Scotland 2025: Stonehaven, Cowie

The next stop in the driving portion of our trip through Eastern Scotland was Stonehaven where we would spend three nights. This would be our last coastal stop before we headed inland into the Scottish Highlands.  Stonehaven is yet another seaside harbour town and is best known for its dramatic coastal setting near Dunnottar Castle. We would visit the castle and walk along the Dunnottar Cliffs the next day.

We rented an entire apartment with a full kitchen, dining table, living area, and best of all, a washing machine and drying rack so that we could finally do a full load of laundry and have the luxury of time to let our clothes dry. At this point, we had been constantly on the go for over two weeks and were getting quite rundown.  We decided that we needed to slow down and scale back the rest of our trip. So, we canceled a planned daytrip road trip to Aberdeen, spread out the remaining activities we had planned for these three days, canceled several dinner reservations and decided to just leisurely tour the surrounding area during the day and eat takeout in the apartment each night.  We started with the Scotch eggs, sausage rolls, and lasagna that we brought with us from Inverbervie and then checked out some of the local eateries in the area.  This slower pace helped us rejuvenate so that we could power through the rest of the trip.

There were some points of interest very close to our accommodations including an ornate cast-iron Victorian-era foot bridge known as the "White Bridge” for its paint colour.  The bridge spans the Carron Water, a river running through central Stonehaven that separates the Old Town to the south from the New Town to the north including Cameron Street where our apartment was.  A couple of buildings east of us was a popular Indian restaurant named Carron to Mumbai which occupies a historic Art Deco building formerly known as the Carron Tea House. We were attracted by the contrast between the Indian-styled décor including an elephant sculpture in front situated in an Art Deco building. Continuing on towards the old town, we spotted various sculptures, maritime timed stained-glass doors and windows, and garden art.

Crossing the White Bridge, we headed south on a street parallel to the beach and boardwalk. This led us to the Stonehaven Clock Tower, also called the Old Town Steeple which was built in 1790 in Scottish medieval style using rubble masonry.  It rises 4 floors with a hexagonal belfry at the highest level, topped by a conical spire and a weathervane. In addition to the clock, there is a barometer added in 1852 to aid fishermen by forecasting weather and atmospheric pressure. In front of the clock tower is a Mercat Cross signifying the location where markets and fairs were held. This particular Mercat Cross bears the heraldic symbols of the Marischal coat of arms referring to William Keith, 7th Earl of Marischal.  We would see more references to him when we visited Dunnottar Castle. Continuing on, we reached the Stonehaven Harbour, a historic fishing and recreational port in the eastern-most part of the Old Town, at the mouth of Stonehaven Bay along the North Sea coast. Several piers jut out into the Harbour, which is sheltered by Downie Point, forming a semi-enclosed circular inlet with an inner basin for sheltering smaller boats and an open outer basin for larger vessels.

Surrounding the land adjacent to the inner basin are various restaurants, shops and historic sites.  We stopped first at The Ship’s Inn, a historic inn built in 1771 that now has a maritime-themed restaurant called the Captain’s Table that specialized in over 100 types of malt whisky. We had previously made a 7pm dinner reservation here but dropped by to cancel so that we could enjoy the day and then relax in the evening back at our apartment.  We also peeked into the window of the Old Pier Coffee House (or Bakery) which was also housed in a historic building. The Tolbooth was once the former courthouse and jail established in 1600 and is now the oldest structure on the quayside.  It was restored in 1963 and reopened as a museum highlighting Stonehaven’s heritage and its history as a prison while the Tolbooth Restaurant occupies the second floor. We canceled our dinner reservations to this eatery as well.  It was a beautiful day strolling around the harbour, watching people fish off the wharf and at one point, we were fascinated by a seagull devouring a fish.

Stretching north from the harbour for 1.1km is the sandy and rocky Stonehaven Beach with the Stonehaven Bay on one side and wooden boardwalk/promenade on the other. The southern end of the beach near the Carron Waters is sandier and popular for swimming and sunbathing while the northern end features coarse, weather-worn pebbles, rocky outcrops and rock pools exposed at low tide. On a clear day, you can see Cowie Beach in the northern suburb of Cowie village.

In addition to the stunning sea views, the Stonehaven Boardwalk hosts some fabulous sculptures, making it a fun stroll. There are many maritime-themed metal works including ones shaped as dolphins and crabs. A metal bench facing the water includes fish motifs on its sides and back. Part of the boardwalk has been informally designated “The Viking Path” because of some Viking-themed sculptures.  There was a brightly painted lighthouse with images of Viking ships and warriors created by artist Jina Gelder as part of a 2021 fundraising initiative.

In a stretch of the Boardwalk, between Salmon Lane to the Harbour, are a series of intricate yet whimsical sea-themed sculptures made from scrap metal including various types of boats and ships, a lighthouse, and an airplane. For the longest time, the artist was anonymous and new sculptures would just suddenly appear overnight starting in the early 2000s. The creator had been dubbed the “Banksy of Stonehaven” for his anonymity.  In May 2019, the artist was finally identified as Jim Malcolm, a local retired fisherman and self-taught welder. The boats are humorously crewed by fish, often sporting jaunty tams, as well as crustacean and seahorses instead of humans. It is clear that the sculptures were constructed by an experienced fisherman since they are so detailed and precise.

