Things To do
Get Away From It All
One of the greatest features that Burnfoot Holiday Cottages can offer is the abundance of nature within the Scottish Borders.
Langholm
Langholm is a busy market town and offers everything for everyday needs. There is a large and well stocked Co-op supermarket which is open 7 days a week until 10pm.
The town itself has an excellent butcher, coffee shops and hotels which offer lunches and evening meals. Lattimers, which are based on the high street offer an array of items for sale with excellent personal service. The Welcome To Langholm shop is a source of local information and guidance to visitors. The Buccleuch centre, which located a short walk away from the high street on the B709 is an excellent arts venue which hosts shows throughout the year.
Borders Buses links both Edinburgh and Carlisle in the form of the X95 bus which departs from the centre of town. Travel information is on our Find us Page
Sam Ye Ling
The Kagyu Samye Ling Monastery and Tibetan Centre is based in Eskdalemuir. Visitors are always welcome and makes an excellent day trip for anyone interested. And yes, that really is a picture of the temple from Scotland!
Gretna
As well as being a location of historic interest, Gretna hosts Gretna Gateway Outlet Village shopping centre with a vast array of outlet shops, restaurants and cafes.
Walks
Langholm is an accredited "Walkers Are Welcome" with an abundance of beautiful walks in our area. Some of which can be accessed directly from Burnfoot, with many listed through the The Langholm Walks project, for all abilities.
Well behaved dogs are very welcome at Burnfoot, but we do ask that dogs are kept on a lead.
One nearby walk takes you up Whita Hill, to the home of the Malcolm Monument who used to live in the main house at Burnfoot.
Fishing
Burnfoot House and cottages have fishing rights on the Border Esk river. The fishing season runs from the 1st April until 31st October. For more information, please visit our fishing page.
Cycling
We are blessed with various local routes for cycling. Details of which are available on site.
History and Culture
The local area has many sites of historical interest, many of which you will find listed on the Historic Website for the area - including Hermitage Castle.
Interestingly, Burnfoot House has it's own history, as the home of the Malcolms. One nearby trek takes you up a hill, past to the Malcolm monument, a site which can be seen from across the countryside.
Burnfoot is steeped in history, having belonged to the Duke of Buccleuch in the 18th century, and with strong ties to the Malcolm family, who travelled extensively to Asia and the Far east. Stephana Malcolm is accredited with introducing curry to Scotland in the 1780’s. The Malcolm’s were also a naval family and the fire in the sitting room at Burnfoot House is rumoured to have come from a supporting frigate at the Battle of Trafalgar.
There has been a house at Burnfoot sine at least the 17th century. Originally a farm cottage, the house was greatly extended and evolved over the years. At its largest, the house accommodated a further wing which housed a museum to display the Malcolm’s impressive collection of treasures from their travels. The house as it stands today was built in 1850. The cottages are a conversion of a former stable block originally built in 1852.
Nature
The abundance and variety of wildlife is somewhat taken for granted at Burnfoot. We enjoy daily sightings of Red Squirrels who gorge on the peanuts left out by our guests.
Raptors are frequent, be it Red Kite, Buzzards, Goshawks and Sparrow Hawks. We have also seen an Osprey down by the river.
Wild Eskdale
Wild Eskdale offer wildlife tours of the Langholm moors with the emphasis of sighting Hen Harriers and other wildlife.
Golden Eagle Project
The Golden Eagle Project, which based in nearby Moffat have recently released some Golden Eagles - this is a major project, funded in part by the national Lottery Heritage Fund.There have been reports of one of these Eagles being sighted at Burnfoot.