We’ve spent the last 3 weeks in Scotland, the Scottish Boarders to be exact (meaning just past the border of England). We were about 35 minutes from Edinburgh by car (an hour and 20 by bus) staying in a little town called Peebles.

This was really our kick-off location for our year of traveling since it was the first time we actually had time to unpack suitcases, to have days when we were bored, and to really get to know a town. It was trial by fire and we learned a lot!

Trying to choose where you’re going to stay in probably the hardest part for us. It’s not like we really know the country to know good locations… It feels a little like spinning the globe when you were a kid and waiting to see where your finger lands. So we rely on Google, what little we already know about a place, AirBbB, and friends. I know something led me to looking in Peebles but I can’t remember what it was anymore. This was the one and only place we had booked before we left the states.

I’m worried, we may have already stayed in my favorite flat of our whole trip! I absolutely LOVED everything about our “home” in Peebles. It truly felt like home, which was amazing considering how far away we actually are.

Paysen got to have hi own room – it had more of a masculine vibe which just made it all the cooler. He was hilarious changing beds from night to night, just to “see how it feels over here mom”. He’d sit at his little desk a color or write in his journal and of course, there was a whole lot of iPad time as well (more than we probably meant for – what can I say, it rained a lot).

The kitchens in Europe are very different from ours the states. Trying to figure out the ovens has been hilarious! Our first pizza cooked in 2 minutes and was starting to burn – we laughed that it’s like the UK has The Jetsons appliances. There’s also  remembering that if an appliance seems to not be working – I’ve probably just forgotten to flip the switch! And of course, the washing machines being in all of the kitchens is new for us too. But we loved this little kitchen and made many dinners in it. Even tried our hand at homemade clotted cream.

Our room was perfect! I’ve been making mental notes for all of their pain color choices for when I return, as I loved them. And the little silver bed side lamps were probably my favorite bit. (Did you just see how I used Bit – I’m practically a local already). 😉

I feel like the UK bathrooms really have something on us in America! Towel warmers in every bathroom we’ve stayed in… Yes please!

The girls room was perfect for them! Even the fact that it’s more feminine than Pays. They loved their little vanity. And again… The paint color. So perfect!

Picturesque doesn’t quite do justice to the views from our windows. Both the front and the back! This was our view from the front window on our first day!

And the view from the back windows… You can’t see it in this image, but there are little white spots polka dotting the hill side – those are the sheep!

The bar has definitely been set high after our AirBnB in Peebles!

So what did we do in Peebles. A lot of walking and exploring! There are trails everywhere. We followed them up into the countryside, into the forests and all over the town. When we wanted to go exploring, we used  the buses (not necessarily a great deal cost wise but with no car, they were an easy option).

Our favorite top 3 adventures in Peebles were:

Abbotsford House (The House of Sir Walter Scott).

Go Ape Peebles – We will be writing a whole post just on our zip-line adventure at Go Ape! It was amazing! I couldn’t believe how much Adi and Ella got to do. The age limit is 10 so Paysen did not get to participate, but in the end, even he has fun because the staff was so amazing, making him an honorary guest instructor for the day.

Traquair House
The best thing about Traquair House for us was the grounds! They had an amazing playground (they call them adventure playgrounds when they are meant for older kids). Since there was no-one else on the playground, we made it out own Spartan mini training  obstacle course and we all took turns timing ourselves and running through. And of course, the maze was a huge hit for the kids.

Planning your own Scottish Holiday? Considering going to Peebles? Have any questions? Leave a comment below and we will get back to you!