A fishing trawler with its hull mounted on rocks, as if it was beached, includes a tall central mast, rigging and nets, an anchor winch, and a wheelhouse cabin. In 2022, a plaque was added to the work to mark the retirement of Jim’s friends Ian Balgowan and Ian Shearer (the “twa Ians”) who would “hang up their nets for the last time”.  The plaque named the sculpture “The Harvester” after Balgowan’s boat. A fish playing golf was added on top of the cabin, referencing post-retirement hobbies while another fish is winding the winch to haul in the green fishing net draped over the drum.  On the floor of the boat, a third character is reading the book “Fishing for Beginners”.

A sculpture of a schooner, with fore-and-aft rigged sails billowing in the wind, depicts the historic 1865 tragedy on the high seas off the village of Montrose. The Nymph was passing by Lunan Bay just south of Montrose when first mate Andrew Brown attacked and killed a sleeping Captain John Greig by striking him three times with an axe.  Brown claimed madness and demanded the fearful crew sail back to Stonehaven so that he could see his mother one last time. Despite his insanity plea, he was convicted of murder and hanged in 1866. Jim Malcolm’s work captures the fatal moment when Brown struck Greig with an axe.

Malcolm’s most impressive boat sculpture is a Viking-styled long-boat with a curved prow, dragon-like head and tail, another dragon engraved on the big sail, and a hull lined with shields. Two rows of fish and seahorses wearing horned helmets and funky fin-like headgear act as the crew members rowing the boat with their long oars. A hammerhead shark wields an axe. This made a nice addition to the “Viking Path”.

The last two sculptures along the boardwalk moved away from depictions of boats and ships but still fit into the nautical theme.  A plaque in front of a biplane describes a Norwegian seaplane, piloted by Stein Gustavvson Abildso in 1940, which force-landed in Stonehaven Bay. The plane was plagued with either mechanical issues or combat damage after fleeing German forces. The sculpture depicts the pilot and co-pilot as fish, each wearing aviator goggles. A jaunty scarf is wrapped around the pilot’s neck. The cylindrical, 2-level lighthouse sculpture overlooking the bay has a railed balcony and a domed lantern room topped by a weathervane featuring a fish (what else!).  Peeking in the windows, you see various fish crew manning the structure. Standing on the balcony is a seahorse acting as a lookout while a bird is perched on the rail, about to take flight. A Ukrainian flag is mounted on the side which must have been added in support for the Ukraine war since previous images of this lighthouse show the Scottish flag. At the base is an old foghorn.

Instead of dining out that night, we decided to have our main meal in the late afternoon eating fresh seafood while sitting by the sparkling water. We had a choice of two food trucks and started with lobster rolls at the Seafood Bothy.  Prominently housed in a vintage, converted horse trailer made by the British company Rice that is brightly painted so it can be spotted from afar, the Seafood Bothy has been operating since 2021, offering freshly caught seafood options from the owners’ own fishing boats. In addition to lobster rolls, there are also smoked mackerel rillette, crab hummus and salmon tacos. We snagged a table by the inner basin across from the horsebox and had a pleasant, leisurely meal in the sunshine.

The second food truck is an offshoot of The Lobster Shop, a family-run seafood restaurant in Johnshaven, 15 minutes drive south of Stonehaven. It specializes in fresh, sustainable shellfish like lobster and crab from local boats. Although we already had lobster rolls from Seafood Bothy, we decided to buy more seafood to eat at home for dinner.  We bought two more lobster rolls so that we could compare, a tub of lobster salad and a tub of white crab meat. Comparing the two food trucks head-to-head, we preferred the Lobster Shop and really enjoyed our second meal of fresh seafood.

Leaving the harbour, we walked along Wallace’s Wynd and found the stairs leading up to Bervie Braes, a cliff-top path leading to a well-known scenic lookout point where we got a great bird’s eye view of the harbour, the North Sea, and Stonehaven New Town.  If we had followed the higher coastal path, we would have reached the Stonehaven memorial and eventually, Dunnottar.  Instead, we headed back towards New Town, admiring pretty views of the Carron Water with houses on either side separated by high stone walls to protect against flooding. We crossed the new Green Footbridge near Carron Terrace as we returned to our apartment.

Back in New Town, we treated ourselves to ice cream at Bucket & Spade, a popular ice cream parlour that offers over 20 types of flavours and a choice of extra toppings including oreo cookie/Biscoff crumble and American candy pieces.  There are also vegan options, sorbets, sundaes and milkshakes. We were particularly looking forward to getting takeout from Carron Fish Bar, an award-winning, family-run fish and chips place that serves fresh haddock in a delicious batter as well as chips, onion rings, sausages, meat pies, haggis, and more. It is also known as the birthplace of the deep-fried Mars Bar. We ended up ordering twice from them, first as a snack of breaded scampi and the deep-fried Mars Bar, as treats to supplement our seafood from the pier. On our last day in Stonehaven, we ordered fish and onion rings with coleslaw.

