Another summer in the Scottish Borders...

Walking paths

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Nowhere was my past lack of observational skills more pronounced on this stay in the Moffat area than when it came to the local walks. This area of Dumfries and Galloway is somewhat renowned for its fantastic walks and the woodland and hilly scenery surrounding the town of Moffat - including part of the Southern Upland Way - one of the most challenging and longest footpaths in Scotland. (Which, if you've done any walking in Scotland you know this is quite a statement.) On the drive into Moffat from Edinburgh you can not help but see the grandeur of the surrounding hills before the town comes into view, and the Devils Beef Tub where stolen cattle where once hidden is a dramatic and stunni...Read More

Nowhere was my past lack of observational skills more pronounced on this stay in the Moffat area than when it came to the local walks. This area of Dumfries and Galloway is somewhat renowned for its fantastic walks and the woodland and hilly scenery surrounding the town of Moffat - including part of the Southern Upland Way - one of the most challenging and longest footpaths in Scotland. (Which, if you've done any walking in Scotland you know this is quite a statement.)

On the drive into Moffat from Edinburgh you can not help but see the grandeur of the surrounding hills before the town comes into view, and the Devils Beef Tub where stolen cattle where once hidden is a dramatic and stunning view which just begs you to leave your car and walk it for yourself. And yet - though I love little more than a first walk on new soil to get a feel for a place I've not been to before, I'd done almost no walking in any visit I had ever made to Moffat.

I could easily blame this unfortunate turn of events to the call of family obligations - (a visit to in-laws being my most frequent reason for being in town) or more likely to the appalling weather I seemed to always find awaiting my arrival in town (I will honestly proclaim that in the first three years of my time in Scotland - not in one visit to Moffat did I see anything less than a downpour, regardless of time of year). But even so - you only live in Scotland so long before you stop waiting for the sunshine to come out to do out of door things. So how I managed so many years without ever venturing beyond the town centre by foot will remain a mystery.

However - like the rest of my visit this year, I was determined to see what Moffat had to offer the hiker - and perhaps even spurred on by the purchase of new hiking boots which needed to be broken in, I set off on the paths leading into the hills to find what everyone had been talking about for years.

Despite not having walked them myself - anyone can see that the hill country surrounding Moffat is prime walking ground - and I do highly recommend that you give it a try yourself, even if only briefly. But what surprised me was the amount of beautiful woodland paths which also was a part of the available walking paths - and very nearby as well. There are a number of great paths - and perhaps the best way to find one is just to set off along the side streets of Moffat and follow the footpath signs when they appear. There are some very easy paths alongside the river where you will meet lots of locals out walking their dogs. You can follow this as long as you like - eventually it will lead you back around the far end of town past a lot of hay fields and if you happen to have your dog with you this is an idea spot to let him stretch his legs.

Also if you would like a bit of a climb but nothing too strenuous - follow the paths behind the golf course up into the hills behind Moffat for some really beautiful pine forests and views over surrounding farms, fields and hills. True - most of these footpaths are nice enough and certainly easy enough for anyone to make them regardless of the weather. But if you find yourself with a day to spend in Moffat with sunshine to boot - then the best way to enjoy the area is to see it on foot.

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Member Rating 4 out of 5 on November 15, 2011

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Station Park Moffat

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Attraction | "A pretty little park "

Station Park Photo - Station Park Moffat, Moffat, Scotland

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It's amazing what you can miss about a place when you don't have your eyes open, or aren't seeing with the traveller's eyes - wondering what each place has to offer. It's one of the great things about travelling on a tight (or even non-existant) budget...it means you really have to look for what's there, you can't just land and do whatever is listed on the tour guide. In my many many visits to Moffat, I had passed the town park many times. I think I may even have sauntered briefly through it on a rainy day just needing to stretch my legs. But up until this summer - I'd never really noticed the Moffat park. It's hard to miss - actually - it runs along the main road coming into town from th...Read More

It's amazing what you can miss about a place when you don't have your eyes open, or aren't seeing with the traveller's eyes - wondering what each place has to offer. It's one of the great things about travelling on a tight (or even non-existant) budget...it means you really have to look for what's there, you can't just land and do whatever is listed on the tour guide.

In my many many visits to Moffat, I had passed the town park many times. I think I may even have sauntered briefly through it on a rainy day just needing to stretch my legs. But up until this summer - I'd never really noticed the Moffat park. It's hard to miss - actually - it runs along the main road coming into town from the A74 (as many of you will be) and as most things in Moffat it's an easy stroll back to it no matter where you park.

If you are lucky enough to arrive in Moffat on a sunny day (especially in the spring or early summer) then a walk through this little park (known as Station Park) is a very relaxing way to begin (or end) any stay in town. It's not a big park - you can walk around the whole thing in a few minutes. But it's beautifully kept, peaceful and with enough space to find a little niche and enjoy it at your leisure.

