A list of things to do in and around Moffat
Activites
Clay shooting, go-karting, quad biking,paint balling and off road.
Annandale Estates The Raehills Estate office Tel. 01576 470 211
Annandale Sailing Club Lochmaben
Canoeing on the Evan Water, Annan, Tweed, Nith etc.
Dark Sky Town of Moffat for budding astronomers and stargazers.
Dumfries and Galloway Arts Festival Annual Festival of Arts, Theatre, Music and Film throughout the region.
Devil’s porridge The museum exhibiting artifacts from the massive WWI munitions factory that once stood at Gretna.
Leadhills and Wanlockhead Railway A great little narrow gauge railway, well worth a visit.
Lead mining museum Wanlockhead Visit the museum and go down the mine.
Lockerbie Ice Rink Ice skating and curling
Old Well Theatre Moffat’s thriving little theatre with many visiting as well as local productions.
Queen of the South Football club
Clans and Families
Dumfries and Galloway Family history Society
Halliday, Johnstone clan, Jardine
Maxwell, Clan Moffat , Murray of Stanhope, Porteous Family of Hawshaw
Scotlands People Government Web site
History of the Tweedie Family Tweedie.com
Gardens
Craigieburn Gardens Just outside Moffat and famous for its Himalayan plants and other exotica.
Little Sparta The garden of ian Hamilton Finlay
Houses and Castles of Interest
Abbotsford House home of Sir Walter Scott
Lochmaben Castle connected with Robert Bruce, Mary Queen of Scots
Dumfries House Be aware the house is some distance from the town of Dumfries but well worth a visit. Designed by the Adam Bros. who submitted plans in 1754. It has a world famous collection of Chippendale furniture.
Neidpath Castle one of the prettiest little castles in Scotland
Hadrian’s Wall Birdoswald Fort
Traquair House No visit to Scotland can be considered complete without seeing Traquair House, with its famous Bear gates which were closed when Bonnie Prince Charlie left in 1745. They have remained closed ever since.
Car Clubs and Motorcycling
Beef Tub Bikers the local Moffat motorcycling club with the local knowledge of the best routes etc.
Scottish vintage vehicle federation
Wildlife
Golden Eagle Project. Though there have always been Golden Eagles in the Moffat Hills, there is an ongoing project to establish a stronger population in the area.
Moffat Nature Reserve An eight acre nature reserve run by some very enthusiastic and knowledgeable local people. Ten minute walk out side Moffat or park by Dyke Farm. No dogs
Caerlaverock Wildlife and Wetlands Trust Great day out for the kids as well as adults especially in the off season when it is packed with migrating birds..
Carrifran Wildwood project A scheme to re-afforest the Carrifran glen with native tree species to be found five miles north of Moffat. A similar project at Corehead, Moffat
Grey Mare’s Tail Waterfall a stunning local beauty spot.
Well Known People Connected With The Area
Robert the Bruce His father was the 6th Lord of Annandale
Robert Burns Ellisland Farm Robert Burns web site
William Wordsworth wrote three poems about the Yarrow valley and St Mary’s Loch etc.
D.E. Stevenson author lived and died in Moffat
Dr Buck Ruxton
Red stains on the carpet, red stains on your knife
Oh Dr Buck Ruxton, you murdered your wife.
The nursemaid she saw you, and threatened to tell.
Oh Dr Buck Ruxton, you killed her as well.
The dismembered bodies of his wife and maid were discovered in Gardenholm Linn Moffat 1935
John Paul Jones father of the US navy was born in a cottage Kirkcudbrightshire where you can find an interesting museum.
Air Chief Marshal Lord Dowding of Bentley Priory Moffat’s most famous son
Thomas Carlyle and his brother Dr John Carlyle who lived in Moffat for a short while
John Buchan Viscount Tweedsmuir Author of the 39 Steps much of which was set locally. In it his character, Richard Hannay, passes through Moffat
Sir Walter Scott Famous romantic Scottish author
James Hogg The Ettrick Shepherd
David Coulthard F1 Racing driver from Twynholm D&G the family transport business Hayton Coulthard
Places of Interest
Robert Burns some short walks in Dumfries with a Burns theme
Dawyck Botanical Gardens
Grey Mare’s Tail waterfall
King’s own Scottish Borderers
Broughton Ales Small brewery in Broughton near Peebles that supplies the Annandale with Broughton Best and Stowford Press Cider
Horses, Racing etc
Kelso Racecourse
Carlisle Racecourse
Dumfriesshire Hunt
Trail riding South of Scotland Trails
