Lately, I’ve been reminiscing about some of my favourite days out from last summer. Many of them were just local walks, but one day stands out the most. It was a beautiful late-summer day when my partner and I decided to venture a little further and explore the Scottish Borders with a visit to Abbotsford, the home of Sir Walter Scott. It’s now one of my favourite days out and one I can add to my list of wheelchair accessible places to visit in Scotland.
It was like I rolled straight into a fairytale at Abbotsford. Here’s a little recap of that day.
Abbotsford, the home of Sir Walter Scott
Abbotsford is the historic home of the 19th-century Scottish novelist and poet Sir Walter Scott. This is what Scott referred to as his “conundrum castle”, where reality and fiction collide.
It is located in Melrose on the south bank of the River Tweed in the Scottish Borders. Scott built this house as his residence, and it remained in his family for nearly two centuries before being taken over by a trust in 2004.
The house is filled with artefacts and objects that Scott collected from various parts of Scotland, making Abbotsford rich in the country’s heritage. This is on display during the guided tours of the home, which I highly recommend.
Abbotsford House – Wheelchair Accessible Audio Tour
There are two audio tours available to choose from: one led by a curator and another voiced by an actor portraying Sir Walter Scott, guiding you through his home. We chose the actor-led tour, and it was brilliant.
The staff and volunteers we met were lovely and helpful. As we entered the house, the staff member explained the audio tour and provided me with headphones, as I couldn’t hold the audio handset to my ear.
She also made us aware that some of the audio devices, which require holding the handset up to activate the audio in each room, may not be positioned low enough for me to reach. As I can’t lift my arms anyway, this wasn’t an issue since Allan was there to assist me, but I appreciated being made aware of it.
The house has step-free access, and I was able to visit every room in my wheelchair. For such an old building, I was pleasantly surprised by how accessible it was.
The tour begins in Scott’s small study where he worked and kept some of his favourite books. We were then led into the large library with floor-to-ceiling bookcases lining all the walls and large windows offering stunning views.
Next, we visited the Chinese Drawing Room, which served as the breakfast room, followed by Scott’s Armoury, filled with swords, guns, and various weapons.
Finally, we wandered into the dining room, featuring a long wooden table that was set with china, and large bay windows that showcased the beautiful view of the River Tweed.
We learnt that Sir Walter Scott passed away in this room on September 21, 1832, after he became too weak to climb the stairs to his bedroom due to several strokes, so he slept on a camp bed in the dining room.
The Chapel at Abbotsford
After we toured Abbotsford House, we visited the Chapel next door. The chapel was added by Sir Walter Scott’s granddaughter Charlotte and her husband James Robert Hope in 1855.
The chapel has a short wheelchair ramp to get in, but it might feel a bit cramped depending on the size of your wheelchair. There’s a wall right at the bottom of the ramp, so there’s not much room to move around. I made it in my wheelchair, but just something to keep in mind! Also, once inside, there is a narrow doorway that my wheelchair was just able to fit through.
The Garden at Abbotsford
When visiting Abbotsford, give yourself plenty of time to explore the beautiful gardens that were designed by Sir Walter Scott. We enjoyed wandering through the walled garden before our audio tour of the house, but you can explore in any order you prefer.
Most of the paths are wheelchair accessible, featuring a step-free route and a mix of smooth resin-bound gravel and chipped gravel (the kind that won’t sink). My power wheelchair managed to navigate it fine, and I also noticed several manual wheelchair users in the gardens. While there are some gentle slopes, the majority of the area is flat, making it a lovely and peaceful spot to enjoy.
The gardens seem straight out of a fairytale storybook. During our late summer visit, the flowers were still blooming, so I can only imagine how stunning it must be during the peak summer months.
Benches are scattered throughout the grounds, providing perfect spots to sit and take it all in. The view of the garden with the castle towers and stone archways is absolutely breathtaking!
Abbotsford Visitor Centre
Abbotsford has a visitor centre and a gift shop and you’ll find an accessible toilet in there too. To learn more about the life and legacy of Sir Walter Scott, including aspects of his home life and writing career, don’t miss the free exhibition in the visitor centre.
Ochiltree’s Café
The Ochiltree’s cafe in the visitor centre is lovely. It’s named after Edie Ochiltree’s, a character in Scott’s novel The Antiquary. The café is on the second floor, but there is a lift available.
We didn’t have a reservation but decided to try our luck, and fortunately, we were able to get a table since we were both so hungry. The food was delicious.
Large floor-to-ceiling windows provide views of Scott’s house/castle and the beautiful gardens. There’s even an outdoor seating area, which is a lovely place to enjoy lunch or have tea with cake while taking in the scenery. There were some customers with their dogs in the outdoor area, so its pet friendly too.
Final Thoughts
We had a great day at Abbotsford, the home of Sir Walter Scott in the Scottish Borders. The café, visitor centre, house, and gardens were all wheelchair accessible for me. We ran out of time and didn’t get the chance to visit the Witch Corner sculpture trail and woodland walk, which looked fantastic for autumn and Halloween. Thankfully, our tickets are valid for one year, so we will definitely be returning. I’m already looking forward to our next visit!
Looking for more attractions related to Sir Walter Scott? How about a wheelchair accessible cruise on the iconic steamship Sir Walter Scott at Loch Katrine?
The Steamship Sir Walter Scott provides visitors with a unique opportunity to step back in time, explore the stunning landscapes, and enjoy a leisurely cruise on the tranquil waters of Loch Katrine, surrounded by mountains and forests.
The steamship was built in 1899 and is named after the renowned Scottish writer Sir Walter Scott, who was inspired by the beauty of Loch Katrine and featured it in his poem “The Lady of the Lake.”
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