The Stonehaven War Memorial was unveiled in 1923 initially to commemorate the people who died in WWI and later added on to in honour of the WWII dead.  Perched high on Black Hill overlooking the town, the circular Doric-style sandstone temple has eight pillars and a raised platform accessed by a flight of stone steps. The architect John Ellis intentionally designed it to resemble a ruin, to symbolize the ruined lives that were lost.  In the north end of Stonehaven, just before the suburb of Cowie, is the Robbie Burns Memorial Garden, in honour of Scotland’s most famous poet. The pretty park is covered with flower beds and shrubs encircling a bust of Robert Burns.  Information boards detail his connection to the area as his grandfather was a gardener at Dunnottar Castle and his father was born nearby.  While visiting this garden, we spotted what looked like clay tennis courts on the other side of the B979 Road.

After visiting the Robbie Burns Memorial Garden, we continued north into the suburb of Cowie to visit a kirkyard located in yet another very unique and stunning setting.  The ruins of the Chapel of St.Mary and Nathalan, commonly known as Cowie Chapel sits on the edge of cliffs overlooking Stonehaven Bay and the North Sea to the east, and abuts the Stonehaven Golf Club to the west. We arrived at the parking lot of the golf club and looked down across the greens to see the chapel ruins and accompanying kirkyard off in the distance. But it took a bit to figure out how to access the church and cemetery. Doubling back on foot until we reached the road outside of the golf course, we found a narrow, unmarked path that seemed to lead in the right direction and marched boldly forward, uncertain what we would find at the other end. But we did reach the gates of the kirkyard and after fiddling with the gate, we were in!

This is thought to be the site of an earlier 7th century chapel founded by Saint Nathalan. A new chapel built in the13th-century was dedicated to St.Mary of the Storms, thus leading to the duo name currently in use. It is now one of the oldest surviving structures in the area.  The roof of the 13th century chapel was ordered removed between 1560-1570 by the Archbishop of St.Andrews due to certain unknown “scandals”, accelerating its ruin. But you can still envision the structure of the church since the east and west walls remain mostly intact, connected by a south wall that had an arched doorway used by the priest of the time. The east wall where the altar was includes three lancelet windows while the west wall has a large rectangular window. It is a local legend that St.Nathalan’s hidden store of valuable objects wrapped in a bull’s hide and tied with a rope is buried somewhere near the chapel. The kirkyard has many tombstones commemorating local fishermen and seamen. 

My husband Rich and I love visiting cemeteries whenever we travel and find each one to be different in its own way.  This one will be one of the most memorable for the stunning backdrop of the North Sea on one side and the golf course on the other. I’m surprised we did not find golf balls scattered in the kirkyard.

Located at the southern end of Stonehaven, the Dunnottar Woods are what remains of the estate of wealthy Scottish merchant Alexander Allardyce who purchased the land in 1790 and built Dunnottar House as his mansion (which no longer exists). Lord William Kennedy and his wife Eleanor took over the estate in 1814. Today, it is a 32-hectare woodland area with treelined walking trails, two streams and an open green meadow. Remnants of the Kennedys’ time on the estate can still be found in the woods. The Shell House (“hoosie”) is a beautiful brick domed folly decorated with thousands of seashells on its interior walls and roof. It was built between 1800-1820 as a summer playhouse or grotto for the Kennedy children.

Lady Kennedy’s Bath is a small, man-made, rectangular stone pool built into a hillside by a stream. It was used as a plunge pool for Lady Kennedy and her children to bathe in.  The pool is about 9.8ft long and 4.9 ft wide with stone sides and steps leading into the water.  During our walk, we spotted a couple of “fairy doors” at the base of trees. This is part of a popular community-run Dunnottar Fairy Trail with over 20 small doors to be found. It was started as a family-friendly activity during COVID lockdowns and visitors often leave tiny gifts or notes beside them. There is actually a map on Facebook but unfortunately, we did not know about this so we only came across the two doors. 

Scotland 2025: Montrose, Inverbervie, St.Cyrus, Kineff Church

Following our spectacular cliffside hike in Arbroath, we stopped at the coastal port town Montrose before heading to Inverbervie, our final destination of the evening. At the harbour is the Montrose Lifeboat Station which was established in 1800 by local shipowners. The station has a long history of daring recoveries including the rescue of East Prussian brig Henriette in 1872. It is still an active base today and part of the Royal National Lifeboat Institute. There are a pair of sculptures at the harbour including one of “Bamse”, a Saint Bernard deemed a WWII hero when he accompanied his owner, a Captain of the Norwegian Navy, onto the minesweeper warship Thorodd. Registered as an official crew member, Bamse saved a lieutenant from being attacked, and dragged back another sailor who had fallen overboard. Bamse is buried in Montrose with full military honours, a short distance away from his statue. The other sculpture is titled “The Seafarer” by William Lamb (1978), acting as a memorial for past seamen and fishermen of Montrose and Ferryden, the neighbouring fishing village across the River South Esk.

