Aye SteveD,
Confirms the information I was getting, Gordon Arms would be worth having a blether with, not as picturescue, but a port in a storm and I will make further enquiries for alternative pastures with watering holes!
Aye Mart,
Delighted that you enjoyed the 'tips' and had a good time. Male strippers in Ecclefechan sounds about right!

When contracting in Dumfries and Galloway 35 years ago, the beer was lousy and the 'birds' lairy in Ecclefechan, it was also not as convivial as Lockerbie, so you can guess where we used to stay.
Moffat is a more regular haunt these days and although prices are no cheap and the place a bit twee, the chipper at the Balmoral Hotel is good and the Indian curry house in the basement, next door to "The Famous Star" hotel are well worth patronising. There is also a restaraunt in the back as you go out on the A708 that is supposed to be really rated by the locals, but I have yet to try it.
Aye Smudge,
Take the MZ, the 'Black Pig' 'll no be as much fun!

As for the Bob Mac, we may try again this year, but the weather has been bog awful since we last saw you there and we also lost a friend there to carbon monoxide.
A wee reminder to all not to put the throwaway barbie in the tent, van or whatever, to get a wee heat and the same applies to the stoves of whatever persuasion!
CARBON MONOXIDE KILLSFinally, coming home from a solo outing on Saturday and arrived at the level crossing in Blackford to be confronted by men, wives, families all loitering, so joined the throng and saw a train double headed by a pair of Black 5's coming through at a canter down the gradient from Gleneagles and then open up the regulators on their way off to Dunblane, lovely.

Slainte, Bill.