After a major refurbishment which kept the historic 17th Century coaching inn’s much-loved character at its heart, the Cross Keys Inn reopened in February 2023 and has quickly regained its place at the heart of the village community. New owners Rory and Vicki Steel are local to the village of Ettrickbridge and are committed to making the pub a vibrant hub for community life.
As well as providing locals with a cosy place to meet, great tasting traditional pub food, live music and much revelry, the seven bedrooms offer travellers to the region a comfortable and relaxing base full of character from which to explore the stunning Ettrick and Yarrow Valleys and wider South of Scotland region. The friendly and professional staff extend the best of Scottish Borders welcomes to all their guests (and their dogs).
Whether you’re looking for light bar meals, an stress-free supper or a full Sunday roast, our awesome kitchen team, led by Head Chef Ash will ensure your stomachs leave content. All appetites, dietary requirements and discriminating children are well-catered for. We source locally where availability and feasibility allows.
The South of Scotland is blessed to be home to a number of excellent craft breweries, and we revolve our real ales regularly, so there’s something new for return visits. The village whisky club ensures our range of Scotch is always up to scratch and the selection of “Mothers’ Ruin” gins will delight those who prefer their spirits clear.
While our wine list is modest, we work with our supplier to ensure it covers a wide range of styles and represents great value-for-money. And for the designated driver and other non-drinkers, we have a solid selection of no-lows.
Our seven en-suite bedrooms, all individually designed come as a double or twins and the family room can comfortable sleep four. Many of the rooms have baths as well as showers, allowing you to have a long, lingering soak after a day walking the hills or cycling the valleys. Fluffy towels, toiletries from North Berwick based Laura Thomas and hairdryers are also provided. Dogs are welcome in three of the bedrooms.
For your downtime, all rooms are equipped with a television and there is a guest library and book swap for you to enjoy.
In the snug down in the main bar you can take on friends and locals in a game of darts and an old-school Atari space invaders. Live music gigs, quizzes and domino drives as well as themed nights with bespoke menus take place regularly.
Our staff are our biggest asset, the majority of the team come from the local village and surrounding valleys and not only will you be greeted with a warm South of Scotland welcome they are also a wealth of knowledge about local events and other places to visit.
We recommend booking ahead to avoid disappointment.
