Location 1: Signal Tower Museum

The Signal Tower Museum is located near Arbroath’s picturesque harbour. It sits among buildings used originally as the shore station and accommodation for the Bell Rock Lighthouse.

Built in 1813, the Signal Tower served as the lighthouse until it was decommissioned in 1955 and became a museum in 1974. During your visit, you’ll hear some of Arbroath’s fascinating fishing and maritime heritage stories that are told through multimedia displays and historical objects. You can also see how the traditional fishing methods compare to today’s techniques.

Tours of the tower room take place on Saturdays. These can be pre-booked online in advance of your visit.

The museum is also a great place to learn about Arbroath’s world-famous Smokie. The origins of the smokie began in the small fishing village of Auchmithie, just north of Arbroath. The Smokie has protected status under European law, which means that it can only be called an Arbroath Smokie if produced in the traditional manner within a five-mile radius of the town.

The Bell Rock Lighthouse is Britain’s oldest surviving rock lighthouse and still stands today, warning ships away from the jagged Bell Rock, 11 miles offshore. It sits on a long and treacherous reef in the North Sea, guiding the vessels that sail to and from the Firths of Tay and Forth. It was considered a significant engineering feat in the early 19th century.

• Location: Ladyloan, Arbroath, DD11 1PU
• Opening times:
  • Wednesday to Monday, 10.30am to 4pm 
• Entry: Free 
• Accessibility: Partially suitable for visitors with limited mobility with some accessible parking available

Location 2: Lunch at Webmors Coffee Shop

Webmors Coffee Shop serve a range of tasty lunch options including sandwiches, soups and paninis, as well as delicious home baking.

The building itself used to be a church hall and is a picturesque setting to enjoy a lunch during your day in Arbroath.

Afternoon teas are also available (must be booked in advance).

• Location: 66 High Street, Arbroath, DD11 1AW
• Opening times: 
  • Monday to Saturday: 9.30am to 4.30pm
• Accessibility: The café is wheelchair accessible and has an accessible toilet.

Location 3: Arbroath Abbey

Arbroath Abbey was founded by William the Lion in 1178. Visit this spectacular abbey to admire the substantial ruins of a Tironensian monastery and read a significant part of Scottish history, The Declaration of Arbroath.

The Declaration of Arbroath is a letter written in 1320 by the barons and entire community of the kingdom of Scotland to the Pope. It asked him to recognise Scotland’s independence and acknowledge Robert the Bruce as the country’s lawful king. The letter was sent from Arbroath Abbey.

The abbey’s new visitor centre features a fantastic exhibition about the abbey’s historical timeline and more information about the Declaration of Arbroath. 

The abbey grounds and visitor centre, including the exhibition, shop and toilets, are open. Due to access restrictions in place as a precautionary measure while Historic Scotland undertake high level masonry inspections, the internal spaces of the abbey grounds are currently closed. The ticket price has been reduced to reflect this.

• Location: Abbey Street, Arbroath, DD11 1EG
• Opening times: Daily, 10am to 4pm
• Entry:
  • Adult (16-64yrs): £5.00
  • Concession (65yrs+): £4.00
  • Child (7-15yrs): £3.00
  • Child (under 7yrs): Free
  • Historic Scotland members: Free
• Accessibility: Partially suitable for visitors with limited mobility with accessible toilets. Most of the abbey is relatively level with grass and gravel surfaces. The visitor centre has step-free access to the ground floor. The first floor is accessed via a flight of stone steps.

Location 4: Dinner at Andreou’s Bistro

Located on Arbroath’s High Street, this popular bistro offers authentic Greek and Mediterranean food in a comfortable, friendly, and relaxed atmosphere.

The menu at Andreou’s offers a great choice of tasty, fresh, homemade dishes that are full of flavour and local produce. Whichever option you pick from the exciting menu, you’ll experience their passion for cooking Greek food and desire to bring some of the best experiences from Cypriot dining to Angus.

People recommend Andreou’s Bistro not only for the quality of food and wine but also for the high standard of service, so your experience here should be the perfect way to end the day.

