Tuesday in Moffat

Monday evening the group decided to visit The Star Hotel, or rather its public bar. The Star is in the Guinness Book of Records as being the narrowest hotel in the world

 I think I got into trouble for saying that I felt Scottish pubs were different to English ones (at least S English). To me the atmosphere is harder, more male, particularly older male, orientated. To be honest very much like the pubs when I was a teenager. But I didn't dwell on it, as I appeared to be in a distinct majority of one and possibly candidate for prosecution under Scotland's new hate laws! Anyway there was a single hand pump dispensing Sulwath Criffel which made up for the 4 large TVs which dominated this small bar. 

Tuesday meant we could go explore Moffat properly. A good baker and a good butcher (yes we will be buying a haggis later in the week) and a few other independent shops. Not a big town but enough. Just on the edge of town, near the campsite is one of those Scottish wollen outlet shops with a huge car park for the coach loads of visitors. I wasn't particularly looking for clothing and the whisky seemed over-priced.

But after lunch in the local café (not as good value as Bellingham) we walked to the N end of town and followed the river Annan S for about ¾ mile until we got the road at the S end of town.

Moffat was designated an Eagle Town in 2021 (Scotland first) and these sculptures, one in town and one at the end of our river walk commemorate the fact

Just opposite that statue is a little park with a large boating lake, and some interesting boats

Onwards on the walk, about a mile along the main road is a nature reserve. And just before we get there I had spotted there is an alignment of the standing stones. Took a little time to find them as they weren't quite as grand as I'd hoped 

Oh well! Even worse Liz's hip had started to niggle, so despite only being just down a short lane we decided to abort the nature reserve walk. Shame as it seemed interesting, but at least we spotted a heron flapping around down there. 

Van, dinner, pub the usual van life when we are away with the group. Liz decided to miss out on the pub. Not a bad thing either, no real ale and most of the keg beer was pretty poor. But out of cities in Scotland I really wasn't expecting much of a beer scene.