Nestled in the heart of the Scottish Borders, Bemersyde House is not any ordinary holiday home; it’s a destination and an unforgettable experience to share with the people you love. Despite its grandeur, Bemersyde House will feel like a home away from home the moment you enter. Here, you’re not a guest, you’re a part of the story.
You have full run of the estate, including the array of woodlands to wander, lawns to lounge on, a tennis court and a yoga room. While the estate alone has enough to fill your holiday agenda, Bemersyde is located among the magnificent landscapes of the sublime Scottish Borders, meaning there’s plenty of hills to scale, rivers to stroll along and woodland wanderers to find on your adventures.
A Harbinger of History
Bemersyde House, originally built in the 12th century, is found among 12,000 acres of estate and offers 800 years of fascinating history. The impressive 16th-century Peel Tower, which played a part in defending the Scottish Borders, still remains at the front of the house. Bemersyde has faced many challenges, including being burned down in 1545. After being rebuilt in 1581, Bemersyde House has remained ever since, though some of the stones from the original building date back to the 12th century. Just outside the front of the house, you will find the 800–900-year-old ‘Covin Tree’, one of the UK’s oldest sweet chestnuts that was once struck by lightning.
A Room for Every Mood
Bemersyde retains the authenticity of the 16th-century building but benefits from luxury modernisation. It is noticeable upon entrance that Bemersyde is beautifully decorated throughout with breathtaking art. Bemersyde’s east wing can be turned into a private space if you’re travelling with multiple groups who require their own accommodation. While the bottom floor of the west wing (the fisherman’s wing) is ideal for those with limited mobility, another couple or for accommodating a private chef.
Vaulted ceilings, carved stone fireplaces, unique wallpaper and canopy beds, each bedroom tells its own story. Bemersyde House boasts an impressive 11 bedrooms housing 23 guests altogether, holding either a king-size or super king-sized bed, excluding one single bedroom and a dormitory bedroom, perfect for the young ones. Whichever bedroom you choose, it’s sure to have its own distinctive personality. Although each bedroom is unique, one thing is certain: magnificent views of the beautiful Scottish Borders. Down to the Tweed, out to the Eildon Hills or the rolling hills on the Bemersyde Estate.
The cloakroom is equipped with golf clubs, fishing rods, tennis rackets, croquet mallets and more. While the games room on the top level, adjacent to the dormitory bedroom, is equipped with a pool table, table tennis, and plenty of books and board games, enough to keep you entertained for days.
Spend sunny afternoons down at the tennis court, sneak into the morning room at dawn and watch the sunrise, or cook up a hearty meal on the impressive outdoor BBQ station, built by the estate. Any and every activity you desire is available at Bemersyde.
Indulge in the Kitchen Garden
Depending on the season, the walled garden at Bemersyde will be stocked with an abundance of goodies from sun-warmed tomatoes, crisp lettuces, soft berries, rhubarb, courgettes, or armfuls of herbs. Guests not only have the gift of cooking with the delicious ingredients grown just out the door, but experience a taste of Bemersyde. Much of the produce also finds its way to the Kitchen Garden, where jam, chutney, pickles, pesto, soup, pasta sauces and more are prepared by hand by the mastermind behind it all, Margaret. Guests can also request for the goodies from the Garden Kitchen to be left in Bemersyde House, sorting out lunches and snacks for your stay.
The Estate Grounds
The River Tweed makes the perfect walk companion, where you’ll find ospreys and otters while strolling along the bank. The river is brilliant for trying the world-class salmon fishing or catching a few trout in the late hours. Relax in the sunken garden or the bench underneath the ‘Covin Tree’. Book guided walks, wildlife tours, clay pigeon shooting and private dining experiences on the estate. Opportunities for bird watching and photography on the estate can be found on quieter walks. The estate also boasts Bemersyde Moss, a nature reserve, perfect for wildlife enthusiasts to watch wildlife pass by. The dark skies at Bemersyde are another natural beauty. Grab your telescope and host a beautiful evening of stargazing at the unpolluted night sky.
Beyond Bemersyde
One of the highlights of staying at Bemersyde House is how effortlessly the outdoors becomes part of your stay. A few minutes’ walk brings you to the iconic lookout at Scott’s View, the same sublime Scottish Borders scenery that Sir Walter Scott once cherished. A 20-minute stroll guides you down to the William Wallace Statue. Walk further along the River Tweed for an abundance of beautiful routes; the Eildon Hills rise just across the valley for longer, more challenging adventures. Horse riding is available at the stables near Bemersyde, or venture a little further for clay pigeon shooting at Bisley at Braidwood (the top shooting school in Scotland) in Selkirk.
Travel to a charming nearby town, Melrose and Kelso, both of which have beautiful Abbeys to wander and cafés to rest and dine in. Wander the Walled Garden at nearby Floors Castle or take an hour’s walk, passing over the Tweed into St Boswells’ for the award-winning book shop, Mainstreet Trading Company, browse, try a sweet treat in the café, or pick up a snack from the deli.
Memories to last a lifetime
If somehow Bemersyde House isn’t big enough, the estate also provides extra accommodation in the form of West Cottage. Ideal for access to all the luxuries of the Bemersyde Estate but with a cosy cottage as your base! Sleeping 4 (and your pet), West Cottage offers the perfect additional space for groups staying at Bemersyde House or smaller groups wishing to experience all the benefits of the Bemersyde grounds and estate.
As guests contend:
“Such a beautiful house in a beautiful setting. Truly unique experience”
“We really are starting to think of this as a home from home.”
“We will always cherish the memories that we made here.”
Bemersyde is impressive and grand, but never formal. Always warm, comfortable, and full of personality, the house encourages watching the sunrise from the morning room, board games by the fire, long conversations around the dinner table, and spending quality time with the people you love.
Come see for yourself and be a part of the Bemersyde story.
