Location 1: Forfar Loch

Forfar Loch sits within Forfar Country Park and offers fantastic dog walking opportunities in a relaxed, scenic setting. There is a beautiful walk around the loch that takes around an hour.

Keep your eyes open for kingfishers, otters, beavers, foxes, roe deer, as well as the osprey that plunge into the loch, helping themselves to fish. You can take part in nature events run by the Countryside Rangers to learn more about the fascinating flora and fauna here.

Look towards the middle of the loch, and you can see a partly submerged glacial ridge called St Margaret’s Inch. This ridge was excavated in 1781, revealing evidence of a Crannog (a lake-dwelling). Finds from the excavation included silver ornaments, boar tusks, wolf teeth and deer antlers. Later digs unearthed 13th-century chess pieces.

• ​​Location: Forfar Loch Country Park, Craig o’ Loch Road, Forfar, DD8 1BT
• Opening times: Daily
• Entry: Free
• Accessibility: Some uneven terrain but mostly flat

Location 2: Lunch at The Stag

The Stag, centrally located in Forfar, offers an excellent and regularly updated international menu including traditional Scottish favourites. Burger night is on Tuesday, Steak Night takes place on Thursdays, and the ever popular roasts are available on Sundays.

Dogs are very welcome in the bar area where meals are also served. Water bowls are available.

• ​​Location: Castle Street, Forfar, DD8 3HX
• Opening times: Daily for lunch and dinner
• Accessibility: Level entry, disabled toilet

Location 3: Meffan Museum

After lunch, head to the Meffan Museum and Art Gallery on West High Street, where you will learn more about the town, including the history of the  Forfar bridie and the story of the Forfar witches. You can also discover the mysterious Picts, thanks to the museum’s collection of enigmatic sculptured stones.

Enjoy a stroll down the museum’s recreation of an old, narrow cobbled street called The Vennel. Peer inside several traditional shops, including Peter Reid’s sweet shop, a clock maker’s workshop, a baker’s shop with bread and bridies on display, and a shoemaker’s where you can watch shoes being made and mended.

There is also a diverse range of impressive artwork on display in the gallery from local, national and internationally-renowned artists.

Well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome in the museum.

• Location: 20 West High Street, Forfar DD8 1BB
• Opening times: Wednesday to Monday, 10.30am to 4pm
• Entry: Free
• Accessibility: Full disabled access with lift to upper galleries

Location 4: Newton Farm

Sample daily life on a Scottish farm and soak up the tranquil, rural Angus landscape with your dog by your side. Dogs are welcome on the standard tour around the farm however advance notice is required when booking your place on the tour.

Newton Farm is a real working farm offering an award-winning and authentic farm experience. You’ll be welcomed by farmers Graeme and Louise, who will introduce you to their animals and take you on a fun and educational tour of the farm.

You can hand-feed cows, sheep, goats, and Lucy, the micro pig, during your visit. And why not take the friendly alpacas for a memorable walk for the full, authentic Angus farm experience. Unfortunately, dogs cannot take part in the alpaca walks.

• Location: Inverarity, Forfar, Angus, Scotland, DD8 2JU
• Opening times: Farm tours and experiences available most days (booking required)
• Entry: Prices vary per experience – check the website for details
• Accessibility: The farm is relatively level and accessible to all and has an accessible toilet

Location 5: Dinner at Forbes of Kingennie

The dog-friendly Cairn O’ Mount bar at Forbes of Kingennie offers locally-sourced food and drink, including produce from the family farm next door.

Lunch here means tasty, hearty food and stunning waterside views overlooking the fishing ponds. Your pooch can get their paws stuck into the Pampered Pooch Station, where man’s best friend can have a treat on the house, as well as a bowl of fresh water.

There are options to suit all tastes here, with something for everyone. The children’s menu has a great selection of tasty main courses and exciting desserts. There are vegan and vegetarian options available too.

