Arcadia Scotland

With an early morning start, students from the University of Glasgow, the University of Edinburgh, the Parliamentary Internship, St Andrews University and the University of Stirling set off to explore Sir Walter's Scott's beloved Scottish Borders.  Dr Thea Stevens led the charge, recounting tales from Scottish history which covered everything from royal romances to the severing of heads, as we progressed south from Edinburgh into the rolling hills of the borderlands.

Our first stop brought us to Abbotsford House, the majestic home designed and built by Sir Walter Scott himself.  With very informed tours from the experts at Abbotsford, we experienced Scott's home as he left it, taking in his collections, which ranged from his extensive library to artefacts such as a piece of cloth said to be from Mary Queen of Scot's execution dress, to the drinking glass from which Robert Burns supposedly drank his whisky to a notebook said to have been used by Napoleon himself.  We gained a sense of the inspiring views and pieces from Scottish history which informed Scott's work and left feeling inspired by the author's story.

The town of Melrose and Melrose Abbey were next on the docket for our students.  Taking in scenic Melrose, we enjoyed lunch at local cafes and pubs before heading over to the abbey.   Said to be the burial place of Robert the Bruce's heart, the ruins of Melrose Abbey are among the best preserved examples of late fourteenth-century architecture in Britain.  Dr Stevens enlightened us with her knowledge of medieval architecture and monasticism, shedding light on the practices and traditions of Scottish monastic communities at that time.

Following our exploration of Melrose Abbey, we hopped back on the bus to head to Sir Walter Scott's favorite vantage point in the Borders.  We stopped at Scott's View to take it in, experience the Borders through Scott's eyes and, of course, to take photos!

Our final stop of the day took us to Rosslyn Chapel, which is shrouded in mystery and which has garnered much fame thanks to Dan Brown.  While we avoided to much mention of a certain fictional narrative (cough, The Da Vinci Code, cough), there was much to learn about the ornate carvings and history of the chapel.

After Rosslyn, we headed back to Edinburgh, satisfied with a full day of Scottish history, sites and culture.  The trip proved to be another success and we are all looking forward to the adventures that have yet to unfold!