It is not often I get the chance to spend some time with my mum on our own. Coming from a tight-knit family, trips usually involve the whole clan heading off together.
So it was a novel change to get some proper mother and daughter time on a jaunt to the Borders.
Our destination was Peebles, one of my favourite places, despite being a born, bred and pretty staunch west-coaster.
We were staying in the Horseshoe Inn, which is primarily a restaurant with a small number of rooms. The management has the ethos that only a small number of guests are looked after at any one time, but those who do visit are looked after extremely well.
The main building, which is just off the road to Peebles at Eddleston, houses an elegant restaurant with a scattering of mismatched antique tables, giving diners plenty of space to enjoy their meals. It is also home to a private dining area and a relaxing lounge, with a roaring fire and sofas, where diners and guests can enjoy a brimming selection of Scottish whiskies and gins.
The rooms are in a separate building at the back of the restaurant, off the car park, and they are lovely. We had a twin room, decorated in a traditional, cosy style with old-fashioned wooden furniture, big comfy beds and a personal touch of a slice of homemade ginger cake to have with our cups of tea.
On the first day, we decided to explore the town, which is wonderfully unusual in terms of the number of independent shops on offer.
My mum made a good start on her Christmas shopping, picking up lots of quirky little presents in some of the many gift shops that line the high street.
The Horseshoe Inn – which is overseen by chef Alistair Craig, formerly senior sous chef at a Michelin-starred eatery – really is something special.
After a glass of pink bubbly and a perusal of the incredibly tempting menu, we started our meal with an amuse bouche of chestnut mushroom mousse with pickled enoki, pine nuts and a flaky cheese palmier. It was a deliciously different opening to the meal.
For her starter, my mum ordered the pigs trotter and ham-hock croquette with tomato caper and raisin puree. The meaty parcel was bound in light breadcrumbs and was offset beautifully by the sweet accompaniment.
I am a huge black pudding fan and generally go for any dish which mentions that breakfast staple, so I was immediately drawn to the terrine.
Chilled, pressed, slow-cooked rabbit and black pudding were combined with potato and prune in the sumptuous slice which was served with a tangy piccalilli.
For my main, I was drawn to the wonderfully pink lamb: slices of the meat were served with gnocchi, with a luxurious Madeira sauce – heaven.
My mum went for the duck for her main event: perfectly cooked honey-glazed breast meat topped an unusual, but very tasty, salad of quinoa, pomegranate and smoked pecan nuts.
We made a weak protestation about being too full for desserts, but were easily persuaded, with my mum choosing the refreshing beetroot sorbet with strawberries and me opting for the incredible Valrhona chocolate delice with croissant ice cream and crunchy chunks of honeycomb.
We ended the evening with a liqueur coffee in the lounge, extremely satisfied and with full bellies.
After a smallish breakfast the next morning we headed out of Peebles, intending to go towards Traquair House, a pretty-as-a-picture mansion in Innerleithen. But on the way, we stumbled across the Peebles Show, and ended up spending a fantastic day at the event.
There were scores of animals and rare farm breeds to see, including beautiful alpacas and prize-winning donkeys.
The chicken and duck tent was a surprising highlight, as were the local craft tents.
And the homebakes – which we indulged in over lunch – were fantastic.
In the evening, we headed into Peebles for dinner at the Tontine Hotel: it was an enjoyable evening, but the food was not a patch on our outstanding feast from the night before.
We ended the night with a boozy coffee at the Horseshoe Inn’s bar.
After another fine breakfast, we headed home, a few pounds heavier and with a few Christmas presents struck off the list.
The Horseshoe Inn really is the perfect place for the right balance of luxury and home comfort – and we’ll definitely be back for another girls’ weekend away.
The Horseshoe Inn, Eddleston, Peebles, EH45 8QP. Call: 01721 730225. Visit: www.horseshoeinn.co.uk