Of Land, Sea and Season: Celebrating Autumn Flavours in the South of Scotland

Autumn is harvesting time in the South of Scotland, a season of transition that is rich in flavour and colour. Across the Scottish Borders and Dumfries & Galloway, harvest festivals and a distinct shift in local kitchens mark the season. As the autumn equinox brings shorter days and cooler nights, it also brings a time for gathering in and celebrating everything that has been grown throughout the year.

Barley, oats and wheat are brought in from the fields, forming the foundations of Scotland’s food and drink story, from baking and brewing to whisky-making. Apples, pears and late crops add depth to seasonal menus, while coastal produce like crab and scallops reach their peak.

It’s a time when stories come to the fore. ‘Of Land, Sea and Season’ invites you experience this through our local larder. From farm experiences and baking courses to tasting menus and distillery visits, autumn invites you to connect with the land and experience an authentic taste of the South of Scotland.

First Taste of Scotland at Gretna Green

An ideal introduction to the country’s culinary heritage

Treat yourself to an authentic taste of Scotland at the Famous Blacksmiths Shop. This guided experience brings together a selection of locally sourced delicacies, celebrating the country’s land, people and time-honoured traditions.

Alongside the flavours, you’ll hear the stories behind the ingredients and dishes, offering a deeper connection to Scotland’s rich culinary heritage. Inspired by the same craftsmanship behind the First Sip of Scotland experience, this is a place where food and drink come together to tell a wider story of the region.

These sessions are continually refreshed to reflect the changing seasons, with carefully selected ingredients, locally crafted products and limited-edition creations ensuring that each visit feels new. Set at one of Scotland’s most iconic gateway locations, it’s the perfect introduction to the flavours of the South.

Available year-round. Check with the team for seasonal highlights.

Organic Oatcake Making at Bairnkine Farm

Try your hand at traditional oatcake making in a relaxed rural setting near Jedburgh

Step onto an organic family farm and discover the tradition of oatcake making in the heart of the countryside. This relaxed, hands-on experience invites you to learn how traditional oatcakes are made from scratch, using oats grown on the farm itself.

You’ll mix your own oatcakes while hearing the story of the farm from Lucy Tile and her family as well as their philosophy on organic farming. Bairnkine Farm grows oats which are milled locally in Kelso and used to create a range of products, including oatcakes, porridge and flapjacks, offering a deeper insight into how what’s grown here is turned into food.

While your oatcakes bake, there’s time to meet the animals, including sheep and curious cows, giving a genuine glimpse into daily life on the farm. You’ll leave with fresh oatcakes to take away and a real sense of connection to the land and its traditions. It’s a genuine glimpse into the daily life of a Borders farm during the height of harvest.

Ideal for autumn but available year-round.

Artisan Baking Class at The Earth’s Crust Bakery

The perfect activity for aspiring bakers and sourdough connoisseurs

Join a hands-on baking experience and discover the craft behind artisan bread in a relaxed and welcoming setting. This one-day course focuses on sourdough and seeded loaves, with the addition of focaccia, giving you the chance to learn a range of techniques and recipes.

Guided by expert bakers in a welcoming environment, you’ll learn to mix, shape and bake, building confidence and skills you can take home with you. Lunch and refreshments are included, making it as enjoyable as it is rewarding.

Rooted in the grains of the region and the traditions of slow baking, it’s a perfect experience for autumn.

Ideal for autumn but also available during winter

Gourmet Sunday at Cringletie

Enjoy extraordinary dining with a 9-course seasonal tasting menu

Enjoy a relaxed stay with refined seasonal dining at Cringletie, where a carefully curated tasting menu showcases the best local produce. Available every Sunday, this nine-course experience is served in the 2 AA Rosette Sutherland Restaurant. Here, each experience begins with a welcome drink before the chef personally introduces the menu.

Each week, ingredients are selected from local suppliers, with dishes thoughtfully prepared and presented, and paired with fine wines by the restaurant manager. As lunch unfolds, guests are guided through each course, gaining insight into the flavours, ingredients and inspiration behind the menu.

Set within a beautiful country house and surrounded by estate grounds, it’s an ideal way to slow down and savour the season. Choose to complement a stay or opt for the dinner-only option.

Available year-round. Check with the team for seasonal highlights.

Seasonal Guided Walk and Lunch at The Homestead Café & Farm Shop

Step onto the Hirsel Estate near Coldstream and discover the journey from field to plate in this relaxed, guided experience. Over two hours, guests explore the grounds. There are opportunities to see seasonal ingredients growing in the greenhouse, raised beds and vegetable plots, as well as foraged finds along the way.

Alongside the landscape, you’ll meet the Highland cattle and gain insight into how the estate produces the food it serves. The experience finishes with a simple, seasonal lunch of soup and sandwiches made using estate-grown produce, followed by a few sweet treats.

Enjoyed in the rustic Emu Pen, reserved exclusively for your group, it’s a thoughtful way to connect with the land and taste ingredients at their freshest.

Ideal for autumn but available from May to September with changing seasonal focus

Join a Galloway Distillery Tour & Tasting

Experience how the local Gallo-Way shapes this distinctive range of spirits

Step behind the scenes of an award-winning distillery where the flavours of coast, land and forest are captured in every bottle. At Galloway Distillery, guests discover the craft, creativity and regional pride behind one of the region’s most exciting spirits producers.

You’ll explore each stage of the production process, learning how the local water and natural larder of Galloway help shape a distinctive range of spirits. The experience finishes with a guided tasting of the Hills & Harbour and The Sassenach collections, before choosing your favourite spirit to enjoy as a perfect serve.

Home to The Sassenach spirits range created in partnership with Sam Heughan of Outlander fame, the distillery combines international appeal with a genuine passion for the South of Scotland.

Ideal for autumn but available year-round.

Dinner at Corsewall Lighthouse

Enjoy a refined three-course meal in a historic maritime setting.

Enjoy a memorable dining experience in one of the South of Scotland’s most distinctive coastal settings. Dinner at Corsewall Lighthouse Hotel is a relaxed and welcoming affair, served in the cosy dining room created from the original lighthouse keepers’ accommodation.

Begin the evening with pre-dinner drinks overlooking the cliffs and sea, before settling in for a fixed-price menu showcasing the best of Scottish produce with contemporary flair. Choose from starters, mains and desserts, with thoughtful extras including an amuse-bouche, a soup course and a palate cleanser, adding to the experience. Finish with dessert before stepping outside for after-dinner drinks beneath some of the UK’s darkest skies, with the beam of the lighthouse sweeping across the night. If you’d rather stay a little longer, retreat to one of the hotel’s comfortable bedrooms and wake to the sound of the sea.

Available throughout the year, it’s an especially atmospheric experience during the cooler months, when the warmth inside contrasts with the wild coastline beyond.

Ideal for autumn but available year-round.