• Location: Forbes of Kingennie Drive, Dundee, DD5 3RD
• Opening times: Food served from 9am to 8:30pm
• Accessibility: Level access. Accessible parking and toilets.

Location 1: Airlie Monument 

Take a scenic walk with your dog through picturesque Glen Prosen woodland to reach Airlie Monument on top of Tulloch Hill. The walk starts at a car park near the small village of Dykehead.

The Airlie Monument is a memorial to the ninth Earl of Airlie, Lord Lieutenant-Colonel David William Stanley Ogilvy, killed in the Boer War.

The path is suitable for all abilities and ideal for dogs but can be steep at times. Once you have reached the top, you will enjoy a stunning 360-degree view, looking across to Glen Clova, Glen Prosen and south towards Kirriemuir and Forfar.

While visiting the area, why not visit the Scott-Wilson Memorial erected in 2012 to commemorate Captain Robert Falcon Scott and Edward Wilson, who lived in Glen Prosen for a time, both of whom died during the infamous expedition to reach the South Pole.

Location 2: Lunch at Airlie Arms Hotel

The Airlie Arms Hotel is a traditional, family-run hotel in the heart of Kirriemuir that offers a relaxed, dog-friendly and convenient place for dinner.

Enjoy a range of freshly prepared food from the bar menu, including delicious starters like haggis bites, black pudding or salt and pepper squid, and main courses like Arbroath haddock, scampi, or homemade steak pie.

The menu also includes a selection of burgers, pizza and pasta dishes, as well as a number of options for children.

Dogs are welcome in the bar area at the hotel. They are also welcome in bedrooms if you are staying overnight (subject to an additional £10 cleaning fee).

• Location: 4 St Malcolm’s Wynd, Kirriemuir, DD8 4HB
• Opening times: Food served daily
• Accessibility: Disabled access

Location 3: Kirriemuir Den

Kirrie Den, or ‘The Den’ (as it’s known locally), is a public park close to the centre of the town. It was opened in 1867 and extended later in the 19th century. The main gate is located on Tannage Brae where there is a public car park opposite.

Kirrie Den sits in a small valley with the Gairie Burn running through it and includes many pleasant walks that your dog will love. Enjoy the sights and sounds of the waterfall at the northwest end of The Den.

The burn can be quite spectacular when it’s in spate and is best viewed from the High Bridge near Lochmill.

• Location: Tannage Brae, Kirriemuir, DD8 4ES
• Opening times: Open at all times
• Entry: Free
• Accessibility: Not all routes around the park are suitable for disabled users or families with pushchairs

Location 4: Cateran Ecomuseum

Open throughout the year, this ‘museum without walls’ tells the story of its people, places and landscapes.

The Cateran Ecomuseum offers experiences of natural and cultural heritage that can be enjoyed through travel that has a low carbon footprint, and that can inspire people to live more sustainably by learning how stories from our past can help guide the story of our future in relation to sustainable living.

You can visit and enjoy Ecomuseum sites through a series of itineraries that have been designed for walkers and cyclists – why not try the Historical Tour around Kirkton of Glenisla.

• Location: Kirkton of Glenisla, PH11 8PH
• Accessibility: Hilly on paths and a short section on the road. Good footwear needed.

Location 5: Dinner at Glenisla Hotel

After a busy day, it’s time to enjoy a quality dinner in the Glenisla Hotel. The hotel’s restaurant serves excellent home-cooked food from a varied menu that has something to suit all tastes.

Enjoy traditional favourites including steak pie, fajitas, macaroni cheese, lasagne and fish pie.

There is a selection of vegetarian and vegan options too.

The hotel’s food is made using produce from local suppliers whenever possible, including their beef, venison and fish.

Diners recommend the hotel for the generous portions of high-quality food and reasonable prices.

Dogs are welcome throughout the hotel, with water bowls and treats provided.

