AN_p40_p41__JK_18-19_AN306_Tani's_view.QXD 23/06/2022 21:54 Page 1
Visit to the Borders by John Killick At last, Travel again! OR a long weekend, we picked the Cloverfords Hotel just outside Galashiels on the Peebles Road. This hotel has recently come under new ownership, and they are upgrading it as fast as money will permit to a very good standard.
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One of the owners is a chef and as good a one as I have come across in a long while. When I say that his dining room was full of locals on all three nights of our stay, I think that this shows that I am right! A good chef. I inspected the disabled room, and it is done to an extremely high standard. It includes a great wet room and easy access to the bar and restaurant. The disabled loo is as good as I have seen anywhere, but there is one problem; it is up a step from the main bar, which would make it inaccessible. This wouldn’t matter if you are staying since your room is only a step away but could be a problem if you have just called in for a meal. The owner is aware of this so it may have changed before you visit. Places to visit: We decided on Abbotsford House, Sir Walter Scott’s little pile, and it is only about five miles away. Access, both to the house gardens, visitors centre and riverside walk, were accessible but you would require either a strong pusher or a power chair/scooter to get to the riverside walk, as there is a very steep path that could deter a more timid person. My first wife would have shouted “Great, ramp run!” and taken off and scared me half to death just watching! Still, it is accessible but don’t forget that what goes down must come back up! The gardens are split-level. The lower 40
Cloverfords Hotel
The bar in Cloverfords Hotel
Abbotsford House Ability Needs Magazine