This particular day which I finally decided 'I'm going to actually go and SEE the park here' began with a glorious bit of sunshine dappling the hills - but soon the cloud cover came over and so my view of the park was seen both in it's glory and in it's more standard pose. And yet - I was still taken aback that I had never one came and appreciated it. The flowers throughout were in full bloom on this late spring day - and was really taken aback at what a colourful place Moffat had suddenly become. The walking paths are small (as mentioned) but perfect for a turn or two around in the sun, and there is pond near the far end of the park with swann paddle boats to use.

Whether you're stopping off on your way somewhere else and want a quiet place for a picnic lunch, are looking for a colourful stroll through town, or are on a family trip - I recommend you give the Station Park a few moments of your visit to set the stage for your time in the little border town. Read Less

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on November 15, 2011

Station Park Moffat
Off Old Edinburgh Road
Moffat, Scotland

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One more try...and this time some sun...

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In all the years since I've been in Scotland - I've been to Moffat now many times. Though - as I mention in a few of the reviews here, rarely have I been to Moffat as a tourist. As my husband's home town - I visited Moffat for a week on my very first stay in the country, and yet even on that visit it was more about time with the family than it really was about seeing Scotland. In so very many of my trips to Moffat (often like other tourists it was a good place to stop in on the way somewhere else being so conveniently located between the English border and Glasgow - half way between Glasgow and Edinburgh - right in the centre of the Scottish borders - and for me a free place to stay and...Read More

In all the years since I've been in Scotland - I've been to Moffat now many times. Though - as I mention in a few of the reviews here, rarely have I been to Moffat as a tourist. As my husband's home town - I visited Moffat for a week on my very first stay in the country, and yet even on that visit it was more about time with the family than it really was about seeing Scotland.

In so very many of my trips to Moffat (often like other tourists it was a good place to stop in on the way somewhere else being so conveniently located between the English border and Glasgow - half way between Glasgow and Edinburgh - right in the centre of the Scottish borders - and for me a free place to stay and the added bonus of getting to see family while passing through) Moffat was more of a detour on the trip than the trip itself, and so in all of the times I have been there I have rarely tried to see it through the eyes of someone who's just visiting.

It's an odd thing for someone who always has their eyes open for what a place can offer and what images can be captured to so miss the essence of a place. And it dawned on me suddenly in the last year where I made more trips to Moffat to see family than I have done in the past three years combined that for so many people Moffat IS the trip. And though its location has very obvious benefits for those just passing through - it is also a great and enjoyable destination for many. A friend of mine from Edinburgh recently passed through for the first time and made a point of telling us about his little visit to Moffat and what he did that we had recommended while he was there. And it was this story that made me realize I must return to this little town in the heart of the Scottish borders and see it with new eyes - and write the review accordingly.

Though family visits have their upsides - they are just as often filled with the weight of the world and other considerations, and somehow in it all Moffat the town, and even the borders themselves became part of something else. Something to be done - rather than something to be seen.

It hasn't been helped - mind you - that on most of my visits I arrived via the McEwans bus from Edinburgh that (whilst cheap) is extremely uncomfortable and I have rarely arrived in town with out chronic car sickness. Add to that the negligible amount of sunshine I have ever seen in the place and up until this summer Moffat had left little charm for me as a place to come in and of itself.

However - I decided this was not a fair assumption to make - and given my frequent visits it was time to give it its due appraisal. I came this time with open eyes and camera ready - and found a very different village awaited me. There were sights to see - things to do. A very good restaurant and some nice little cafes, bakeries and shops. Some beautiful woodland walks, quiet village streets - and a rather stunning park that I had somehow never noticed.

And best of all - I was greeted this time with sunshine - and I can tell you, that Moffat sings in the sunshine.
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Claudios Restaurant

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Restaurant | "Great little Italian in the Scottish borders"

Claudios Italian Restaurant Photo - Claudios Restaurant, Moffat, Scotland

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Over the years since I've been in Scotland I've been to Moffat many times. This year the visit was different somehow - as I was determined to see the little town more from the view of a tourists than as a visiting relative (no matter what the place I feel this difference in perspective is an important one in knowing how outsiders will view the place). As virtually all of my inlaws live in Moffat - meals are usually taken at one household or another, and so opportunities to sample the local cuisine options have been limited. Yet this year more differences than just welcoming sunshine were afoot for my summer in Moffat - and as a small celebration we all found ourselves having dinner toget...Read More

Over the years since I've been in Scotland I've been to Moffat many times. This year the visit was different somehow - as I was determined to see the little town more from the view of a tourists than as a visiting relative (no matter what the place I feel this difference in perspective is an important one in knowing how outsiders will view the place). As virtually all of my inlaws live in Moffat - meals are usually taken at one household or another, and so opportunities to sample the local cuisine options have been limited.

