It’s been a busy August, with most weekends spent at one end of the UK or another, most recently I headed to the South Western coast of Scotland for a visit to The Murray Arms Hotel.

The hotel is a recently refurbished accommodation, right in the heart of the very charming little town of Gatehouse of Fleet. It offers 14 comfortable, individually, and very tastefully, styled rooms on a bed and breakfast basis, and is part of the wider Laggan portfolio of holiday and leisure venues.

Despite the long drive ahead of me, I was thrilled to have been invited up to Scotland again, especially to an area that was totally new to me. Besides, who can resist the call of the coastline? 

The Murray Arms Hotel sits right on the main street that runs through Gatehouse of Fleet, which is is Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.

Gatehouse of Fleet may only be a small town, but it’s history and traditions date back centuries! The town’s name dates back to it’s origins as a toll gate on the river Fleet, which runs through the town. Surrounded by hills and plenty of natural beauty, the town is a popular tourist destination nowadays, especially with those who enjoy hiking and other outdoor activities.

Unless you’re from somewhere very close by, it’s unlikely you’ll find a straightforward way of getting to the Murray Arms Hotel without a car. There is parking available on site however, and alternative parking can easily be found in the town.

The day I visited was also coincidentally the Gatehouse Gala, so there were lots of people visiting the town. Despite this I had no issues parking and also got to enjoy the parade through the town!

The bedroom

I got an instant feeling of relaxation upon settling into our room. The warm autumnal tones and subdued lighting almost made me feel like I’d time travelled forward a few months to a cosy October afternoon (although the awful weather may have helped too!).

The room was nice and spacious, with good storage space in the form of an open wardrobe, and a lovely big bed with more scatter cushions than I’ve ever seen in one place! Again, the combination of tones and textures in the decor was absolutely spot on.

The bathroom

The bathroom was another winner for me, not only did it have a lovely freestanding bath for a relaxing soak, but it also featured a spacious standalone shower. It’s good to have options right?

Again, the balanced tones and tasteful style carried through to this room, keeping it, airy and clean and comfortable.

Facilities at the Murray Arms Hotel

Inside the room we had all the amenities you’d expect to find. This included tea and coffee making facilities – extra points for the lovely biscuits too. UHT milk pots are provided in the room, but there’s also a ‘milk cupboard’ downstairs that has a labelled bottle of fresh milk for each room in the fridge that you can nip down and help yourself to.

You also needn’t worry if you forgot to pack shampoo, as toiletries such as shampoo, conditioner and bodywash are all provided in the bathroom.

About Gather

Sitting on the hillside overlooking a stunning coastal view, Gather promises to be a feast for the eyes and the stomach, offering ‘good food and good views’ to bring people together.

The main restaurant is an inviting, contemporary space, offering freshly prepared dishes from breakfast through to dinner. There is also additional seating outside where you can sit and enjoy a drink and some small plates in front of the wonderful view. Larger parties can also pre book the new glass dome seating area ‘Graze’ to enjoy a fully immersive experience whilst dining on the hillside.

The restaurant is really popular, so be sure to book ahead to avoid disappointment!

Starter

For my starter I chose the goat’s cheese with beetroot and walnuts. This was a perfect light starter that had a wonderful combination of textures and flavours. Honey, walnuts and goat’s cheese are always a winning mix of sweet and savoury and I was left feeling excited for my main after this.

Main

I did quite a bit of back and forth trying to decide on a main, as there were a lot of great options on the menu! Eventually I decided to stick with the light and fresh theme, and ordered the soy and ginger glazed fillet of Scottish salmon.

The salmon was served on a bed of cous cous salad with lots of fresh greens and roasted tomatoes. Everything was bursting with flavour and cooked perfectly – nobody likes a dried out bit of salmon do they?! Another impressive course from the Laggan chefs!

Dessert

Dessert was the real show-stopper! I’m a little embarrased to admit that the dessert I ordered was not actually the one I ate in the end. I was torn between the crema catalana and the white chocolate and mango cheesecake, so I ordered the former and my husband ordered the latter. When they arrived however, I got some serious food envy and my poor husband let me swap with him.

There was nothing wrong with the crema catalana I should add, but the cheesecake just looked flippin’ amazing! I have no regrets because it tasted as good as it looked, creamy with some delicious sweet sharpness from the mango. Sorry Matt…

Of course, I couldn’t turn down the opportunity to sample the ‘Murray’s big breakfast’ which featured all the usual suspects like sausages, bacon, eggs and beans, with a few Scottish additions or haggis and tattie scone thrown into the mix.

All of the ingredients for the cooked breakfast are locally sourced, even down to the eggs and butter! It came out hot and fresh too, and I was surprised to discover that the haggis was the bit I enjoyed the most out of everything! A very good start to the day overall!

Beaches

Although Scotland doesn’t always have great weather for visiting the beach, the coastal views around Laggan are still worth exploring. Even on Saturday when it rained we made a little drive over to one of the beaches and enjoyed a walk along the pebbles and rock pools.

• Mossyard Beach is a lovely big sandy beach with shallow waters, this is a great option for families or dog owners.
• Carrick Beach is a nice little secluded spot with pebbles. A good one for a bit if quiet time and only 15 minutes drive from the Murray Arms.

Walks

From the Murray Arms there are tons of walking paths that you can take into the nearby woodlands and hillsides. If you head left out of the hotel you’ll end up on a path that takes you into the very picturesque Cally Woods.

If you’re over at Gather, you can take a beautiful scenic walk up the hillside behind the restaurant up to the whale bones on the hilltop. There are some absolutely fantastic views over the bay from there and I’d highly recommend it.

Cream o’ Galloway Ice Cream Farm

If all of the outdoor activities have got you craving something sweet, you can head over to Cream o’ Galloway for some freshly made ice cream. They have a whisky, honey and oat flavour that’s well worth visiting for, plus a number of other activities on site at their visitors centre.