While in Montrose, we had lunch at Roo’s Leap, an Australian-themed restaurant that offers burgers, pastas, salads, grilled meats and vegetarian options. Despite its name and décor, it does not offer kangaroo or any other exotic meats. However, it was fun dining underneath a boxing kangaroo hanging on the wall and seeing the “roo-themed” mobile at the front.  We each ordered an Angus steak sandwich with crispy onions & fried egg served with a small salad and potato chips. The restaurant is attached to and overlooks the historic Montrose Links 1562 Championship Golf Course, one of the oldest links courses in the world, featuring rolling fairways, gorse dunes and coastal views of the North Sea.

After lunch, we crossed the Montrose Bridge over the River South Esk to Ferryden for another short hike. Heading towards the start of the trail, we passed by the remnants of the early 19th Century Ferryden Infant School, established to help educate the children of fishermen’s families, starting from age 3.  Attached to the wall of the school is a bas-relief carving titled “Ferryden Fishwives” also by William Lamb who created the Seafarer sculpture in Montrose. We planned to walk the coastal portion of the Scurdie Ness and Usain Circular Loop, going as far as the Scurdie Ness Lighthouse. Completing the route would involve heading inland through farmers’ fields with a warning to beware of cows and their calves.  I wanted no part of this, so it was just as well that we didn’t have time to walk the entire loop.

Strolling along the picturesque, paved trail towards the lighthouse, we passed by a row of houses that backed onto a sandy beach by the river. Many of the homes had clotheslines with laundry hung on them that ran from their back fences across the beach.  As we rose higher, we had great views of the river and Montrose on the other side.  Ferryden is known for its ancient monuments and navigational aids that assisted in bringing ships safely to shore, avoiding shifting sands and hidden rocks. These include leading lights and beacons as well as a capstan that helps tow stranded ships out of high tides. Fortifications used by Polish troops during World War II still exist along the path. Two concrete pillboxes at the top of the cliffs were built to hold machine guns which had a clear line of fire along Montrose beach. Although overgrown with tall grasses, we found one of them on our walk. A sign indicated that there were other gun shelters including ones built into the cliffs but we did not see those. We did see flocks of black and white birds on the coastal rocks.

The Scurdie Ness Lighthouse was completed in 1870 and guards the entrance into Montrose Harbour from the North Sea. It is 128 feet tall with 170 stairs leading to the top, automated in 1987 and installed with a LED lamp in 2018. “Scurdie” refers to the local volcanic rock and “Ness” means headlands. The tower was painted black during WWII to avoid aiding German bombers. By the lighthouse in bright red letters are the words “BEWARE – COWS & CALVES IN THE FIELD”, validating my decision not to continue the hike!  Nearby is a cairn which was a marker for the “Great Outdoors Challenge cross-Scotland walk” held annually since 1980. Montrose is the official finish point of the challenge.

After our short walk to the Scurdie Lighthouse in Montrose, we continued on to our next destination where we would spend two nights. Inverbervie and Gourdon are neighbouring coastal settlements about 1.6km apart along the North Sea with a scenic coastal path linking the two locations. Inverbervie is a tiny town with population of around 2400 people while Gourdon is a picturesque fishing village. Unfortunately, heavy rain finally caught up to us the next morning so we were limited to the amount of time we wanted to spent outdoors. While we did brave the elements for a bit to complete a portion of a planned hike in St. Cyrus, we had to cancel much of our plans so we missed out on some nice scenery.  But given how tired we were after 16 days and counting into our vacation, it was not the worst thing to be forced into a slower pace.

We were excited about the accommodations that we chose in Inverberbie, which we found on Booking.com. Hallgreen Castle is part of a historic structure dating back to 1376. Records show that it was classified as a fortified 3-storey L-shaped tower house in the 16th century, which fits the Scottish definition of a castle as a defensible noble residence. The older sections, especially the south and east façades, feature thick defensive walls made from harled (mortar mixed with pebbles) rubble stone sitting under a slate roof, rounded archways, turrets, and crenellated edged designs. Further additions were made through the 19th century and today, Hallgreen Castle is run as a bed and breakfast establishment.

Using the GPS in our rental car to locate the property, we were directed to a gated community with the sign indicating “Private Road – No Unauthorised Access”.  At the insistence of our navigational tool, we ignored the warnings and proceeded ahead, passing properties with tall cedar hedges until we finally reached our destination. When we arrived, we found our host Robert up on a cherry picker trying to repair the old roof. The next morning at breakfast, he lamented about all the repairs that such an old structure required and the difficulty of sourcing authentic materials.

We booked a spacious deluxe room with vivid wallpaper featuring a rose motif, a large four-poster bed, plush sofa, wooden wardrobe, and a light fixture hanging from a decorative plaster ceiling medallion. Overall, the décor resembles a modest version of some of the bedrooms we’ve seen in other castles. We ended up spending more time in this room than expected when it rained most of our second day in Inverbervie, but at least it was comfortable. My only issue was that despite the availability of a deep sunken bathtub, I had difficulty modulating the water temperature from the bathtub taps as opposed to the shower head.

