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Dumfries and Galloway

Tarras Valley Nature Reserve

The community-owned nature reserve on Langholm Moor, 10,500 acres of the Tarras Valley bought by the people of Langholm, with hen harriers and guided wildlife days.

Welcome

Above the town of Langholm, the moorland of the Tarras Valley belongs to the people who live there.

In two community buyouts, backed by more than 3,500 donors and some six million pounds, the town bought 10,500 acres of the valley and turned it into the Tarras Valley Nature Reserve.

The reserve is run by the Langholm Initiative, a community trust founded more than twenty-five years ago to help the town after its textile mills declined. It is home to hen harriers, and the barn owls that nest there can be watched on cameras online. The charity once ran its wildlife days under the name Wild Eskdale, and it still leads guided experiences and events on the moor.

The reserve is open to walkers at any time. Check its website for guided walks, events and the best places to start.

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The Daily for 4 November, from Scotland with love. A pink sandstone castle bristling with conical turrets and a Union Jack flag rises above a gravel forecourt, autumn-tinged ivy climbing one wing beside cannon displayed on the lawn.
Close byFirst BiteA cafe in Langholm.1 min by roadSee itCafé counter with chalkboard menus, cake display and "First Bite" sign above the till
Before you go

Open at all times; guided events and experiences are listed on the reserve's website.

Where
Langholm Moor, Langholm, DG13 0ES.
Size
10,500 acres.
Owned by
The people of Langholm.

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Where it is

On Langholm Moor above the town of Langholm, off Glenesk Road, DG13 0ES.

Close byEskdale.
  1. White arched footbridge crossing a wooded river gorgeDuchess BridgeA cast-iron footbridge of 1813 over the Esk, and a short walk through the woods.1 mile 3 min by road
  2. Spending A Day In Scotland’s Debatable LandsGilnockie TowerA border tower down the Esk.4 miles 7 min by road
  3. Gretna Green Guided TourGretna Green Guided Tour10 miles as the crow flies
  4. Handfasting at Gretna GreenHandfasting at Gretna Green10 miles as the crow flies
  5. Cottage room with black cast-iron range, tartan mantel and spinning wheel beside the windowThomas Carlyle's BirthplaceA writer's birthplace in Ecclefechan.16 miles 24 min by road
Directions
Café counter with chalkboard menus, cake display and "First Bite" sign above the tillCafeFirst Bite0.3 miles
The Milnholm Cross, a tall stone cross inside iron railings in a roadside field, green hills behind.AttractionsMilnholm Cross14 miles

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