• Location: 57 High St, Arbroath, DD11 1AN
• Opening times:
  • Monday & Tuesday: Closed
  • Wednesday to Friday: 4pm to midnight
  • Saturday: 12 noon to midnight
  • Sunday: 12 noon to 11pm
• Accessibility: Disabled access and disabled toilet

Location 5: Webster Memorial Theatre

Round off your day in Arbroath with a night at the theatre!

Arbroath’s Webster Memorial Theatre provides a destination for many performances including drama, dance, comedy, concerts and music events.

See the website to find out what’s on and book your tickets.

• Location: 64 High Street, Arbroath, DD11 1AW
• Accessibility: The theatre has level entry access via a ramp, and a lift to upper floors. The venue has a disabled toilet as well as a hearing loop.

Location 1: Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre

Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre sits on the site of Britain’s first operational military airfield that was established by the Royal Flying Corps in 1913.

The centre’s unique collection of contemporary photographs, artefacts, memorabilia, and planes will take you on a journey back in time and also demonstrate the human side of the Air Station’s past. The Heritage Centre ensures future generations will remember the service of the men and women who served at Montrose Air Station. During your visit, you’ll hear some unforgettable stories of their lives and of those who lived in the area.

The centre offers some unique and memorable experiences. Step inside a 1940’s house and a full-size Anderson shelter. Marvel at the full-size replica of the B.E.2a aircraft flown by No.2 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps – the first squadron to land in France at the start of World War One. You can also see full-size replicas of a Sopwith Camel and an MkVb Spitfire. The Hawker Hunter, Meteor, and Vampire jets will impress too.

The centre ​​is an independent and fully accredited museum run entirely by volunteers. They recently received The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award for volunteer groups in the UK.

• Location: Waldron Road, Montrose, DD10 9BD
• Opening times: 
  • Friday & Saturday – 10am to 4pm
  • Sunday – 12 noon to 4pm
• Entry (booking required):
  • Adults: £6.60
  • Concessions: £5.50
  • Children under 16: Free
• Accessibility: Partially suitable for visitors with limited mobility. Accessible toilets.

Location 2: Lunch at Erskine’s Café, House of Dun

Erskine’s Café is located within the grounds of the House of Dun, a grand 18th century home with striking architecture, gardens and woodlands. The café provides indoor and outdoor seating for you to sit and enjoy light lunch bites, cakes, and drinks. Inside, you are surrounded by a fascinating display of historical agricultural tools.

After lunch, step into the wildlife-rich outdoors, where beautiful formal gardens are surrounded by acres of Montrose woodland, and there are stunning vistas overlooking Montrose Basin to enjoy.

• Location: House of Dun, Montrose, Angus, DD10 9LQ
• Opening times: 
  • 1 to 29 October: Wednesday to Sunday, 10.30am to 4.30pm
  • 30 October to 24 December: Thursday to Sunday, 10.30am to 4.30pm
• Accessibility: Partial wheelchair access with accessible parking and toilets

Location 3: House of Dun

Travel back to the 18th century with a visit to this elegant country house that’s fit for a laird. Designed with Georgian pride and baroque extravagance by renowned architect William Adam, House of Dun is every bit a laird’s home. 

Guides in period costumes will lead you through this elegant Georgian country house and talk you through its long and interesting history. 

There is an impressive level of precision and fine detail throughout the house, like the detailed plasterwork by Joseph Enzer in the saloon and the hand-stitched woolwork and embroideries by Lady Augusta FitzClarence that you’ll find in many of the rooms. 

Experience the sounds and smells of the Georgian kitchen downstairs and see the traditional clockwork roasting spit, a labour-saving device that was once at the forefront of technology. 

And outside in the courtyard, you’ll discover an interactive visitor experience called the Angus Folk Collection. The collection contains over 4,500 pieces that together tell the story of Angus life, including a harpoon gun, a mother of pearl clock, a penny-farthing bicycle, and even a hearse.

House of Dun lies close to the edge of Montrose Basin Nature Reserve, which is also worth exploring if the time and weather allow.