• Location: Kirkton of Glenisla, PH11 8PH
• Opening times:

Wednesday and Thursday: 12pm to 11pm
Friday and Saturday: 12pm to midnight
Sunday: 12.30pm to 11pm

• Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible with accessible toilets

Location 1: Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre

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

Your dogs will be made very welcome here; they are allowed throughout the site and inside the various buildings. A water bowl is available outside the reception area too.

The centre’s unique collection of contemporary photographs, artefacts, memorabilia, and planes will take you on a journey back in time and 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 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 – 10am to 4pm
  • 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 Pavilion Cafe

Pavilion Café is a popular, dog-friendly eating spot just a few minutes’ walk from Montrose town centre that offers a warm welcome and delicious, homemade food.

The café is based in a former Victorian bowling pavilion that has been converted into a sympathetic café set in lovely gardens. The tables by the window have a lovely, peaceful view, even when the sun isn’t shining.

Some of the popular options from the menu include homemade scones, garlic mushrooms on sourdough, and fresh meringues. The food is prepared using fresh, locally-sourced produce. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options are usually available.

Known in the area for its relaxed atmosphere and freshly-prepared food, the café also has a reputation for friendly, hard-working and attentive staff and being very dog-friendly.

• Location: Melville Gardens, Montrose DD10 8HG
• Opening times: Wednesday to Saturday, 9.30am to 3pm
• Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible with accessible toilets and adjacent on-street parking

Location 3: 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.

Well behaved dogs on lead are welcome in the museum.

• 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 4: Montrose Basin

Located just outside the town centre, Montrose Basin is a designated Local Nature Reserve with a four-star visitor centre. It offers unforgettable walks for you and your canine companion.

In autumn and winter, the Basin is home to over 100,000 migratory birds including pink-footed geese, wigeon and a variety of other waterfowl and waders, while during the spring and summer months the estuary supports various breeding colonies including sand martins, common terns and eider.

Four remote bird hides spread across the reserve offer the best locations to see some of these wonderful bird species for yourself. You may even spot a seal or two.

There are four designated walks within the nature reserve that start from various car parks (excluding the visitor centre car park) around the reserve. Whichever route you choose, your dog will love taking in the many sights and smells; however, please keep them on a lead or within 2 meters of you. This helps protect the reserve’s incredible wildlife. Dog are not permitted inside the Visitor Centre.

• Location: Rossie Braes, Montrose, DD10 9TA
• Opening times from 1 November to mid-February:
  • Friday to Monday: 10.30am to 4pm
  • Tuesday to Thursday: Closed
• Opening times from mid-February to 31 October:
  • Monday to Sunday: 10.30am to 5pm
• Accessibility: Partial disabled access with accessible parking and toilets

Location 5: Dinner at George Hotel

After an enjoyable day of activity, it’s time for a well-earned dinner at The George Hotel in Montrose. Located close to the town centre, The George Hotel is a dog-friendly, family-run hotel that has built a reputation over the last 25 years for offering generous portions of excellent food at reasonable prices.

The George Hotel’s restaurant and lounge bar serve a large selection of freshly-prepared dishes to suit all tastes and appetites. The dishes use locally-sourced produce when possible. Dinner options include tasty fish dishes like the grilled Scottish salmon, rice and pasta dishes, chicken dishes, burgers, and vegetarian options like the homemade vegetable lasagne and Quorn salt and vinegar fishless fillet.

The hotel has an extensive range of drinks to accompany your meal, including soft drinks, beers, a cask ale, a fine selection of local whiskies, and gin.

You and your four-legged friend are sure to enjoy a warm welcome and an enjoyable time here, whether you’re just staying for dinner or staying overnight.

• Location: 22 George Street, Montrose, DD10 8EW
• Dinner service:
  • Monday to Saturday: 10am to 11pm
  • Sunday: 12pm to 11pm
• Accessibility: The restaurant is on the second floor and is not wheelchair accessible