Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Annandale & Eskdale
These valleys, in Dumfries & Galloway's east, form part of two major routes that cut
across Scotland's south. Away from the highways, the roads are quiet and there are some
interesting places to visit, especially if you're looking to break up a road trip.
GRETNA & GRETNA GREEN
POP 2705
Firmly on the coach tour circuit for its romantic associations, Gretna Green is on the out-
skirts of the town of Gretna, just across the river from Cumbria in England. Historically
famous as a destination for eloping couples to get married, it's still one of Britain's most
popular wedding venues.
The centre of the village is the
Old Blacksmith's Shop
(
www.gretnagreen.com
;
exhibi-
tion adult/child £3.50/free; 9am-5pm Oct-Mar, to 5.30pm Apr-May, to 6.30pm Jun-
Sep)
complex, with a number of tourist shops and eateries as well as quite an entertaining
multilingual exhibition on Gretna Green's history, with tales of intrigues, elopements,
scoundrels, and angry parents arriving minutes too late. There's a recreation of a black-
smith's forge, a collection of handsome carriages and a few marriage rooms: you may
well run into a modern-day wedding as you walk through.
Across the road,
Smith's
(
01461-337007;
www.smithsgretnagreen.co.uk
; s/d £120/
145; )
is a large contemporary hotel with a reader-recommended
restaurant
(mains
£12-19)
. Though the blocky exterior won't delight everybody, the interior is much more
stylish. The rooms are decorated in a chic, restrained style with king-sized beds. Various
grades are available; you'll get much cheaper rates booking online.
A mile away in Gretna, the very helpful
tourist office
(
01461-337834; gretnat-
ic@vis itscotland.com; Gretna Gateway; 10am-6pm Apr-Oct, 10am-4.30pm Nov-Mar)
is a good first stop for information on Scotland if you're driving across from England.
Bus 79 between Dumfries (one hour) and Carlisle (35 minutes) stops in Gretna and
Gretna Green (hourly Monday to Saturday, every two hours Sunday). Trains also run from
Gretna Green to Dumfries and Carlisle.
TYING THE KNOT IN GRETNA GREEN
The Marriage Act passed in England in 1754 suddenly required couples that did not have their parents' consent to
be 21 years of age before they could marry. But cunning teenage sweethearts soon realized that the law didn't ap-
