Hunting grounds

Paul Kirkwood sets out on two wheels to explore the villages on Scotland's east coast

Arbroath and Montrose. I must have heard the names hundreds of times in that Saturday tea-time litany of the football results. But what are these towns like? When I spotted that they were linked by the National Cycle Network I had the perfect means of finding out.

I began at Gayfield, home of Arbroath FC.

There is no football ground in the United Kingdom that's closer to the sea and it bracingly set the scene for my ride north up the coast of Angus. Just round the corner I came across a museum in the old signal tower. It includes a reconstruction of an old school classroom and tells the remarkable story of the construction of the Bell Rock lighthouse on a sandstone reef 11 miles out to sea nearly 200 years ago.

Eager to make progress I resisted the temptation of a famous Arbroath smokie and set off for Auchmithie, the village that is the real home of Scotland's famous smoked haddock.

In the early 18th century the Auchmithie fishermen that created the smokie were attracted to Arbroath's good harbour. They transferred – but only after repeal of an act instigated by the Earl of North Esk which forbade ‘his' fishermen from leaving. Seagulls now stand sentry on the remains of the quay. The beach also has a large stack and natural arch.

Once or twice on my way north I was engulfed in sea fret (fog) and this, combined with waves I could hear but not see, made from a suitably spooky approach to the ruins of the 12th century Red Castle at Lunan Bay. I first saw it at the end ...

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• By : Paul Kirkwood
• In : Outdoor Scotland
• Issue : 31
• Page : 52
• Words : 1,023