For two mornings we were served hearty breakfasts in a quaint dining area. The first morning, we started with fruit and yogurt before being served the full Scottish breakfast. This included link sausage, bacon, a traditional square or Lorne sausage slice made from minced beef and pork with spices, haggis, egg cooked to our preference, tomato, mushroom and a piece of fried tattie (potato). I declined the addition of blood sausage, which Rich ate the first day but passed on the second morning – not our favourite. Our host joked that his dogs would be delighted to get my share of blood pudding. The next morning, I scaled back on the full Scottish, settling for toast with sausage, bacon, mushroom and tomato along with fruit and a muffin and a shortbread pastry. Of all our breakfasts during our Scotland trip, this was by far the most substantial.

Just before we left Hallgreen Castle to head towards our next stop of Stonehaven, our host Robert gave us the tour of the rest of the castle that he had promised when we first made the booking.  While our room was part of the newly added, modern sections of the building, we were shown our hosts’ private quarters which were clearly in the older portions of the castle.  We ascended the clockwise-winding stone “turnpike” staircase surrounded by thick walls with narrow steps and built-in gun slits for defense. At the top of the stairs, we arrived at the grand hall which has wooden flooring made from thick planks, curved stone-lined alcoves and a massive hearth. The room is furnished with 16th century-inspired replicas including a long wooden banquet or refectory table and wooden chairs covered with distressed leather and metal studs. Although mostly covered with plywood painted white, a few areas of the walls have been left exposed so that we could see the original thick stone surfaces. The large bedroom had a timber-wood rafter ceiling that exposed the pitched roof. From the bedroom, you could access small two turrets.

One turret has been modernized and turned into a small tearoom with a round table, two chairs and a tea set.  The other turret is left unfinished so that you can image its original state.  Our host took great pleasure in showing off his collection of replica 16th century arms and armour.  Rich got into character by posing with a kite-shaped heater shield decorated with a white griffin, a steel bascinet combat helmet with visor and a basket-hilt broadsword.  He also inspected a poleaxe with a 6–7-foot wooden shaft topped with an axe blade, spike and fluke hook, as well as a steel-limbed crossbow. Down in the basement, we saw a vaulted storage cellar that once was likely used for storing provisions and munitions.  Having this wonderful tour made our stay at Hallgreen Castle all the more memorable.

On our first night in Inverbervie, we took the short drive to Gourdon to check out the area and have some dinner. Gourdon is a picturesque fishing village built in 1820 on terraces rising up from the shore of the natural harbour. Today, the village maintains its fishing heritage with lobster pots, quayside fish sheds, and smokehouses still in use.  Maritime themed art can be found in murals painted on the walls of buildings and sculptures including anchors, light houses, and a wooden shark.  The harbour also features the Maggie Law Maritime Museum named after 1890s inshore surf lifeboat used to rescue shipwrecked crews, and several fresh seafood eateries.

We selected the two-storied Quayside Restaurant which specializes in fresh local seafood and is known for its stunning harbour views. The bottom level is for takeout while the seated area is up top. It was not busy so we were able to get a seat by the large windows looking down at the marina below and the colourful houses in tiered village in the distance. The restaurant features maritime themed décor including paintings of seagulls, seashells and seaweed, and metal sailboats mounted behind the bar.

Since we arrived in Scotland several weeks ago, I had been trying to order a traditional Scottish soup called the “Cullen Skink”. This is a thick, creamy Scottish soup originating from the coastal fishing town of Cullen in Moray, traditionally made with smoked haddock (finnan haddie), potatoes, onions, and milk. Surprisingly, it was harder than I thought to find this on the menu.  Finally at Quayside, I ordered their version of this soup that they called the “Gourdon Skink” which also added smoked salmon and was served with focaccia bread. It was worth the wait!  We also ordered breaded white fish with a dipping sauce to share and each had the fish and chips for our mains, choosing one with breaded sole and the other with battered haddock to compare.

For our second day in the Inverbervie area, we had planned a long circular hike on the Cliff and Beach Walk in St. Cyrus, halfway between Montrose and Gourdon. This would have included walking along a beach with golden sand backed by grassy dunes before looping back along granite cliffs with coastal paths that run through the St. Cyrus National Nature reserve to get stunning coastal views. Unfortunately, we woke up to a constant rain which was forecasted to last all day, alternating from a sprinkle to a downpour. This would have made it slippery and dangerous to try to tackle the cliffs and wet and miserable to slog along the beach. But given that we needed to leave the area by the next morning, we decided to try an abbreviated version of this hike.  We would take a quick look at the beach and then walk the grassy plains up to an isolated kirkyard that was seemingly in the middle of nowhere, before heading back.

