lunch at Abbots House and admire the setting.

An unexpected surprise for some was Culross, a picturesque village a few miles along the coast. Many chose to visit the Palace and gardens (some may know it as where the Outlander series was filmed) or enjoyed an ice-cream in the sun!

Day 3: We headed to Dunblane Cathedral where we joined the Sunday service and met several of the local community over coffee. The Leighton Library kindly agreed to open up for us while other members of the group enjoyed a great tour of the cathedral.

The afternoon was spent exploring Stirling Castle, the childhood home of Mary Queen of Scots and generation of Scottish monarchs.

We also had an unplanned night visit to the Falkirk Wheel - what a showstopper!

Day 4: Our final day started with a wonderful visit to the Rosslyn Chapel, where our fascinating tour revealed a tragic history of murder, abandonment and finally the building’s salvation (with a bit of funding thanks to the success of Dan Brown and the Da Vinci Code). This was such an awe-inspiring ornate building and a showcase of the skills of stonemasonry and symbolism at every turn.

We headed home to Durham via to Jedburgh, for a lunch stop and free time to see Mary Queen of Scots house.