Day 31: Montrose, Johnshaven, and Stonehaven

Spent a couple of hours this morning on an unbelievably fabulous beach.

Lunan Bay just outside Montrose. White sand, dunes and dark cliffs. This has to be one of Scotland's best beaches, and I had it all to myself. There was a cafe there, but although it said it was open 7 days a week, perhaps that meant from noon. There was an information board that claimed it was a good place to find agates and other gemstones, but I had no idea what to look for. Though I did find lots of other pretty stones that I will make into sets of runes.

Coastal tourist routes are well marked in Northumberland and Scotland, so Gloria and I meandered down narrow roads with her top down in the sunshine (smugly aware from friends, that the weather in Eastbourne was dreadful.)

There are lots of small fishing villages on the route from Dundee to Aberdeen. Johnshaven was a nice little place.

It had a small Hotel on the Quay called The Anchor where the food was excellent and interesting, including such dishes as lobster with cucumber salsa, home made venison burgers, haggis bites and a wonderful fish stew Italian style with tomato and garlic, parmesan and crusty bread! Definitely worth a visit.

There was also a wonderful craft shop where all the work was genuine craft, not tatt by any other name.

The owner of the Starfish Studio, like the Velvet Easel in Portobello in Edinburgh, had bought the premises and created the gallery from scratch. She had arts and crafts from makers both local and national. I had to remind myself that Gloria is small and her boot full.

I had wanted to stay in Stonehaven. When I got there I couldn't think why! Yet another castle of course. My poor daughter Morgan writes a castle blog and there are 300 round here according to Visit Scotland.

This one is rather splendid. It's a ruined medieval fortress called Dunnottar Castle. And there is a lot of it.

Its claim to fame, amongst other historical events of note, is that in May 1652 its people managed to smuggle out the Scottish Crown Jewels under the noses of Cromwell's forces, hidden in a woman's skirt!

Back to Stonehaven: it has a harbour...

 And a training centre for marine survival...

 A market square, which is a car park, and very few shops...

From the harbour you can walk along a wooden pathway into the town and along that walkway there are some sculptures.

One sculpture on the sky line near the castle looks like a folly.

It is neither sculpture nor folly. It's a war memorial. I thought it looked like a Greek temple.

Apparently however, Stonehaven is the place to be at Hogmanay (New Year) when residents swing blazing balls of fire over their heads and drink lots! Booze and fire balls. Mmm....

Cue for a gin and tonic I think, but not until I get to my next host as Scotland quite rightly has a zero tolerance to drink driving.

And tonight I am staying on a farm a few miles from Aberdeen with Judith and Chris.

Day 30: Broughty Ferry, Kirriemuir, Aberlemnon, Montrose, and Dundee

The best thing about Airbnb is the sheer variety possible. In Forgandenny I stayed with Helen in a bungalow in the countryside backing on to the Orchil hills.

Today I am here

Alison has a forth floor, two bed roomed flat in a block with no lifts. She works in Carnoustie as an events manager. Her flat is smart and bright, as is Alison. She did ten years with the TA and has served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

This morning Alison sent me to Broughty Ferry, a small holiday resort on the edge of Dundee. On the pier I chatted to some fishermen.

It's 9.30 on a May Bank holiday and it's them and me. The Tay looks like a sheet of steel.

They have been here since 6am. Last Monday they caught a 4lb sea trout. That's big . I know... they showed me on their phones. They also regularly see seals and dolphins.

It's a day off today. As I left the harbour I saw the boys come out to play.

Today I am doing a round trip.

First stop Kirriemuir to see the tiny house where the author JM Barrie was born in 1860. 

He was one of ten children. His mother used to tell stories round the fire and the outside wash house was his first theatre.

What a sweet house.

Helen had told me about some carved standing stones at Aberlemnon. I found them easily because they are obvious, just off the road by the village hall.

Next stop the House of Dun, a Georgian mansion near Montrose. The House of Dun is an 18th century William Adams House designed to impress. 

It has some extraordinary plasterwork that took the Dutch plaster artist 14 years to complete.

It had lovely gardens

A game larder.

And fire engines. 

And firemen 

and everyone leave the house and cafe NOW please!!!!!

False alarm. A SPIDER set off an alarm in one of the holiday flats!

The house has views down towards the Montrose Basin.

It is a vast wildlife reserve with a visitor and information centre.

Arbroath is last stop looking for supper. Didn't find any except fish and chips. Gave up and went back to Dundee and walked along the Quayside.

The Victoria and Albert Museum is building a design centre there. The Discovery is also there in all her glory. Dundee is saying she is on the up. Perhaps that's true. Time will tell.

And I found supper, Great! Not fish and chips.