After a very short walk through relatively flat grassland, we arrived at St.Cyrus Nether Kirkyard, an ancient burial ground dating back to 880AD that is nestled at the base of the steep, looming cliffs of St.Cyrus Nature Reserve surrounded by wildlife habitats. The site traces back to the founding of the Church of St. Grig or Ecclesgreig, possibly linked to Pictish worship. Dedicated by the Bishop of St. Andrews in 1242, it served as the Parish’s main church until a new one was built on higher ground in the village of St.Cyrus in 1632.  That led to this kirkyard being named “Nether” meaning “lower”. Unfortunately, no ruins of the church remain but the graveyard is a fine example of early Scottish coastal worship sites that blend history with natural beauty. It is surrounded by a stone walled fence and an iron gate that was locked.  But off to one side were a set of steps that seemed to invite you to access the kirkyard that way, so we did.

The kirkyard features early gravestones that are mostly weathered and difficult to read any inscriptions. You can still barely see former decorations including skull and crossbone motifs on some of the stones.  A spiked metal burial enclosure surrounds the tomb of poet George Beattie, who dramatically shot himself in the kirkyard in 1823 after being rejected by a romantic interest.  A roofless stone structure marks the remnants of the Graham of Morphie Aisle (vaulted chamber), which is the family mausoleum of prominent landowners with a central armorial panel above the doorway featuring the family crest. I read that there were a couple of Viking-era hogback stones in the kirkyard, but we did not spot them.  In one corner is a small rubble-built watch house with a stone stab roof, window and chimney that served as a lookout for grave robbers during the body-snatching era.  We saw examples of this throughout Scotland including kirkyards in Edinburgh.  Even though we were not able to complete our entire planned hike of the area, I am very glad that we got to visit this very unique cemetery with its impressive backdrop.

Since we had to curtail our hike which would have been the main event of the day, we spent the afternoon wandering around the very small main street of Inverbervie. The only attraction that we could find was the Hercule Linton Memorial honouring the Scottish naval architect who designed the famous three-mast British clipper ship “Cutty Sark” in the 1860s.  An exceptionally fast sailing cargo vessel used for transporting tea and wool, the ship is preserved in the Greenwich Maritime Museum in London.  The memorial is a full-scale replica of the figurehead on the prow of the Cutty Sark, depicting the sea witch “Nannie” described in a Robbie Burns poem “Tam O Shanter”.

We did find some places to have a snack and pick up groceries to bring with us on the next leg of our trip the following day.  At the Phoenix Café, we had tea, an empire cookie and a “buttery” (traditional Scottish flakey savoury pastry). Our host at the castle had told us about Irn-Bru, Scotland’s iconic bright orange carbonated soft drink that is sweet, fizzy and fruity, tasting a bit like cream soda. In particular, he told us to go to look for a bottle of Irn-Bru 1901, a special edition that recreates the authentic 1901 recipe that is caffeine-free and sweetened with sugar as opposed to aspartame plus the addition of quillaia extract for a frothy, gingery fizz.  We found a bottle at the local supermarket. We also stopped at Bannerman Butcher and picked up some Scotch Eggs, sausage rolls and a lasagna to bring with us to our next destination in Stonehaven where we had rented an apartment with a full kitchen.

The last piece of advice that our host gave us was to stop in at the church in Kinneff enroute to Stonehaven.  He would not tell us why but said it was a surprise and worth the visit. Kinneff Old Church sits on a medieval site dating back to 1242 when the church was dedicated as a key parish church in the Diocese of St Andrews.  When we arrived, we first came across the Kinneff Kirkyard which has a mix of older 17th to 18th century stone slabs and a section of more recent tombstones.  A few of the newer grave markers had some interesting shapes including one that looked like a butterfly and another shaped as a teddy bear, probably for a child’s grave.  There were also interesting engravings including one with an intricate etching of a Highland cow.

But the surprise that awaited us was to be found inside Old Kinneff Church, which we learned was involved in some significant historical intrigue during the Third English Civil War (1650-1652) when English forces led by Oliver Crowell attacked Dunnottar Castle.  The Honours of Scotland or Scottish Crown Jewels are made up of the gold Crown commissioned by King James V, and the Royal Sceptre and Sword of State which were papal gifts to King James IV. During the war, the Crown Jewels were moved from Edinburgh Castle to Dunnottar Castle for safekeeping, under the watch of Sir George Ogilvie, lieutenant-governor of Dunnottar. When it became clear that the castle would soon fall to the English, a plan was made to save the Honours of Scotland by Ogilvie’s wife Elizabeth Douglas and her friend Christian Fletcher, wife of Reverend James Grainger of Kinneff Church. The Crown Jewels were secretly removed from the castle, hidden within sacks of wool and brought to Old Kinneff Church where they were buried under the floor in various sections of the church. The Honours were kept safely hidden for nine years until after the war when they were returned to King Charles II in Edinburgh Castle.

Today, replicas of the Crown Jewels sit in a display case in Kinneff Church along with several informational plaques regaling the thrilling tale of how they were saved. Two tombs of honour are found on the walls inside the church. One is dedicated to and holds the remains of Reverend James Grainger, who safeguarded the treasures throughout the war. It is ironic that there is no mention of his wife on the tomb since she initially took the risk of escaping with the jewels, but she remarried after the Reverend’s death and is interred elsewhere. The second tomb honours both George Ogilvie and Lady Elizabeth Douglas who were imprisoned by Cromwell’s troops but refused to divulge the location of the Scottish Honours.

