Moffat is a small historic town in Dumfries and Galloway in southern Scotland, set in the valley of the River Annan and close to the M74 corridor between Glasgow, Edinburgh, and northern England. Although modest in size, it has long held an outsized regional importance as a market town, spa destination, and stopping point for travelers crossing the Southern Uplands.
The town is especially known for its 18th- and 19th-century growth as a spa resort after the discovery and promotion of mineral waters at Moffat Well. That spa history still shapes the townscape: broad streets, handsome stone buildings, hotels, and a visitor-oriented center. Moffat is also associated with nearby natural attractions including Gray Mare's Tail, one of the UK's highest waterfalls, and the Moffat Hills.
Today Moffat functions as both a local service center and a tourism hub. Its appeal comes from a combination of landscape, heritage, independent shops, walking and cycling access, and a reputation for being one of Scotland's dark-sky-friendly towns. For residents, it offers a rural small-town setting with links to larger centers such as Dumfries, Carlisle, Glasgow, and Edinburgh.