Places to visit in southern Scotland?

[michaelmorris]

My wife and I about to start a touring holiday in our motorhome, travelling up the west coast of Scotland. We're planning to spend our first night in two on the banks of Loch Lomond, before heading up to Fort William, Skye and Gairloch and Ullapool.

We'd like to break up the first day's long journey north up the M6, A74(M) and M74 with an hour or two visit to somewhere just off the A74(M)/M74 between Carlisle and Glasgow. We love history,architecture, art and nature. Any suggestions?

[Rayjsj]

I would suggest that you detour left to Dumfries and Galloway, a very beautiful and relatively quiet part of Scotland. CC has 2 nice sites , Garlieston or New England Bay nr. Stranraer, Both lovely. Or plenty of spots for wildcamping for 1 or 2 nights. And a good break before the Highlands. Then A77/M77 to Glasgow. and on.

[tonyg3nwl]

Hi, obvious overnight stop at Gretna green, assuming the blacksmith site is still functioning. The retail outlet there doesnt seem to permit overnighting, but plenty parking for rest break.

 

couple of cl sites just off the motorway at carlisle turnoff, or the services just south of carlisle area,

 

there is also a caravan club site just east of motorway as you cross the border.

 

going north. Other club site cls and commercial sites a bit furthe north, accessible from the old road, not the motorway Lockerbie area.

 

tonyg3nwl.

 

[Bulletguy]

Nice place to overnight is Moffat just off exit 15 of the A74(M). A small market town with a few pubs and shops and if you drive through the town and continue along the A701 you soon reach open countryside and there is a large lay-by just after a bend. Very quiet spot and only 10 mins from the A74.

 

N55° 21'49.77" W3° 28'36.98"

 

And this is the view you get.......all for free!!

 

http://oi65.tinypic.com/a41yyx.jpg

 

[Robinhood]

...proving I can read ( :-S ), I think you're looking for somewhere to take a shortish break, rather than an overnight?

 

There's a lot of nothing (nice views, but not much else) between Carlisle and Glasgow. Plenty of places to pull in/off and take in the vista, but, with (possibly with a little more time than you have) given your interests, the following might serve:

 

http://www.newlanark.org/

[Corky 8]

You will be doing yourself an injustice if you miss coming to Dumfries and Galloway, this S/W part of Scotland is IMO very beautiful, follow the Tourist route for the best of the scenery, try the Wild goat park along the A712 as is the Red Deer Park ,walk up to Murray's monument to get the view from the top, below is the Grey Mares Waterfall then carry on towards Clattering shores going first to the Otters pool along the Raiders Road before Clattering shores there are plenty of wild camping places along the A712 some right off the road., A visit to the Stranraer sea front parking area which is large enough for even the Biggest Motorhome and free, there is a Morrison's on the way into Stranraer where you can fill up, Portpatrick is well worth a visit too, follow the A77 up to Ayr passing through lots of small villages, Girvan has a large town sea front car Park again free, we used to drive passed D&G on our way North, now we live here it's so Nice as is the people.  wherever you go Safe Journeys,

[michaelmorris]

Robinhood - 2016-04-06 2:35 PM

 

...proving I can read ( :-S ), I think you're looking for somewhere to take a shortish break, rather than an overnight?

 

There's a lot of nothing (nice views, but not much else) between Carlisle and Glasgow. Plenty of places to pull in/off and take in the vista, but, with (possibly with a little more time than you have) given your interests, the following might serve:

 

http://www.newlanark.org/

 

You are are correct, we just want somewhere to have a break and stretch our legs for an hour or two on the long journey north. Thanks for the link.

[michaelmorris]

Corky 8 - 2016-04-06 2:41 PM

You will be doing yourself an injustice if you miss coming to Dumfries and Galloway,,

Thanks for the advice, but really, we aren't! We visited this area a couple of years ago and we know it is lovely. As I said in my original posting, for this holiday we're travelling up the west coast of the Highlands, starting at Loch Lomond. My request relates purely to suggestions for a quick 1 to 2 hour chance to stretch our legs and/or rest in the middle of the day to break up the long drive north, so we don't want anything that's more than 10 miles off the A74(M)/M74.

[Brock]

http://www.visitmoffat.co.uk/about-moffat

 

Moffat's pretty good for nosing around although it's a couple of years since I've been and everything changes by the minute these days. We parked in the main street on a very quiet day.

 

http://www.langholm-online.co.uk/pages/content.asp?PageID=275

 

Langholm is a favourite of ours on a fine day though a little off your route perhaps. We parked up by the river which I presume is still allowed.

 

The A7 is a lovely drive with some stopping places and by going through Hawick, Selkirk and Peebles you can get on the M74 outside Glasgow or you can do the Edinburgh ring road, Stirling and across to Loch Lomond. Using the A7 detour will increase your travel time by a couple of hours. Motorways around Glasgow and Edinburgh can quickly clog up if there is an incident.

[Dave225]

Some very good suggestions. However, all I can suggest is to pack raincoats and waterproof shoes. I sometimes woinder if we are ever going to see the back of winter. The forecast tonight is for more rain, wind and even frost. My wife chatted with her friend in Hungary at the weekend and it was 23 degrees there, here we reached a giddy 10 degrees today,.

 

We live in hope, but do enjoy the trip. Garlieston is very pretty but do take supplies as shops are few anmd far between, and expensive. Shop in Dunfries before venturing further. Moffat is lovely and the site is walking distance into town.

[aultymer]

Can only second the suggestions re Moffat. 2 mins off the M74 with a big car park on the right at the Moffat woollen mill just after a filling station. The woollen mill is just another Edinburgh wooden mill outlet but has a big car park . Depending on the size of your van, there is a also lot of parking in the town centre. Just beyond the Mill car park is the town centre. A dozen or so eating places, Moffat toffee shop and a lot of country town shops. If things are not going well there is a campsite there as well. Enjoy Scotland.

 

As you get further north and reach Glasgow, do not be tempted off the M 74 until it blends into the M 8 then continue to the Erskine bridge ( 10 mins from us ). No matter how bad the traffic , unless you know shortcuts that have evaded me in the last 20 years, just sit on the Motorway.

 

[michaelmorris]

Thanks folks - Moffat is then.