06/09/26

Church Gate, Moffat

Regular readers will know that, as far as B&B are concerned, there’s no place like home – and that home for us is the incomparable Edinburgh. Still, post-Fringe, even we’re feeling a bit city-bound, in need of some nature and R&R. So we climb into our little camper van and drive ninety minutes’ south to a campsite in Moffat, a place we’ve never visited before.

A former spa, Moffat remains a vibrant country town, famous for its walking trails and toffee shop. The weather is mixed but we don’t let that deter us. As the Norwegians say, “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes.” We’ll hike in the rain rather than not hike at all. But that’s not to say it doesn’t leave us hankering for the comfort of a Sunday lunch.

We’ve walked past The Black Bull a couple of times and noticed that they do a weekly carvery. We can’t remember the last time we had one of those (it’s been at least a decade) and now seems like exactly the right time to rectify the situation. We’re the first people in the door when it opens at 1pm, and we’re quickly shown to a seat.

Established in 1568 – and once a regular haunt of Robert Burns – The Black Bull declares itself “the oldest hostelry in the area.” A delightful blend of traditional and modern, the decor is cosy and welcoming, our waiter friendly and knowledgeable about the fare. I tell her I can’t eat gluten, and she assures me that I’ll be well catered for.

There’s not a lot to say about a carvery: we all know what it is. But this is up there with the very best we’ve had, the joints of meat – turkey, gammon and beef – perfectly-cooked. All the usual suspects are present: roast potatoes (crispy outsides, fluffy insides), buttery mash, peas, carrots, sprouts. The cauliflower cheese is gluten-free (hurrah!) and there are even gluten-free Yorkshire puddings available. Sure, they’re not as big and fluffy as the regular ones (which Philip says are fabulous), but they taste spot on. The chef even directs me to a pot of gluten-free gravy, making a point of using a separate ladle. These people know their stuff when it comes to allergies!

We’re glad we’ve chosen the regular rather than the large-sized plate because afterwards we’re too full to even look at the pudding menu. We ask for the bill, which – along with a Peroni 0% and a fizzy water – comes to just over £40. We can’t help comparing this to a recent disappointing meal we had in an Edinburgh steakhouse (I won’t name and shame), which came in at more than three times the price and was only a third as good.

So, if you find yourself in Dumfries and Galloway on a soggy Sunday afternoon, I highly recommend you pop along to The Black Bull for a sterling lunch that won’t break the bank. We’ll certainly be coming back.

5 stars

Susan Singfield