Name: Grey Mare’s Tail Nature Reserve
Rating: 5.0

Grey Mare’s Tail Nature Reserve

Moffat Valley, Moffat, Dumfries and Galloway, DG10 9DP, Scotland

6-90 Years

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Description

Grey Mare’s Tail Nature Reserve is one of Scotland’s most breathtaking natural attractions, famous for its dramatic 60-metre waterfall cascading into the Moffat Water Valley. Surrounded by rugged hills and scenic landscapes shaped by ancient glaciers, it offers a truly unforgettable outdoor experience. It’s a perfect destination for nature lovers, hikers and wildlife enthusiasts.

Visitors can enjoy a range of walks, from an easy 5-minute stroll to a waterfall viewpoint to more challenging hikes leading up to Loch Skeen and surrounding peaks. The reserve is rich in wildlife, where you may spot peregrine falcons, ospreys, feral goats and even golden eagles. The area also offers opportunities for fossil hunting on guided walks, as well as exploring diverse habitats including moorland, rocky slopes and upland vegetation.

Entry to the nature reserve is completely free, with only a £5 per day parking charge applicable for visitors.

With its powerful waterfall, scenic hiking routes and rich wildlife, Grey Mare’s Tail Nature Reserve offers a truly memorable experience. Whether you’re seeking adventure or simply want to enjoy stunning natural beauty, it’s a must-visit destination in southern Scotland.

Features

Free
Host birthday parties: No

Features

Waterfall: Grey Mare’s Tail is one of the most spectacular landmarks in southern Scotland. Situated on the north side of Moffatdale's deep U-shaped valley, the falls are the product of different rates of glacial erosion during the last major glaciation around 15,000 years ago. The deep trench of the Moffat Water Valley was carved out by a huge glacier, while in the side valley a smaller glacier with far less erosive power created a much shallower valley. Once the ice melted the side valley was left elevated, or 'hanging', above the main valley.
Walks: From a short stroll to a more challenging day in the hills, Grey Mare’s Tail has much to offer visitors. The waterfall viewpoint is an easy 5 minute walk from the car park. Here you can relax on one of the wooden benches and just enjoy the sheer power and beauty of nature. Another low-level walk on the west side of the Tail Burn will get you closer to the thunderous roar of the falls. If you really want to stretch your legs, the steep path to the right-hand side of the gorge offers excellent views of the waterfall and the Moffat Water Valley. T
Wildlife: Grey Mare’s Tail Nature Reserve has a rich animal life. It’s most well known for the peregrine falcons that nest here every year. Ravens, buzzards, wheatears, stonechats, dippers, grey wagtails and kestrels are all frequently seen, but also watch out for ring ouzels, red grouse, merlins, sparrowhawks – and if you’re really lucky, ospreys fishing in Loch Skeen. A recent project to reinforce the population of golden eagles in southern Scotland has also increased your chances of seeing this magnificent bird here.
Wildflowers: Geology, topography, soils and late snow-lie mean that Grey Mare’s Tail shares many similarities with upland Highland vegetation communities, deservedly giving it a reputation of being one of the best sites in southern Scotland for upland plants. Colour is provided early in the year on the side of the waterfall itself, with purple saxifrage trailing down precarious rocky sections. At the end of summer the moorland becomes a blaze of purple as the heather flowers. Globeflower, starry saxifrage, thyme, roseroot, lesser twayblade, heath speedwell and bell heather are just a few that can be seen from the Loch Skeen path.
Dob’s Linn: Although not on the scale of Grey Mare’s Tail, Dob’s Linn – with its secluded waterfall and steep cliffs – is a scenic location in its own right. The site also has a fascinating history. It reputedly takes its name from Halbert Dobson, a 17th-century Covenanter who hid from government troops here during a period of conflict in Scottish history known as ‘The Killing Time’. However, Dob’s Linn is most well known as an internationally important geological site and is famous for its fossil graptolites. Graptolites were small colonial marine organisms that flourished in the sea between 520 and 350 million years ago.
Through the seasons: Grey Mare’s Tail nature reserve is a great place to visit at any time of year. Spring sees the return of migrant birds like the wheatear and ring ouzel. Wheatears are often seen around the car park and are easily identified by their striking white rump as they fly away. Similar in appearance to a blackbird but with a broad white crescent across its breast, the elusive ring ouzel is more likely to be spotted in the waterfall gorge. In early April you may catch a glimpse of a newborn goat kid hiding among the heather, or ravens scouring the hillside for food to feed a nest full of rapidly growing youngsters. It’s May before the peregrine eggs hatch and over the next six weeks the adults’ toing and froing from the nest visibly increases. May’s warmer weather and longer days finally changes the colour palette from the dull browns of winter to a vivid green. June and July are the best time to see many of the mountain flowers, but the August transformation of green heather-clad hillsides to purple can be breathtakingly beautiful.

Facilities

Parking: There is a £5 per day parking fee, which directly supports our work on the reserve.
Toilets: The nearest public toilets are 5 miles to the north-east at St Mary’s Loch or 10 miles to the south-west in Moffat.

What to see

One of Scotland’s favourite waterfalls takes a spectacular 60m plunge into the valley below

See one of the UK’s highest waterfalls plunging 60m from Loch Skeen.
Enjoy a range of walks with breathtaking views.
Spot the effects of glacial erosion on the landscape.
Keep an eye out for ospreys, ring ouzels, feral goats or nesting peregrine falcons.
Search for fossils on a ranger-led guided walk.

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Price

Price: Free

Birthday Parties

Offer Birthday Parties: No

The reserve is open all year round. Interpretation panels and a trailer (April to September only) situated in the car park provide the information you should need to help you get the most out of your visit.

Address: Moffat Valley, Moffat, Dumfries and Galloway, DG10 9DP, Scotland

Post Code: DG10 9DP

Council: Moffat

County: Dumfries and Gallowa

Grey Mare’s Tail can be easily accessed from the M74 (junction 15). The A708 from Moffat to Grey Mare’s Tail and on to Selkirk is often described as one of the most scenic drives in Scotland, and it very quickly feels wild and remote. The nature reserve is only 10 miles north-east of Moffat, and 25 miles south-west of Selkirk.
Please be aware that there is no postcode for the property. Grey Mare’s Tail is 3 miles north-east of the postcode DG10 9LH, the closest for sat-nav purposes. Latitude and longitude co-ordinates will be more specific for your sat-nav: 55.420361; -3.289756