• Location: Montrose, Angus, DD10 9LQ
• Opening times (Guided Tours only):
  • 1 to 29 October: Wednesday to Sunday, 11am to 2.45pm
  • 30 October to 24 December: Saturday & Sunday, 11am to 2.45pm
• Entry: 
  • Adult: £14.50
  • Concession: £11.50
  • Gardens: Free
• Accessibility: Partial wheelchair access with accessible parking and toilets

Location 4: Montrose Museum

Montrose Museum tells the story of Montrose and its people, from the earliest archaeological finds to the Marquis of Montrose and the Jacobite uprisings, the harbour and maritime trade.

The museum was designed to look like a true temple of learning, with Ionic columns on either side of the doorway and MUSEUM written above the lintel, in elegant gold relief. The museum was one of the first purpose-built museums in Scotland, opened in 1842, and houses its series of displays in the neo-classical building’s spacious atrium, mezzanine and galleries.

The art gallery within Montrose Museum hosts changing exhibitions from the community and from Angus Council’s collections of paintings and sculptures.

• Location: Panmure Place, Montrose, DD10 8HE
• Opening times: 
  • Wednesday to Monday – 10.30am to 4pm
• Entry: Free
• Accessibility: Level entry access via ramp. Accessible toilet. Lift to upper floor mezzanine. The Natural History Gallery is only accessible via a staircase.

Location 5: Dinner at the Park Hotel

Set within the Park Hotel, Parkers restaurant is the perfect location for a memorable dinner. The food on the modern dinner menu uses locally-sourced ingredients whenever possible, including meat, poultry, fish, vegetables and fruit from within Angus.

Dinner options include fantastic food like the battered North Sea haddock, roast breast of Angus chicken and haggis, and vegetarian butternut squash risotto. The restaurant also has a specials board that changes daily, so there is always something to suit every taste. 

• Location: 61 John Street, Montrose, DD10 8RJ
• Opening times:
  • Lunch: 12 noon to 2pm
  • Dinner: 5.30pm to 8.30pm 
• Accessibility: Level access entry with accessible parking

Location 6: Montrose Playhouse

After dinner, why not enjoy a night at the movies at the Montrose Playhouse.

The Playhouse has modern, comfortable and fully accessible cinema screens seating up to 400 people, showing all the latest blockbusters.

The venue also has a packed programme of events, workshops, classes and activities aimed at all ages and abilities.

See their website to find out what’s on and book your tickets.

• Location: The Mall, Montrose, DD10 8NN
• Accessibility: Wheelchair access with accessible toilets

Location 1: Carlungie Earth House

Earth houses, or souterrains as they are also known, are stone-lined underground passages which typically date to the Iron Age.

Earth houses can be found along much of eastern Scotland, as well as in Ireland, Cornwall and Brittany.

Carlungie Earth House is one of the largest and most complex examples of its kind in Scotland, at about 40m long. It was accidentally discovered during ploughing in 1949.

There has been much speculation on the use of these structures. The regional variation in shape and size across Scotland suggest there was no single consistent use. One suggestion is that they were used for storage – either for valuable items or commodities such as agricultural surplus. A number of excavated sites, including Carlungie, have produced Roman artefacts such as pottery.

• Location: Tealing, DD7 7SD – view on Google Maps
• Opening times: Open all year round
• Entry: Free
• Accessibility: Strong footwear recommended.

Location 2: Ardestie Earth House

Nearby Ardestie Earth House is another great example of these ancient structures.

Ardestie Earth House, likely built in the first two centuries AD, is an underground passage over 24m long, with a stone-lined drain in its floor. Excavations in 1949 and 1950 revealed a complex of buildings at ground level, with access to the earth house within one building.

The earth house is in a remarkable state of completeness – both in terms of the earth house itself, and the complex of buildings at ground level.

Evidence suggests that most earth houses were destroyed, or at least infilled, in the late AD 100s – coinciding with the Roman withdrawal from Britain.

Visit and explore the ancient underground passage and trace the remains of long-abandoned buildings.

• Location: Monikie, DD5 4HW – View on Google Maps
• Opening times: Open all year round
• Entry: Free
• Accessibility: Parking available. Strong footwear advised.