A framed copy of a black and white print titled “The Concealment of the Scottish Regalia in the Kirk of Kinneff, 1652” depicts the historical scene of Reverend Grainger and his wife hiding the Crown Jewels in the church. It was created by Alexander Chisholm in the 19th century and is proudly displayed on an easel. On the wall are other versions of the iconic image including a colour lithograph.  A tapestry version hangs in the Smith Art Gallery in Stirling, which we did not have time to visit earlier in our trip.  A crafted representation of the regalia is also on display.

We had already viewed the real Honours of Scotland when we visited Edinburgh Castle.  Next, we would be touring Dunnottar Castle and later Scone Castle where coronations of 38 past Kings had occurred with the monarchs being presented these Crown Jewels. Visiting this innocuous Church where the Honours were hidden and saved from destruction filled in a gap and completed our understanding of their full history. This was indeed a great surprise and well worth the stop.

Scotland 2025: Highlands - Glamis, Arbroath

After spending a day and a half in Stirling, we headed north to the historic village of Glamis to visit Glamis Castle, the childhood home of Queen Elizabeth II’s mother and the birthplace of Princess Margaret. Existing as a castle since 1372 when King Robert II granted the “Thanage of Glamis” to Sir John Lyon, the current Scottish Baronial structures date to early 15th century. The castle has many turrets, a Great Tower, and an L-shaped layout including an inner courtyard. Because we spent the morning and early afternoon in Stirling, we did not have enough time to tour the inside of Glamis Castle, getting only as far as the lobby where we saw a miniature scale model. Instead, we chose to purchase a pass for exploring the extensive grounds and gardens of the estate that covers over 14,000 acres. Along the main road approaching the castle are the bronze sculptures of King James VI in a stole while holding an orb and King Charles I in armor with a sword in his hand. The Great Sundial sits on the front lawn featuring four lion sculptures each carrying sundials in their claws, supporting a tiered base supporting a mathematical shape with 80-84 sundial faces, and topped by the Earl’s coronet. The sundial was commissioned by Patrick, the 3rd Earl of Strathmore around 1675.

Glamis Castle was the inspiration for Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, serving as the fictional home of “Macbeth, Thane of Glamis”.  While there is a real 11th century King named Macbeth, there is no connection to him. Taking advantage of the references by the famous “Scottish play”, there is a Macbeth Loop Trail that features seven intricately carved wood sculptures of depicting key characters and scenes from Macbeth.  Created in 2017 by the art collective Neith Art & Sculpture, the works include renderings depicting the three witches at their cauldron hailing Macbeth with their prophesies, and a prone, dying Banquo whose ghost later haunts Macbeth. Looking closely at the witches, the details of their wrinkly faces and stringy hair are quite impressive.

Other sculptures include a kneeling Macbeth contemplating his misdeeds, Lady Macbeth sleepwalking while holding a candle, a regal King Duncan who is murdered at the castle, Macduff advancing through Birnam Woods towards Dunsinane Hill while camouflaged with boughs of trees, and Macduff beheading Macbeth. The works were made of timber from trees on the estate.

The Italian Garden was designed in 1910 by architect Arthur Castings for Countess Cecelia, maternal grandmother to Queen Elizabeth II. It is designed as a formal Edwardian Italianate-styled garden enclosed by tall yew hedges. It has decorative features such as a Renaissance-inspired parterre with a fan or shell-shaped symmetrical pattern and a stone fountain in the middle while surrounded by low boxwood hedges.  Stone sculptures featuring allegorical or mythological figures can be found along the sides of the garden. A cherubic figure atop a pedestal with lion-headed waterspouts sits at the centre of an algae-tinged circular pool made from green stone that enhances the unnaturally vibrant green colours of the water. Conical-shaped topiary yew trees sit just below the castle which looms above.

A mass planting of a tall variety of verbena forms a blanket of purple, attracting butterflies, bees and other pollinators. Two rows of European beech trees, planted with densely intertwined branches, form a canopied alleyway through the garden. In the spring and summer other flowers including daffodils, rhododendrons and dahlias can be found, creating a "kaleidoscope of colour". A raised terrace with two gazebos and benches provides a peaceful place to admire the natural beauty.

While we would see many kitchen gardens during our driving trip through Scotland, the Kitchen Garden at Glamis Castle was by far the largest and most impressive, with plentiful vegetables growing or ready for harvest.  This 4-acre horticultural area was originally built in 1866 to supply fresh produce for the castle kitchen before falling out of use in 1944.  A major, ongoing restoration project began in 2011, reviving a 200-foot rose walkway, fruit and vegetable plots, pond gardens, a Monet-inspired bridge, a maze, and a games area. Today, there are plantings of asparagus, rhubarb, carrots, cabbage, celery, leeks, beans, squash, aubergine, raspberries, strawberries, and plums.  A variety of apples are grown on “espaliered” walls where trees are trained to grow flat against a wall to maximize sunlight, space and fruit production. The branches are pruned and tied to wires or frames to create the flattened look. The produce is used in the Castle Kitchen Restaurant.

