PLACES TO VISIT
Places to visit
Moffat has been a magnet for tourists since its spa waters were discovered in 1685. The town is also a popular place for travellers to make an overnight stop on the way to the Highlands. However, we welcome you to bide a while and discover all that this beautiful part of Scotland has to offer passing visitors and holidaymakers alike.
The Grey Mare's Tail, a magnificent waterfall, is 10 miles east of Moffat on the scenic on the A708. Take a short walk from the car park for spectacular views of the fall, which cascades from Loch Skeen into the Moffat Water, a rocky precipice 60m (200ft) above or climb the steep slopes of White Coomb, Dumfriesshire’s highest hill at from 821m/2,694ft for a stunning viewpoint across the surrounding area.
The town and the surrounding Moffat Hills are a haven for walkers of all abilities. Clean air, stunning scenery and timeless beauty are truly awe inspiring.
T
he Devil's Beef Tub, a deep, dramatic hollow in the hills north of the town, is also popular with visitors. The 500-foot (150m) deep hollow is formed by four hills, Great Hill (1527 ft, 465 m), Peat Knowe, Annanhead Hill, and Ericstane Hill. It is one of the two main sources of the River Annan; the other is from the neighbouring Hart Fell to the east.
With such beautiful scenery to discover, it’s not surprising that the area is also popular with cyclists and bikers. Indeed, the area is a must-visit motorbike destination, offering fantastic routes; amazing landscapes crammed with lochs, coasts, forests and hills; quiet and scenic routes and a whole host of biker-friendly places to visit.
Britain's first official coast to coast long distance foot-path, The Southern Upland Way, runs through the town. The 212 mile (340 km) path from Portpatrick on the south-west coast of Scotland to Cockburnspath on the eastern seaboard, offers superb and varied walking country, still undiscovered by many enthusiasts.
The Annandale Way, a 55 mile long-distance walking route linking Moffat and Annan, can be walked either north to south or south to north. It was developed by Sulwath Connections and local communities with the support of local estates and farmers to help promote Annandale's attractions as a walking area.
No trip to Moffat would be complete without a trip to nearby The Samye Ling Tibetan Centre, the first and largest Tibetan Centre and Buddhist Monastery in the West. This magnificient Tibetan Temple is the spiritual heart of Kagyu Samye Ling.
Moffat has many interesting shops and excellent places to eat. In addition, Moffat Museum in the town’s old bakehouse, provides a fascinating insight into the town's history - from early Roman times, the Border Reivers, the heyday of its coaching era, to the discovery of the Well and Moffat's popularity as a spa town.
Situated in idyllic surroundings, Station Park provides activities for all the family. The park boasts attractive gardens, a boating lake, an 18-hole putting green and a one of a kind interactive water feature called Moffatasia, where children can play all day between the splashes and squirts while parents relax and take in the surroundings.
A service is held in Moffat every year in memory of the town's most famous son, Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding, who masterminded the RAF's victory in the Battle of Britain was born in Moffat. A memorial can be found in Station Park and a replica of a WWII Spitfire can be viewed in the garden of retired doctor Dr Hamish McLeod. Reflecting the town's agricultural importance, A Farmers Market is held in Moffat every second Sunday of the month selling high quality local produce and crafts.
The Grey Mare's Tail Waterfall is a popular visitor attraction. Image: Scothill. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
The Samye Ling Tibetan Temple is open to visitors. Image: Kevin Rae. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license
A replica of a WWII Spitfire in honour of Moffat-born Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding can be viewed in the garden of retired doctor Dr Hamish McLeod. Image: Peter Jeal, Great-Value-Websites.Com
Moffat was a notable market in the wool trade commemorated with a statue of a ram by William Brodie in the town's marketplace. Image: Andrew Bowden. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.