Scottish Borders
The House in the Hill
Introduction
The House in the Hill takes its shape from a stone quarry that once cut into Townfoot Hill, and the house now sits in those old contours, built from local stone and wood with a roof sown in wildflowers. It stands on Swinside Townfoot, a working Cheviot sheep farm that Vicki and Peter Hedley have run since 2012.
There's room for four across two bedrooms, each with a view from the bed. One's a king with an en-suite, the other works as a king or twin with a shower room next door. The heart of the place is an open-plan living space with a wood burner and sliding glass doors onto a terrace facing the hills. Outside, a wood-fired hot tub made for stargazing and a rooftop terrace with views in every direction. The house is fully off-grid, running on solar and ground-source power with spring water drawn from a borehole on site. Jedburgh and its 12th-century abbey sit six miles down the road.
Prices & Availability
Facilities & Services
Two bedrooms sleep four, one king with en-suite and one king-or-twin with an adjacent shower room. There's an open-plan living space with a wood burner, a well-equipped kitchen, underfloor heating, smart TV and Wi-Fi. Outside, a wood-fired hot tub, rooftop terrace, barbecue area and a drying room for wet gear. A welcome hamper of local produce is included, and charging points for electric cars and e-bikes run on surplus solar power.
Location
The House in the Hill stands on Swinside Townfoot, a working sheep farm near the village of Oxnam in the south of the Scottish Borders. It's high ground, remote and a bit wild in feel, yet Edinburgh and Newcastle are both within an hour and a half. A car is recommended.
Good to know
The house is one of the greener stays in the Borders, with an independently assessed carbon footprint of 2.02kg CO2e per bedroom per night. The average UK hotel runs at 10.4kg. It's fully off-grid, so guests are asked to be mindful and switch things off when not in use. The EV and e-bike chargers work when there's surplus energy, and the wood-fired hot tub needs time to heat. Two cots are available for infants on request.
What's nearby
Jedburgh sits six miles down the road. Its abbey, founded by David I in 1138, is the town's big draw, but Mary Queen of Scots' House is worth an hour too, the tower house where she stayed while ill in 1566. There's a good spread of shops and cafés besides. Closer to home, a circular walk of three to four kilometres runs straight from the door around Townfoot Hill, and the Waterloo Monument on Peniel Heugh is visible from miles around, a landmark for walks in the area. Monteviot House Gardens are close by on the banks of the Teviot. Head towards Kelso and you'll find Floors Castle, Scotland's largest inhabited castle and home to the Duke of Roxburghe. Further out, Dryburgh Abbey holds Sir Walter Scott's grave, and Scott's View over the Eildon Hills was reportedly his favourite in the Borders. Melrose and its abbey make a good day of it. E-bikes can be hired locally for exploring on two wheels.
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