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Find the perfect dog walk on your journey - Driving with Dogs

M74 junction 16 Services - improved, Scotland

Description

An easy stop for caravans and large vehicles, but the lake is spoiled by a lot of evil smelling bird poo underfoot.  Other places to stop are listed on Driving with Dogs and if you can avoid Annandale Services we suggest that you do.  A recent review (2024) says that the lake path is now cleaner, so that's good news.

Details

GPS coords for car park: 55.2199, -3.4111  Usual motorway services, with a choice of restaurants and cafés. Shops. Wi-Fi. Outside patio area. Picnic tables around the lake.  Dog water provided, dog poo bins.

Walk

There is a generous amount of exercise space at this service station, although dogs are safer on leads – not only because of the nearby roads but also to avoid confrontations with the resident swans.  There is direct access to the loch and exercise area from behind the Days Inn at the far side of the car park. This will bring you to a large grassy area and a short walk around the kidney shaped loch. The volume of fowl droppings close to the water's edge can be unpleasant.

Member Reviews

5 Reviews
Earn +5 Treat points
Write Review
Report review Trundlepup - Driving with Dogs

Trundlepup

Green 125 Points
15 January 2024

All good on a frosty January day

The hotel is now a Days Inn, they charge £10 extra for the dog. It was very comfortable, nice big room and felt like a slight upgrade from the Travelodges we normally stay in. There’s a door straight from the hotel through to the services to save you going outside if the weather’s bad.

There were patches on the path around the lake where it looked like it had been a bit muddy but on a quiet frosty morning it was a really lovely walk. No bird poop though could be very different in the summer but we’d certainly stop here again.

It’s on the southbound side but not a long diversion if you’re heading north.

Report review fgammie - Driving with Dogs

fgammie

Green 40 Points
14 August 2023

Early August 2023 review

We actually found this a really good stop. Yes, dogs on leads is best, but the paths were dry and clean and it was a pleasant 15 walk around the water. The service station itself was adequate and clean too. I would definitely stop here again.

Report review Dougthedog - Driving with Dogs

Dougthedog

Green 15 Points
30 December 2021

Sadly neglected

Outdoor areas don’t seem to have been maintained for the last 10 years. Path round the lake is a swamp. Dogs not allowed indoors so can’t get a coffee unless there are two of you or you leave the dog in the car.

DwD: We completely agree with you, this isn't the easiest stop. In summer they do seem to make more of an effort with the outside cleanliness.

Report review craigwell - Driving with Dogs

craigwell

Green 24 Points
16 April 2014

The track around the lake and beaches were THICK with dog faeces - fossilised and fresh - really unpleasant - but at least the dog did get some exercise and we could get a coffee.

Edited: 15th January 2024. The details of this listing may have changed, and though the Driving with Dogs team do our best to confirm the accuracy of every listing, we cannot guarantee that the details are fully up to date and accurate. If you know that any aspect of this listing is incorrect, please suggest an edit to let us know.