Yet this year more differences than just welcoming sunshine were afoot for my summer in Moffat - and as a small celebration we all found ourselves having dinner together at Claudios - the pretty little Italian restaurant on the corner of Burnside road on the way out of town.

I'll admit, I wasn't expecting much. My limited experience of food in Moffat had not given me high hopes - and I went purely to enjoy the novelty and the company of extended family. We were a large group - approximately 12 people and we were seated in a large table in the front of the restaurant with views out of the large front windows. I have to say - the restaurant surpassed my expecations in every way. The food was glorious - really nice little Italian food nicely prepared and delicious. I had their pasta all' Imperiale as I generally go for white pastas when I eat out and so rarely am I not disapointed that Claudios made a noteable exception to this. My husband also had their homeade lasagna which was glorious.

But most of what I remember about the evening spent at Claudios was the welcoming atmosphere - and the extremely pleasant service we recieved throughout. A large group in at the weekend in one of the few sit-down restaurants in a busy holiday town in summer, and still were were not rushed, nor did we have to wait. After a night of wine, food, and absolutely stunning bannoffee pie - I left Claudios with a smile - knowing that I will visit again if ever the chance presents itself.

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Member Rating 4 out of 5 on November 14, 2011

Claudios Restaurant
Burnside Road
Moffat, Dumfries and Galloway DG10 9DX
01683 220958

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Moffat Woolen Mill

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Attraction | "Bus tour extravaganza"

The Moffat Woollen Mill Photo - Moffat Woolen Mill, Moffat, Scotland

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Moffat is essentially a small, pretty town in the Scottish borders with a surprisingly large influx of visitors - many of them coming from just south of the border. In the heart of Dumfries and Galloway, Moffat and just minutes off of the A74 leading from England towards Glasgow - this perhaps makes Moffat an ideal stop along the way for those wanting a taste of the lowlands of Scotland. Though a small place - Moffat has a bustling and pretty high street with a selection of shops and cafes that aren't necessarily the same ones you see in most British villages. However - tourist attractions are somewhat limited and I suspect that sooner or later most visitors do end up at the Woolen Mill....Read More

Moffat is essentially a small, pretty town in the Scottish borders with a surprisingly large influx of visitors - many of them coming from just south of the border. In the heart of Dumfries and Galloway, Moffat and just minutes off of the A74 leading from England towards Glasgow - this perhaps makes Moffat an ideal stop along the way for those wanting a taste of the lowlands of Scotland.

Though a small place - Moffat has a bustling and pretty high street with a selection of shops and cafes that aren't necessarily the same ones you see in most British villages. However - tourist attractions are somewhat limited and I suspect that sooner or later most visitors do end up at the Woolen Mill. Just off the high street and around the corner from the Co-Op is the large and elaborate Moffat Woolin Mill. Generally you can hear the traditional Scottish music playing outside long before you reach it, and if you aren't one of the many people visiting Moffat on a bus tour (in which case this will be your first port of call) you can practically follow your ears to find it.

Like most Woolen Mills - the one in Moffat is a bit pricey, a bit touristy, and filled with pretty much the same things you find in most Scottish Woolen Mills - but if this is your first one - then it's a good first one to have a look around. And there's nothing wrong with a bit of a touristy stop anyway - sometimes it's good to bring back these little traditional things like oatcakes and shortbeard, whisky and local jams. And outrageously expensive woolen articles - of course. The Woolen Mill is quite a large shop (though somehow it is always packed. As you enter from the street you will notice the enormous parking lot before it which is generally at least half full of tour buses and the accompanying tourists). However there is still plenty of room to browse, and if you happen to wander over between or before tour buses arrive you can have a leisurely meander about the place almost entirely to yourself.

They do have quite an impressive selection of items - so if Scottish nic-nacs or souvinirs are what you are looking for then you may need look no farther. There is also a small coffee shop on sight if you're in the mood for this to warm you on what is almost certain to be a chill, damp Scottish day. Unfortunately it's always been closed when I have visited so I can't attest to it's quality - but the option is there for those just passing through.

And one defining feature of the Woolen Mill is that they carry a local favourite of Uncle Roys' products (see Uncle Roys' Review) Beginning mostly with beautiful mellow mustards - the Uncle Roy's selection has expanded exponentially and encompasses some of the most beautiful preserves and condiments you are likley to find anywhere in Scotland. Made locally in a family run business right around the corner - Moffat is beginning to become somewhat famous for it's mustards - and if you buy nothing else at the Woolen Mill I would recommend you try one of these local favourites.

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Member Rating 3 out of 5 on November 14, 2011

Moffat Woolen Mill
Ladyknowe
Moffat, Scotland
01683 220 134

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