Location
The Bothy is just 4 minutes drive from the A74(M), the motorway linking the M6 to Glasgow, Edinburgh and beyond. However, that short journey takes you back 175 years to Sir William Younger’s gamekeeper’s cottage and bothy. The bothy is set in sycamore woodland, home to pheasants, rabbits, deer, squirrels and numerous species of birds. The winding drive to The Bothy passes a seasonal stream with 2 small bridges, rhododendrons and fruit trees.
The Bothy is located on a courtyard with the original gamekeeper’s cottage opposite and the former gundog kennels to the left. There is plenty of parking for guests’ vehicles - The Bothy is often host to classic cars on trailers, on their way to the Moffat Rally.
The Bothy can be accessed by either steps or a ramp. There are culinary herbs for guests to pick planted within the bend of the ramp. The porch contains a sofa to make it easier to get hiking boots on and off, and coat hooks above a radiator, because allegedly, it sometimes rains and snows in Scotland! The water to make all that delicious whisky and salmon has to come from somewhere. There are windows on 3 sides of the porch, making it a relaxing spot to read, sip a glass of wine and unwind.
Off the hallway is the woodland bedroom, the bathroom and the living area.
The bathroom has a large, step-free, electric shower. There is a heated towel rail to keep the large towels dry and cosy. On the window sill is a x10 magnifying mirror with 3 tones of illumination. This mirror should not be approached unless you are armed with tweezers and courage - x10 can be quite terrifying.
The Woodland bedroom has a double bed with a memory foam topper. On both sides of the bed are plug sockets with USB sockets for charging your phones, etc. There is also a large desk with 3-pin UK plug sockets, 2 USB A and 1 USB C charge sockets, and an ethernet cable to connect to the wifi booster. The wardrobe has mirror doors so you can check you look fabulous before you go to a wedding at the castle or out to dinner in Moffat.
The Garden bedroom is off the living area. It has windows on 3 aspects, including french doors onto the patio. There isa bird feeder near the windows where you will often see nuthatches, chaffinches, blue tits, robins, and occasionally a woodpecker or squirrel. There is a 3 seater sofa and an assortment of books with Scottish connections to read. The king size bed has a memory foam topper and extra blankets if required.
The living area has two 2-seater sofas, a wood-burning stove and a large smart TV with Netflix, BBC i-player, YouTube, etc. The Bothy subscribes to the monthly magazine "D&G Life" which has interesting articles about interesting places to visit from Annan to Stranraer. I particularly love the adverts for art galleries, independent shops, cafes, restaurants, etc. Browsing the last few editions of the magazine is a great way to plan a day out. There is a dining table with 4 comfortable chairs.
The kitchen is well-equipped. I stay in The Bothy sometimes, just for research. If there is something that I need when cooking for a houseful then I make sure it is made available for guests - including a 2-drawer airfryer, garlic press, hand-held blender, etc. On the basics list, there is an oven, 4 ring hob, microwave, dishwasher, large-capacity spookily-quiet Bosch washing machine, 4-slice toaster, non-stick pans that can go in the dishwasher, and a block of 5 quality knives. (Don't tell anyone, but I was born in England, so there is a large tea-pot. Essential!)
Outside, on the patio is a table and 4 chairs and a BBQ. The gardens are about an acre in size, so there is plenty of room to run around with children and dogs - do take care because there is a stream and two ponds. The machine-washable throws that are usually used to protect the sofas and beds from super-furry dogs can also be used for relaxing on the lawns.
There are 3 "Auchen Castles" around The Bothy. I imagine the Kirkpatrick women nagging their husbands for an upgraded castle, with more bedrooms, a bigger dining area to host guests and of course, a walk-in wardrobe! Just 8 minutes walk (according to Google maps, so it must be correct) from the Bothy are the ruins of the 13th-15th century Auchen Castle. They are fascinating to explore, with ruins of 4 round towers, a moat and raised embankment all the way around that you can walk along, and so much more. 30 minutes walk from the Bothy is the 11th century motte-and-bailey Auchen Castle. It is a stepped man-made hill, where you easily imagine the homes and black-smith, bakery, and brewery on the lower level and then the secure fenced-in castle on the highest level. 10 minutes walk from the Bothy in the other direction is the 1840 Auchen Castle. This is now a hotel used mainly for weddings. Unfortunately it is isn't open to non-residents. If you look up "Auchen Castle Hotel" on Wikipedia you can read about General Johnstone's fascination with Egyptian history that inspired the architecture of the hotel.
There are so many places to visit while you stay at The Bothy. Children will love Station Park in Moffat, with a sand play area and water pumps and dams. Dalscone Farm Fun is 30 minutes drive away - there is an indoor soft play area with cafe, a huge outdoor play area (closed in Winter) and so many adorable animals to see - goats, donkeys, sheep, meerkats, and more. Farmer Ben is a social media celebrity, posting daily about the mischief the animals get up to. Next door to Dalscone is Heath Hall Garden Centre. There are parrots, cockatiels, so many varieties of fish, guinea pigs, and most importantly, a wonderful family-run cafe with a separate seating area for customers with dogs, for stress-free afternoon teas, lunches, etc.
In Moffat there is a museum, numerous independent shops and cafes / bars, and walks including the Gallow Hill walk that starts at the replica Spitfire at Dowding House.
And further afield, it is just an hour to Glasgow and 90 minutes to Edinburgh. It is an hour to Penrith, gateway to the Lake District and 50 minutes to Caerlaverock Castle and National Nature Reserve.
See you soon,
Enjoy your visit to The Bothy!
Karen, Suzy & Radley (Bedlington terriers.)
