June 17: Melrose Loop

After a hearty Scottish breakfast, the group is off to Melrose and the Melrose Abbey. Rumor has it that King Robert the Bruce's heart is buried in this grand ruin! However, before getting to Melrose it is a stop in Abbotsford at Sir Walter Scott's House. Sir Walter Scott was a Scottish historical novelist, poet, playwright and historian. A brilliant man, he enrolled in the University of Edinburgh at the young age of only 12. That began his everlasting search for knowledge. The home, Abbottsford, was his last. Built on the Tweed River it provided he and his family a beautiful, tranquil location to write, entertain, and enjoy the remaining years of his life. Scott is probably the most well-known to the modern world as the author of Ivanhoe. Once again the sights are breathtaking at every turn.