Traquair: History, Gardens and Cycling Routes

Traquair is well suited to a trip that combines the history of a house, gardens and walking routes. If you are looking for a hotel for a stay in Traquair, these interests can help structure your plans: Traquair House combines a long history with rooms open to the public; the Parish Church, the Maze and the routes offer their own distinct highlights. Before your trip, check the house’s visiting arrangements and the seasonal opening of the grounds.

House History and Buildings

Traquair House is considered Scotland’s oldest inhabited house and has been lived in for over 900 years. It was originally a hunting lodge for the Scottish kings and queens. A substantial building must already have stood at Traquair by 1107 at the latest. Mary, Queen of Scots, visited Traquair House in 1566; a cradle and bed attributed to her can still be seen there. Traquair’s Bear Gates were built in 1739.

Visitors can tour Traquair House; 19 rooms are open to the public. Before travelling, check when tours are available for your dates.

Traquair Parish Church was built in 1778 by John Haldane and Co. to a design by John Winter. It includes a Catholic burial chapel for the Stuarts of Traquair and is listed as a historic building because of its connections to the Stuart and Tennant families. Alongside Traquair House, it adds another chapter to the history of the area: the focus here is on church architecture and family connections, while the history of the house also reaches back to the Scottish kings and Mary, Queen of Scots.

Maze, Grounds and Routes

Traquair Maze was created in 1981 and is Scotland’s largest hedge maze; Traquair House Maze is planted with 1,500 trees. Visitors can explore the extensive grounds of Traquair House, which are open seasonally. The Quair River runs through the Traquair estate. The Woodland Walk at Traquair includes some of Scotland’s oldest yew trees.

Two different details are useful when planning a cycling trip. A traffic-free cycle path connects Innerleithen and Traquair, and Traquair House offers bicycle parking on site. The Southern Upland Way is a 212-mile (340 km) route from Portpatrick to Cockburnspath that passes through Traquair. The cycle path connects two named places; the Southern Upland Way is a much longer route, described by its total distance and two endpoints.

Brewery and Traquair House Ale

Traquair House Brewery is a working brewery dating back to the 18th century. Traquair House Ale is a recreation based on an old-fashioned recipe for Scottish heavy ale. Visitors can sample and buy Traquair House Ales on site; the brewery operates seasonally. If you plan to include this part of the area’s history, check before your trip whether sampling and purchases will be available on your dates.

Discover more destinations: Galashiels, Morebattle, Carlops, Cockburnspath, Ednam, Kershopefoot, Kelso, Saint Boswells.

For the broader travel overview: The Scottish Borders.