Location 3: Lunch at Gather Café 

Enjoy a special lunch made with fantastic fresh produce and quality ingredients at Carnoustie’s Gather Café. Choose from their all-day brunch options, a warming bowl of soup, a hot or cold frittata, freshly-baked handmade sourdough sandwiches, or one of the many other delicious options.

Their daily specials change depending on seasonality and availability. They offer an excellent selection of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free food.

And if you’re in the mood for something sweet, the café offers a selection of freshly baked treats.

Grab some local produce on the way out from their deli that stocks a fantastic selection of locally-sourced food and drinks.

• Location: 25-27 Dundee Street, Carnoustie, DD7 7PB
• Opening times: Tuesday to Saturday: 10am to 3pm
• Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible with accessible toilets

Location 4: Barry Mill

Located just outside Carnoustie in the Angus countryside, this picturesque working mill offers a rare glimpse into the life of a miller, a tough job involving sacking up, hoisting and grinding the grains.

Barry Mill is one of only a handful of mills still powered by water. Rebuilt after a fire around 1814, it is probably the largest and finest example of its type still in operation.

Peaceful Barry Mill was once the beating heart of a rural community. It supplied food, provided a place for trade and gossip, and witnessed the transition from a rural to an industrial society. The water-powered mill produced oatmeal and other foods, as well as providing work for local people, for almost 800 years – right up until 1982.

The mill itself closes to visitors during the winter months, but you can still see the mill from the outside before enjoying a relaxing stroll alongside Barry Burn to breathe in the natural beauty of the mill’s charming countryside setting.

• Location: Mill Road, Barry, Carnoustie, DD7 7RJ
• Opening times:

1 to 29 October: Thursday to Sunday, 10.30am to 4.30pm
30 October to 1 March: Closed

• Entry:

Adult: £8.50
Child/concession: £7.50
National Trust for Scotland or National Trust members: Free
Grounds: Free

• Accessibility: Accessible parking and accessible toilets. Some uneven terrain and steps.

Location 5: Barry Buddon

Barry Buddon dates back to around 1850 when the area was used by the Forfarshire Rifle Volunteers, the Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, the Panmure Battery of the Forfarshire Artillery Brigade, and a Royal Naval Reserve Battery.

In 1897 the Earl of Dalhousie sold the site to the War Office for use as a military training area.

In addition to its primary role of controlling training and safety on the training area, Headquarters Barry Buddon Training Centre is heavily involved in all aspects of conservation found on this historic and unique site. Most of the training area is classified a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and an EU Special Area of Conservation (SAC), as well as a Special Protection Area (SPA) for birds under the European Birds Directive.

The Ranges and Danger Areas are closed to the public during periods of live firing. Details of the monthly Live Firing Schedules are published each month in advance on the Carnoustie Community Development Trust website and on its Facebook page. When firing is not taking place the public can access the training area’s metalled roads.

The area is ideal for enjoying coastal walks and wildlife watching.

• Location: Carnoustie, DD7 7RY

Location 6: Dinner at Wee Cook Kitchen

Enjoy a delicious dinner at Wee Cook Kitchen, a family-run restaurant and award-winning pie maker based at the Barry Downs Holiday Park just outside Carnoustie. Wee Cook specialise in dishes inspired by exotic international dishes made with local seasonal produce.

Wee Cook’s menu changes regularly but always offers quality food, freshly cooked with care. Their signature dishes include famous, award-winning pies, ‘Hanger kebabs’, burgers, seafood and exciting weekend specials. Wee Cook also has outstanding vegetarian and vegan options like their cauliflower bhuna pie and mushroom marinara. There are also some tempting desserts and a great children’s menu.

The restaurant is unlicensed, but you are welcome to bring your own bottle to enjoy with your meal. There are no corkage fees for alcoholic drinks apart from spirits and cocktails.

Advance booking is recommended through their website or by calling 01382 533671.

• Location: Barry Downs Holiday Park, Carnoustie, DD7 7SA
• Opening times:

Wednesday & Thursday – 11.30am to 8pm
Friday & Saturday – 11.30am to 9pm
Sunday – 11.30am to 4pm

Closed Monday & Tuesday

• Accessibility: Partial disabled access with accessible parking