After taking the train to Tweedbank we walked to the visitor centre at Abbotsford where there is a good exhibition of the life and work of Sir Walter Scott.  He has been described as “the first celebrity” having gained fame and popularity as the author of many books in the early 19th century although few people read any of his books now. Abbotsford House was built to replace the farm that Scott had bought as it was close to the courthouse at Selkirk where he worked when not doing his legal duties in Edinburgh.  This is the view from the café where we stopped before continuing our walk along the river towards Melrose.