Location: Gretna Green
Top Things to do in Gretna Green
The 10 Best Things to Do in Gretna Green, United Kingdom (UK)
Gretna Green is a village in the south of Scotland famous for runaway weddings. It is in Dumfriesshire, near the mouth of the River Esk and was historically the first village in Scotland, following the old coaching route from London to Edinburgh. Gretna Green railway station serves both Gretna Green and Gretna. The Quintinshill rail crash, the worst rail crash in British history (226 recorded deaths), occurred near Gretna Green in 1915.
Restaurants in Gretna Green
1. Famous Blacksmiths Shop
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1 reviews
Reviewed By Almostgreynomad - Sydney, Australia
Been moved and expanded since previous visits .... you can still visit the original site in the hotel down the road .....
Now lots of places to get married and an interesting exhibition about the history.
Always interesting ...
Cafe was OK .... set up for coaches .... wouldn't go there just for the food !
2. Gretna Gateway Oulet Village
Overall Ratings
4 based on 524 reviews
Reviewed By michieg121 - Ayr, United Kingdom
Good selection of top stores with good prices. This is always a busy place, but offers a good experience, along with a good number of cafe bars as well.
3. The Devil's Porridge Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 388 reviews
Discover the remarkable wartime story of the Greatest Munitions Factory on Earth and the extraordinary lives of the Munitions Girls who worked there. Built during WW1, HM Factory Gretna stretched nine miles along the Solway Coast and produced more cordite explosive than all the other factories combined. Through unique objects and interactive displays, our museum brings to life the secret wartime history of Southwest Scotland and Cumbria. Stay and enjoy our Café and free wifi.
Reviewed By Tony G - Newcastle
This small museum is well worth the 4 miles or so diversion from Gretna. It has a WWI /II theme but in the main tells the fascinating story of the women workers who at some considerable personal risk made Cordite for munitions, which was colloquially known as the "Devil's Porridge"; the name coined by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle who wrote: "The nitroglycerin on the one side and the gun-cotton on the other are kneaded into a sort of a devil's porridge".
Heading West, at first our Sat Nav took us left off the B721 down a single-track farm road to a cowshed. If yours does, ignore it and carry on for about a mile further when the museum will be on your right. There is enough to keep you occupied here for an hour or two, friendly and knowledgeable staff and a small cafe.
4. Annandale Distillery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 283 reviews
The historic distillery has been through 3 whisky making eras and a period when it was used in farming. It was formerly a Johnnie Walker distillery which closed in 1918. Following an extensive £10.5 million restoration project. Annandale Distillery was reborn in 2014 with production starting on 3rd November. Once again Single Malt scotch whisky is being produced in Dumfries and Galloway after almost a 100 year absence.
Reviewed By Sheeraa - Wakefield, United Kingdom
Amazing beautifully done out coffee shop. I love the angular/triangular decor and I’m pinching some inspiration for my dining kitchen!! Food and drinks also delicious and everything is top quality.
5. Westlands Country Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 9 reviews
Westlands Country Park is now under new management and is currently being renovated. Our clay pigeon shooting ground is fully open with all brand new traps. Prices start from only 20p clay. One of our fishing ponds has recently been stocked with local rainbow, blue and prize tiger trout. Fly fishing prices start from £12.
Reviewed By Dan J - Carlisle
Headed down to this spot for my 30th birthday with a few friends. Booked the instructor for the morning who took us round a number different stands and helped us along the way. The site is really well set out, with a massive variety of traps.
This is only my second time shooting clays, but I had a great time and I'd highly recommend it to anyone for having a go. It wasn't expensive and I will most certainly be going back again.
Iain was a great instructor and while we managed to get round quite a few stands, we still didn't feel rushed.
It's also the perfect location to get to from Carlisle, as it's just up the motorway.
6. Gretna VisitScotland iCentre
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 65 reviews
Gretna VisitScotland iCentre, on the Scottish-English border at the Gretna Gateway Shopping Outlet Village, is the gateway to Scotland via Dumfries & Galloway. Close by is Gretna Green, famous for runaway marriages. The village of Gretna has a more recent history. Built to welcome workers from across the globe, to the munitions factory, (long closed); their stories are told in the Devil’s Porridge Museum. The iCentre offers visitor guides, maps and walking guides for the whole of Scotland to help you plan your entire trip. A wide range of gifts to suit all tastes and pockets are available.
Reviewed By Butterflys8 - Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom
Very informative great staff they really know their stuff and promote all areas in gretna green as well as other close towns and interesting places to visit ..there's more to gretna green venture out and about the area so much to see of interestThank you for taking the time to leave a review. Our staff take great pleasure and pride in promoting our beautiful area - I hope you'll be back soon to discover even more!
7. Spoilt Spa at Smiths
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 63 reviews
Spoilt at smiths...salon with day spa ethosThe only boutique salon with day spa ethos in the area which strives to provide both quality service and innovative treatments with immediate and progressive results.
Reviewed By Wilsons-travels
My wife to be came to the Spoilt Spa to get her hair done prior to our wedding. The young lady who attended to her on the day made her feel relaxed and listened to her requirements. the result was better than she had hoped for and my Wife had beautiful, long, "fat sausage" curls in her hair for the rest of the day - she calls them barrel curls but my description is better :)
Very happy with the service received by Spoilt
8. Gretna Green Blacksmith Shop
Overall Ratings
4 based on 115 reviews
Reviewed By Ewingston - Edinburgh, United Kingdom
We had time to spare on New Year's eve as we travelled back to Scotland so we decided to call in at Gretna. We weren't particularly interested in all the shopping opportunities as we can shop anywhere but the museum was definitely worth a visit. Everybody knows (or thinks they know) all the stories about eloping to Gretna but there are in fact lots of bits of information which were certainly new to us. We had the added bonus of being asked to be witnesses at an actual wedding as the happy couple had come without any. All together, an interesting and uplifting experience.
9. The Gretna Inn
Overall Ratings
4 based on 46 reviews
Reviewed By R3632DGnicolac - South Lanarkshire, United Kingdom
Went for dinner after visiting the shops at the Gretna gateway . The place itself outside is beautiful with all the flowers in baskets , against black n white building traditional type pub lovely ! Inside it's ok and the staff are friendly . However what a found shock was the notice in the toilets that states "anyone dealing it doing drugs will be prosecuted !" So I don't know if they have had trouble with this type of thing but I found it a bit disconcerting!!
However we ordered dinner I had southern chicken chips & salad and my friends had fish & lasagne all meals were lovely just good pub grub prices were very reasonable not expense ! No fancy but does what it says on the tin & plenty off it . Drinks good selection . Staff serve all food to you and it's pleasant
10. Hands Across the Border Cairn
Overall Ratings
4 based on 24 reviews
Reviewed By jimboSaundersfoot - Saundersfoot
Knew of it from prior stays in Gretna .....but, on his first visit to Scotland, for my Welsh friend, I had brought a stone from his Pembrokeshires shores and I wrote on both sides, commemorating each of us ...and we laid it here...
This is such a beautiful conception and it has many inscribed stones from many places...
Unfortunately, our laying of our stone together was captured only on video...if there is a photo somewhere I will post it later..
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