KELSO

Kelso is a small town in the Scottish Borders of about 5,500 people. It stands on the river Tweed and has Floors Castle starting at the town. It also has one of the four ruined abbeys to be found in the Borders. The town has lots of eating places and many small shops

Get there by car via the A68 from Edinburgh while the quickest public transport is bus from Edinburgh.

Kelso Scottish Borders Border Abbeys

Your journey should start close to the ruined Kelso Abbey near the bridge over the river tweed. From the abbey walk towards the town and on the left, through an archway, is The Ednam House Hotel. Then directly opposite is The Queen’s Head. Leave here by the back door (follow signs to toilets) which takes you out to Abbey Row which goes around the old cemetery. Turn left and walk along to The White Swan. When leaving here exit by the rear passage way at far end of bar. This brings you out on a main road (Woodmarket). Cross over and down to the right at an alley is the lounge bar of The Black Swan. Leave here via the public bar onto Horsemarket (Oscars is down to the right, if after 6pm) and look over the large open square across to the left. The main building here is The Cross Keys Hotel. Next door, to the right, is Rutherfords micropub. Continue along and turn left and you will see The Cobbles in front of you. The closed Red Lion is around to the left from here.

PUB FACTS

Research had shown that Kelso had 11 pubs for a pleasant Saturday afternoon and evening crawl.

Reality was a little different – one , The Red Lion, was closed and for sale, two were evening venues, one was a family restaurant and, most disappointingly Scotland’s only micropub was closed for the weekend.

Interestingly, and conveniently, three of the pubs had entrances on two different roads.

Ednam House Hotel

This is an old and welcoming country house hotel with views overlooking the river Tweed. There is a bar entrance door to the right of the main entrance. The main entrance takes you to a large hallway with a real fire. The bar is down a corridor to right. As you walk down you will see some of the grandeur of large sitting rooms with real fires, a conference room and a dining room. The bar itself is unspectacular. The room has five tables with armchairs and plenty of space. The walls are decorated with lots of pictures. There are sliding doors taking you to a large garden with outdoor seating and enough river bank for a stroll alongside the Tweed.

Have a pint and view the garden and river

Heavy: John Smith

Lager: Fosters; Birra Moretti; Hop House 13

Cider: Cloudy Apple

The Queen’s Hotel

This has a small bar area inside the main entrance. To the left and front are four low tables with armchairs and a TV on each wall. To the right is the servery with 10 tall fonts and one real ale pump. The room narrows in the far corner leading down to a large restaurant. At the steps down is a door to the outdoor courtyard, which is in the centre of the hotel, and then onto the toilets and the rear entrance.

Have a pint here

Real ale: Cross The Line (Stewart’s)

Heavy: Belhaven Best; John Smith

Lager: Carlsberg; Haverlee; Tennent’s; San Miguel; 13 Hop

Cider: Strongbow + Dark Fruits Guinness

The White Swan

The front entrance is down a few steps through a little outside seating. Going in is a small area with tables to right and front, and a corner of the main servery is to the left (This has the real ale pumps). On the wall are two open doorways leading into a far bigger room with the rest of and larger part of the servery going down to the left. This room has limited table seating and lots of standing room with a pool table in far corner. A door from here takes you out of the bar via a long corridor.

Have a pint here

Real ale: Deuchers; Wainwright golden Beer

Heavy: John Smith

Lager: Stella; 3 Hop; Tennent’s; Fosters; Coors; Carling

Cider: Strongbow + Dark Fruits Guinness

The Black Swan.

The side entrance is into a large dark lounge with banquette seating and tables. The lounge has a low ceiling is carpeted and then turns right where the servery is against the far wall. The lounge continues past this and turns to the right at a space which looks as if it once held a pool table. The bar is through a door to the right of the counter.

The bar is a smaller room, more basic, but more comfortable for the drinker.

Heavy: John Smith; Belhaven Best; Coast To Coast

Lager: Fosters; Tennent’s

The Cross Keys Hotel

This hotel has two areas swerving drink, one to right and other to left of reception. To the right is a large lounge with the Saddles restaurant through to the left of the serving counter. This large and light room has only two tables opposite the servery. There is lots of standing room (for wedding parties hanging around?) and then way to the right is some couch seating around a TV area.

To the left of reception, The Oak Room, with wood panelling on walls is a less formal setting. This room has a large pull-down TV and a lots of dining tables with condiments for bar meals. A large square of the floor is wooden which suggest some dancing at times.

Visit both bars – cheap for a hotel.

Real ale: two pumps but none on – decoration?

Heavy: Belhaven Best

Lager: Peroni; Carling; San Miguel (in Oak Room)

Cider: Aspall