“Thank you for the lovely walking tours to Rosslyn and the Merlin trail. I learned a lot and enjoyed being outside. The weather was perfect, the tea and short bread were yummie, and your knowledge was superb. Thanks for two wonderful days”. Helene Kiddie, California

Skeleton outline of tour (This does not cover all aspects)

The Merlin trails is set in a dreamy landscape of rolling green hills and open skies, with only the odd farmhouse on the horizon. It is easy to imagine stepping back into the Iron Age.

This is a delightfully scenic tour through the Scottish Borders, with brief calls through the rolling Border Hills, stopping for lunch in a village where they produce Merlin ale! Once we arrive in upper Tweeddale we enter the legend proper of Merlin.

The first landscape feature to explore is an ancient hill fort which hosted one of the local tribes. It is near here that the only chronicled Merlin is supposed to have lived a while, possibly sheltered by a local Celtic chieftain. The local tale of Merlin appears to have migrated to Wales in the sixth century as the tribes shifted territories dues to Saxon invasions.

We take a small circular tour around this very pretty section of Tweed Valley . St Mungo's relationship with Merlin was also a local theme here, and an ancient parish church in the glen and other landmarks supply us with a feast of visual evidence.

The next loop of the journey takes us past enchanting botanical gardens, where a brief stop may be made. Once we arrive at the "Merlin stone" we can experience for ourselves the magic of this spot.

We also see a Merlin tree (!) and the ancient cell of one of Mungo's lesser known disciples, St Llollan.

The Merlin trails is set in dreamy landscape of rolling green hills and open skies, with only the odd farmhouse on the horizon.

Jackie Queally +44 (0)131 667 8510