Craigmillar Castle, The Borders and Rosslyn Chapel
This full-day tour will take you to castles and holy sites in a lush countryside setting. Rosslyn Chapel’s mysteries and legends are fascinating!
You'll visit Edinburgh's "secret" other castle Scott's View and enjoy one of Britain's best views before taking time to explore the picturesque town of Melrose in the Scottish Borders The highlight of the tour is Rosslyn Chapel, famed worldwide for the beauty of the carvings and the aura and mystery that surrounds it
You'll then step inside Craigmillar Castle, perhaps unfairly referred to as Edinburgh’s ‘other castle’. Standing about a mile outside the old city walls, the castle provided a retreat from the bustle of Scotland’s capital. Enter the castle that was so cleverly designed to repel attackers and explore its dark passageways.
A visit wouldn’t be complete without admiring the stunning views from the top of the tower house. After leaving Craigmillar Castle, you'll journey south to enjoy a photo stop from Scott’s View, which has been nominated as one of the best views in Britain. It's then a short drive to the town of Melrose where you'll have ample opportunity to explore the town. Why not pay a visit to Melrose Abbey? The Abbey is one of the four Border Abbeys founded by King David I. It is also the where the heart of Robert the Bruce is buried, Scotland’s famous liberator.
If you’d prefer to go even further back, then a visit to the Roman Heritage Centre is not be resisted, as Melrose is the site of the largest Roman camp in Scotland.
The final stop for the day is Rosslyn Chaple - it has to be seen to be believed. Every inch of Rosslyn Chapel’s interior is decorated with ornate carvings. See if you can spot ‘The Green Men’, there are about one hundred of them carved into the stone! Admire the craftsmanship of the ‘Apprentice Pillar’ and learn the dark tale behind it. You'lll hear stories of Freemasonry, the Knights Templar, The Holy Grail, Solomon, Babylon and much more. If you can tear yourself away from the chapel, it is only a 10-minute walk to Rosslyn Castle. From there (if movies are your thing) you can walk on the bridge which was used in the penultimate scene in the film adaptation of The Da Vinci Code.