Devil’s Beeftub – a drastic name. Yet the view over the area around the Devil’s Beeftub in the hills north of Moffat is stunning.
It’s a dark hollow. The slopes around the basin drop away 150 metres, forming the Devil’s Beeftub here. Thanks to the surrounding hills, the sun barely stands a chance of reaching down into it.
The Devil’s Beeftub sits right beside the A701, a road that runs parallel to the much larger A74 motorway, leading north from the small town of Moffat in Dumfries and Galloway towards the larger cities. This scenic route passes through the Moffat Hills, reaching a height of up to 395 metres.
The hollow itself isn’t all that spectacular. Were it not for the surrounding hills — and, of course, the history. That history is closely tied to the Border Reivers, raiders who turned the area into a near-lawless region for around 300 years, starting in 1400.
Murder, extortion, robbery and, above all, cattle theft were part of everyday life for many families. As the story goes: when a wife had no more food left to cook, she would serve her husband his spurs on a plate. That was his cue to ride out again.
One family from this area were the Johnstones. They were so powerful and feared that they were called “devils”. Their stolen cattle also had to be taken somewhere to their own protected, hidden pasture. One of these was precisely this hollow, which is why it came to be called the Devil’s Beeftub.
Other stories surround this place too: a memorial stands here for a Covenanter shot dead in 1685. He was once fleeing mounted soldiers and tried to escape them by running up the slope. Unfortunately, the soldiers’ bullets were faster.
According to legend, a little more luck was had by a Jacobite who, after the defeat at Culloden, tried to escape British soldiers. According to the tale, he is said to have rolled down the slope while musket balls from his pursuers struck the ground around him. True or not, the name MacCleran’s Loup (“loup” meaning “leap”) is also used for this spot.
Know: The white van in the Devil’s Beeftub
Despite her injuries, she climbed back up to the road, where she was able to flag down another car. The van, however, couldn’t be recovered and was simply left behind on the spot. Since it now lies on its back, it must have been moved after the crash, either by wind and weather or by human hand.
Incidentally, that the lady survived the crash borders on a miracle.
There are more recent stories here too. If you look closely, you can make out a wrecked VW van at the bottom of the Devil’s Beeftub. It’s been lying here since 2002. Back then, a certain Samantha McShane had veered off the road and plunged 150 metres down into the hollow. The van landed on its wheels, and the driver was able to free herself from the car.
Ups and downs seem to be a recurring theme at the Devil’s Beeftub, and it has often been a matter of life and death.
Getting there:
With sat nav: the postcode “DG10 9LT” will get you close by.
Without sat nav: Moffat’s main street is already the A701. At the edge of town, follow it towards Edinburgh. Importantly, keep on this road towards Peebles rather than turning off onto the larger motorway. At the top, take some care: when you see the John Hunter memorial on the right, there’s a lay-by directly on the left side of the road. Cross the road VERY carefully here and go through the small gate. There’s another lay-by on the right a few hundred metres further on, with an information board.