Think Biggar for a great night away
HOME is where the heart is. And my family’s heart belongs to the royal burgh of Biggar. As far as we’re concerned, Biggar is best.
My brother and I went as children to play and picnic there, then I took my children to visit. Now, my daughter and her four children are frequent visitors.
This time, my partner and I stayed in Biggar at the Elphinstone Hotel, a 400-year-old inn at 145 High Street.
A family-run business, Robert and Janette Allan and son Michael are the “guardians” of the premises. They couldn’t be any more welcoming.
First impressions on stepping inside is that the hotel is immaculately and lovingly kept and that the friendly staff are experts at hosting. They were available to help when needed or hovered discreetly in the background. We were given a room at the back of XXXXXX xxxxxx the building overlooking the beer garden
Xxxx – very tempting in hot weather. There are 11 en suite rooms and many of them are equipped for families with comfy bunk beds and even the kids’ own telly.
The room was comfortable, spacious and tastefully decorated in burgundy, with an en suite bathroom and shower.
Biggar High Street has retained its focus on individual businesses rather than national shop chains.
The key to its success has been that every business is competitive in its own field, including the Elphinstone Hotel, winning awards for their expertise – from ice cream to the chippy, to the Indian restaurant, the baker and more.
The bookshop is a personal favourite, keeping the town’s renowned literary links with Brownsbank Cottage, former home of poet Hugh McDiarmid, and with John Buchan of The 39 Steps fame.
Events in the town are growing and the Little Festival takes place from October 19-27. Nearby, New Lanark World Heritage Site is hosting a Lego model display of landmark buildings until September 10, including St Pancras Station in London, and the Colosseum. Then there are Biggar’s museums, hillwalking at Tinto, a scenic 18-hole golf course – and Edinburgh’s sights are only 20 miles away.
Come the hour to eat and the front bar area and restaurant were both busy with diners. We had looked at the menu earlier and knew it would be a difficult choice.
My partner went for the Cullen Skink soup, while I chose haggis balls served with peppercorn sauce. Both hit the spot. For main, I had a beautiful grilled salmon fillet in a Champagne and pink peppercorn sauce, while my partner had the black chicken with pepper sauce. We also sampled a range of Scottish gins.
We didn’t have room left for dessert but the menu looked tempting.
Breakfast beckoned after a tranquil night. There was a choice of cereal, yoghurt and fruit with tea or coffee, then a plate of bacon, link and Lorne sausage, black pudding and haggis, tattie scone, and beans and toast.
We were sorry to leave Biggar after a relaxing stay, memorable for all the right reasons. But we’ll be back, that’s for sure.