Biggar
Friday, midday
Check into the family-run Elphinstone Hotel (doubles from £63, www.elphinstonehotel.co.uk), which sits at the heart of this characterful old market town set betwixt Glasgow and Edinburgh, the Clyde and the Tweed.
1pm
The heart of Biggar is the wide High Street, home to its medieval markets. Enjoy a view of the action from Aroma (88 High Street), a cosy café that uses fresh vegetables and fruit from the Orchard deli across the square.
2pm
Biggar is home to the sort of wee shops you feared had long been lost to supermarket hegemony. There are a flurry of butchers (two choose to proclaim themselves poulterers too), as well as an independent florist and a multi award-winning bakery.
5pm
Head to Burn Braes Park, where you can cross the wee burn (cars have to ford it old school after heavy rainfall) circling back via Biggar’s two most striking churches.
7:30pm
The Barony (www.barony-biggar.co.uk) is a relaxed upmarket restaurant that draws heavily on the region’s fresh local produce.
Saturday, 9:30am
It’s time to hit those shops again. There is a bookshop and a couple of art galleries too.
Midday
The smells and queues will guide you as you put together your perfect picnic lunch on the High Street.
1:30pm
Time to check out Biggar’s museums – remarkably it boasts five. The Biggar & Upper Clydesdale Museum tells the story of the town and its environs.
3:30pm
Choose between an outing to Historic Scotland’s glorious Biggar Gasworks Museum and the Victorian Puppet Theatre. Always fascinating, check if the Purves’ have a puppet show on too.
7pm
Dine in at the Elphinstone on wellsourced local produce like Ramsay of Carluke bacon steaks and Biggar butcher steaks. Good value wines too.
Sunday, 9am
Climb Tinto Hill, which rises to a height of 711m, dwarfing a town that lies at only 200m, and offers sweeping views. ■
There are bus connections from Edinburgh and Glasgow. Holiday Autos (www.holidayautos.com) can arrange car hire from a number of locations. For more information see www.visitscotland.com