History & heritage · Smailholm
Smailholm Tower
A roofed 15th-century tower house in the Borders countryside, with surviving walls and traces of its wider enclosure.
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Clint Lodge
A refurbished 19th-century country house offering bed and breakfast accommodation near Melrose. Guests have a drawing room with a log fire, a sun lounge and garden space. Dinner can be arranged in its dining room. This is a rural property, so confirm meals, transport and arrival arrangements before booking a stay in the Borders.
Plan your visit →Buccleuch Arms
A former hunting lodge in St Boswells with guest bedrooms, a bar, bistro and beer garden. The inn dates from 1836 and offers a Borders base with food and accommodation in the same building. Family rooms are limited. Confirm the room configuration and meal arrangements for your stay, particularly when travelling with children or a larger group.
Plan your visit →Dryburgh Arms
A village inn in Newtown St Boswells on the St Cuthbert's Way walking route. Alongside guest accommodation, its bar offers drinks and a place to pause beside an open fire, with a beer garden for suitable weather. Dogs are welcomed in the public hospitality areas. Confirm room availability, dining arrangements and any pet conditions before booking an overnight stay.
Plan your visit →Hunters Stables
A family-owned restaurant in St Boswells offering Italian and Scottish-influenced dishes, including pasta, pizza and steak. It is down the lane between the village hall and church. The operator publishes Wednesday-to-Sunday service and welcomes assistance dogs, but not pets. Check the current menu and reservations before arranging lunch or dinner.
Plan your visit →Sultans of Kelso
An Indian restaurant and takeaway in Kelso, providing a meal stop within the town. Table dining and collection orders follow separate arrangements. Check the current menu, opening hours and reservation availability before visiting, and confirm drinks and any corkage conditions directly. Discuss allergies or other dietary requirements when placing your booking or order.
Plan your visit →Twelve Triangles Melrose
The Melrose branch of Twelve Triangles at 23 Market Square. It provides both sit-in and takeaway service, unlike some of the company's takeaway-only branches in Edinburgh. The operator welcomes dogs in its shops. Check the current bakery selection and opening before travelling, and make sure any enquiry refers to the Melrose location.
Plan your visit →Mellerstain House and Gardens
A country house and garden attraction between Kelso and Melrose. The operator's 2026 house-tour season runs from May to the end of September, while the grounds have separate published opening arrangements. Do not assume that the house or café is open when the gardens are accessible. Check the current estate calendar before travelling.
Plan your visit →Trimontium Museum
An indoor museum in central Melrose exploring the Roman fort and settlement of Trimontium and its relationship with local Iron Age communities. Collections and interpretation explain life on the northern frontier. The separately bookable Trimontium Experience adds virtual-reality interpretation. Check admission and experience availability when planning your visit.
Plan your visit →Kelso Abbey
The surviving church of Kelso Abbey preserves part of a medieval monastery founded by monks invited to the Borders by King David I. Little of the wider precinct remains, but the standing architecture gives an insight into the abbey's former importance. Check Historic Environment Scotland's current access arrangements before planning a visit to the ruins.
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About this place
A roofed 15th-century tower house in the Borders countryside, with surviving walls and traces of its wider enclosure. Inside, displays connect the tower with Walter Scott and the ballads that influenced him. The battlements offer countryside views. Check the seasonal opening calendar and access information before planning a visit to this rural historic site.
Plan your visit
- Address
- TD5 7PG
- Admission
- Paid entry
- Setting
- Indoor & outdoor
Source details checked on 2 October 2026.
Check current opening times, access and booking requirements before travelling.
Get directions ↗Make a day of your visit
Listings within 20 miles of Smailholm Tower. Distances are straight-line estimates; check the actual journey.
Places to stay near Smailholm Tower
- Clint LodgeSt Boswells, near Melrose · 2.4 miles
- Buccleuch ArmsSt Boswells · 3.8 miles
- Dryburgh ArmsNewtown St Boswells · 4.2 miles
Places to eat near Smailholm Tower
- Hunters StablesSt Boswells · 3.5 miles
- Sultans of KelsoKelso · 5.5 miles
- Twelve Triangles MelroseMelrose · 5.6 miles
Attractions near Smailholm Tower
- Mellerstain House and GardensMellerstain, near Kelso · 2.8 miles
- Trimontium MuseumMelrose · 5.6 miles
- Kelso AbbeyKelso · 5.6 miles
Walking guides near Smailholm Tower
Plan another stop with a Days Out Now guide. Map reference points are within 20 miles; check the route, access and actual journey in the full guide.
- Eildon Hills Secret Volcano Walk: Three SummitsScottish Borders · 5.5 miles to the map reference, straight line
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