Page 111 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL MAGAZINE 2020 SPRING EDITION INTERACTIVE

Abbotsford House, located in the Scottish Borders, the home of the writer Sir Walter Scott. Photo WikiMedia Commons

see Abbotsford, and to stroll amid its 120 acres of woods and An exhibition details how the once-wealthy author nearly lost
meadows along the scenic, rippling river that Scott could hear it all to heavy debts caused by the bankruptcy of his pub-
as he lay dying in 1832 on a bed set up in the dining room. lisher. But he worked his way out debt by writing more and
selling copyrights. (“My own right hand shall pay the debt.”).
The castle-like home itself is eclectic, a “palace of his imagina-
tion,” said Jayne Billam of the Abbotsford Trust. And what a good thing that was.

Indeed, the house, built in several stages, would “suit none but “Walter Scott dramatized and changed history,” wrote author
an antiquary” such as himself, Scott said. There was no grand Christopher Harvie.
plan guiding the design of the stone residence.
Without him, we’d need a new image of Scotland. 1
Outside, there are several formal gardens that make visitors
feel as if they are in an ancient place. Inside, Scott and his IF YOU GO
wife Charlotte lived among a collection of armor and curi- Abbotsford Estate: An hour south of Edinburgh by frequent
osities that include relics from the battlefields of Culloden train service from Waverley Station. Take the train to either
and Waterloo, a “scold’s bridle” used to prevent women Tweedbank or Galashiels. Book a taxi or inquire about the
from speaking and an assortment of early firearms. His direct “Border Weaver” bus service to the estate. Otherwise,
famous desk sits in the middle of his first-floor study, and a it’s a 20-minute walk from Tweedbank station. There’s a
9,000-volume library is just as Scott left it. On a typical day restaurant and gift shop selling many of Scott’s books, gardens
writing, Scott would spend 18 hours at his desk, turning out laid out by Scott and hiking trails. The home’s Hope Scott
Wing offers luxury overnight accommodation. The estate is
8,000 words. closed Dec. 1 to March 1; an admission fee is charged. www.
scottsabbotsford.com
Visitors wanting the full experience can stay in the luxurious
Hope Scott Wing of the residence. VisitScotland: For information on lodging, events and accom-
modations. www.visitscotland.com

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