Moffat
Moffat was not always the prosperous town that you see today. During the seventeenth century it underwent something of a transformation when it went from being run down and deprived into a prosperous and thriving spa town. The transformation was down to the discovery of the health providing properties of the sulphurous water that sprung forth from the Moffat Spa. Billed as ‘healing waters’ the town saw people arriving from far and wide to make the most of whatever health benefits the waters provided. To meet the demand of the public the waters from the spa were piped across to the ‘Baths Hall’ so that the waters could be accessible to more people at once. The Baths Hall is now Moffat Town Hall. With so many people arriving in the town the hospitality industry began to grow, and so did the reputation of the town as a first class resort.
Things to Do
There is something for everyone in Moffat, from activities for those people that like to get out and about to more gentle pastimes for those that simply come here to relax. There are plenty of things to get you out into the open air such as cycle routes, walking trails and even driving routes that allow you to explore the local area, take in a waterfall and even include visits to a Buddhist temple. The kids are not short of activities either as there is a well maintained skate board park as well as a children’s play area all to be found in Hope-Johnston Park. There are plenty of beautiful gardens and outside spaces to explore.
Places to Visit
Moffatasia is a wonderful interactive play feature which incorporates water. It is the perfect place to take the kids to play during the summer. Moffatasia is located in the grounds of Station Park and offers hours of fun for all the family. The children (and adults) can play among the water jets and fountains and play with water cannons. Disabled visitors are not excluded either as there are sections of the area where the water can be operated by wheelchairs activating pressure pads. Station Park also gives you the opportunity to take a pedalo out onto the lake and is the perfect place to take a picnic and spend the day.
There are also a number of castles and historic homes to visit in the area which will give you a good feel for the history of the place. Drumlanrig Castle is set amid stunning grounds which are in part a country park, it also boats some impressive grand Victorian gardens too. Traquair House was at one time a castle and is known as being not only the most romantic but also the oldest inhabited home in the whole of Scotland. Caerlaverock Castle has a fantastic children’s adventure park as well as a nature trail that you can follow which will take you to the old castle. You will also find plenty of museums and other attractions in the surrounding area so you should never be short of something to do.
