Warm winter welcome at a Scottish family hotel

“IT’S a braw, bricht, moonlicht nicht, the nicht in Biggar”, read the fridge magnets in the tourist shop. Indeed it was...

The winter sunshine was a welcome accompaniment as we walked the quaint surroundings of the South Lanarkshire market town.

The town has a lot of history. A quick scan through tourist information tells you Biggar has been a royal burgh since 1451, while in 1815 it was where French prisoners of war were held. You can feel its past in the buildings around you, some of which are centuries old.

Alas, a more modern addition, its Puppet Theatre, which is dubbed world-famous in an advertising campaign, was closed during our stay. However, the quiet of Biggar’s main street, despite its flurry of shops and pubs, was a nice way to while away some of the time.

When the sun began to make its descent for the day, turning the weather appreciably cooler, we headed for warmth and the sanctuary of The Elphinstone Hotel, based at the heart of Biggar. Upon opening the doors we were greeted by a roaring fire, which provided an instant hit of warmth.

The hotel, run by owners Robert and Janette Allen, along with their son Michael, was bustling, with evening meals and bar drinkers making for a busy scene. A catchline on the establishment's website states "our vision is to serve with pride, warmth and professionalism and to provide unrivalled hospitality within Scotland". The Allens certainly do that.

After setting down our luggage in our room, which was spacious and comfortable, we headed back downstairs to enjoy the Elphinstone’s food offering. We sat beside the fire and looked through the extensive menus.

A blast of the increasingly chilly outside breezed through the hotel as players from the local rugby club, returning from an away fixture, came inside. Whether they were celebrating or drowning was unclear.

I opted for the Cullen Skink soup, its smoked haddock, potato and leek making for a warming starter. For my main, I chose the pork and black pudding stack and it was black pudding that formed a major part of my partner Vicki’s choices, with her starter of deep fried brie followed by Black Chicken. The latter featured a breast of chicken topped with Stornoway black pudding and finished with a pepper sauce. The service was swift, the meals delicious, the portion sizes plentiful.

However, as is always the way, we found room for dessert, with the intriguingly named Rob Roy our choice. Its crushed shortbread, vanilla ice cream and Drambuie sauce made for a fine ending to the meal.

The next morning, food was on the agenda again as we tucked into a hearty traditional breakfast of sausage, haggis and yet another helping of black pudding, giving us the sustenance we needed for our day ahead in Gretna and neighbouring Gretna Green, an hour's drive away. It's a much more hectic town and while Gretna Green may be known for runaway weddings, some of that romanticism is quickly extinguished by the nearby car parks of its large shopping complex.

The town is one of the world's most popular wedding destinations, a tradition which dates back centuries originating from cross-border elopements due to the differences between Scottish marriage laws and those in England. Scottish law allowed for "irregular marriages", meaning that if a declaration was made before two witnesses, almost anybody had the authority to conduct the marriage ceremony. The blacksmiths in Gretna became known as "anvil priests", culminating with Richard Rennison, who is said to have performed 5,147 ceremonies.

We visited the famous Blacksmiths Shop before, making sure our we didn't ruin a bride and groom's pictures, we tried out the attraction's newest feature, the Courtship Maze. The name gives the game away. The maze has two entrances, one for you and one for your partner, and the challenge is to meet again the middle. It isn't the most trying of tests, but it's a bit of fun, particularly for the younger children running around trying to beat their mates to the centre.

Although our visit to Scotland was only fleeting, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Biggar was a relaxing and peaceful place and The Elphinstone definitely left its mark.

We’d have no hesitation in returning and, if we do, we'll try and catch a show at the Puppet Theatre.

TRAVEL FACTS

The Elphinstone is based in Biggar, which is an hours drive from Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Single rooms start at £56 and rise to £59 on a Friday and Saturday. Double and twin rooms are £79 in the early part of the week and £82 on Fridays and Saturdays. A family room is £92. T: 01899-220044.