It is just a 10 minute walk from the cottage down into bustling Melrose where there are lots of interesting little boutique shops, an excellent delicatessen, butcher and fresh produce shop.

You are well catered for if you fancy some evenings off from cooking as there is a range of different cafés, restaurants and pubs. Each year the village also plays host to the famous Melrose Sevens rugby tournament in April and the Borders Book Festival in June.

If you are a golf enthusiast you will be happy to find that you are right by the 9 hole golf course that sits at the foot of the impressive Eildon hills. The Eildons, as they are known locally, dominate the surrounding landscape and can be seen for miles around. They are incredibly popular with walkers who enjoy tackling them to be rewarded with some fantastic, expansive views of the area.

The Southern Upland Way and St Cuthbert’s Way also pass through Melrose, as does the long distance Borders Abbeys Way that allows you to visit all four of the 12th century ruined abbeys at Melrose, Dryburgh, Kelso and Jedburgh.

Trout fishing is available on the River Tweed and there are some lovely walks to be had along its banks with plenty of pretty spots to stop and enjoy a picnic. A couple of miles out of Melrose is the Leaderfoot Viaduct that is quite an impressive sight to behold, standing as it does towering over the river at over 120 feet high.

There are train stations at both Tweedbank (2 miles) and Galashiels (3 miles), meaning that you can be up in the capital Edinburgh in under an hour - ideal for leaving the car behind for the day and relaxing all the way into the centre of the city. Galashiels has a good selection of shops and supermarkets, as well as a cinema and leisure centre with swimming pool.