Tucked away in a wooded corner of the property is the Glamis Castle Pet Cemetery, a small hidden burial ground for family pets. Touching tributes on headstones were dedicated to pets and companions including “Happy, our Guinea Pig (1933-37)”, Gemma (1933-1945), Fizz Whizzie (1961-1975), Johnny (1972-1977), Puffin (1967-1982), Charlie (1977-1989) and Hercules (1992-2006) who presumably were dogs. The oldest tomb was dedicated to Dulcibella (died 1896), a horse from the elite calvary regiment “2nd Life Guards”, who was probably stationed or stabled at Glamis Castle.

Also on the property is the “Pinetum”, an 8-acre woodland forest filled with exotic trees planted circa 1870 by Claude Bowes-Lyon, the 13th Earl of Glamis. Found in the woods are towering Douglas firs, Sequoias or Redwoods, Western Hemlocks and ancient yews. We even saw a “monkey puzzle tree” like the one we first spotted in Edinburgh in St.Cuthbert’s Kirkyard. As we were walking through a path, we were delighted to spot a large-horned Highland Cow (“Heeland Coo”) off in the distance. A stone memorial to Princess Margaret (1930-2002) was commissioned by the 18th Earl of Glamis in 2006 to commemorate her birthplace. The area crosses the Glamis Burn (river) via the Earl Michael Bridge, originally built as an ornamental footbridge in 1890. The bridge was reconstructed and reopened by the Elizabeth, the Queen Mother in 1996, connecting the Pinetum to the Kitchen Garden. 

Leaving Glamis, we headed for Arbroath which is a historic coastal town known for its fishing heritage, picturesque harbour, sandy beaches, and dramatic cliffs.  Fishing boats and leisure crafts can be found docked in the marinas.  Along a fence by the harbour, we spotted colourful, knitted figures including a cowboy, scarecrow, and other whimsical stuffed dolls created by the “Woolly Workers” collective as public art displays to promote community spirit and tourism.

For our one night in Arbroath, we chose the Old Brewhouse, a historic 17th century inn and restaurant overlooking the Arbroath harbour.  The décor of the hallway and our room had many nautical references including a display case containing examples of different nautical knots, rooms with names such as “Signal Tower”, and colourful metal sailboats on the wall.  Just outside of the inn, we can see the waves from the North Sea flowing into Arbroath Harbour and crashing against the break wall.

A giant, decorative picture frame draws your attention to one of the prettiest scenes in the harbour and a major attraction of the town. Signal Tower is a historic shore station built in 1813 to support the Bell Rock Lighthouse which sits 11 miles offshore.  It housed the lighthouse keepers and their families as well as shore staff who managed supplies and sent signals to the lighthouse using flags and a copper signal ball. The shore station was decommissioned in1955 due to advancements in technology. By 1974, it was turned into a museum focusing on maritime and Arbroath history including details about the Bell Rock Lighthouse, fishing heritage, smokies industry, and more.  At the end of East Pier is a Watch House that acted as a lookout point where signals were monitored. It has no function today but acts as a scenic and historic landmark harking back to the past.

As we walked around the harbour, we saw many references to the “Arbroath smokie”, which is a whole, hot-smoked haddock that is golden-copper in colour with a creamy flesh.  The haddock is salted for 2 hours, washed then dried for 5 hours, tied in pairs on rods, then hot-smoked over beech or oak in ground pits while sealed with wet jute (natural fibre) sacks for 45-60 minutes.  A “Protected Geographical Indication” status means that the Arbroath smokie must be processed within a 5-mile radius of the town.  Currently about 15 family-owned smokehouses produce them, selling fresh or hot smokies from harbour stalls or supplying them to supermarkets, restaurants, and selling vacuum-sealed smokies online.

We had dinner at the Old Boathouse Restaurant, which resides in Fishmarket Quay where the Harbour Visitor’s Centre can also be found. The restaurant is known for its stunning seascapes and maritime-themed décor. From our window seat, we had a wonderful view of the harbour. The restaurant specializes in fresh locally caught seafood, which we planned to focus our meal upon.

For appetizers, we shared an intensely flavoured lobster bisque and of course, an order of the Arbroath smokie which was served on the bone with hot butter.  For our main courses, I had the medallions of monkfish wrapped with Parma ham, served with olive tapenade, duchesse potatoes and, roasted figs.  Rich chose the Declaration Bake which was a fish pie with flaked Arbroath Smokie and prawns, topped with potatoes and oven baked.

One of the highlights in Arbroath are the ruins of a once significant medieval abbey, located in the centre of the town. Arbroath Abbey was founded in 1178 by King William the Lion for the Tironensian Benedictine monks and dedicated to his deceased childhood friend Saint Thomas Becket. King William himself was buried before the high altar in 1214.  The abbey is famous for being the location where the 1320 Declaration of Scottish Independence was drafted. Today, you can still see much of the red sandstone foundations including the south transept with its large circular window, parts of the choir and nave, as well as the west front with twin towers.  We did not arrive in Arbroath in time to tour the abbey but were able to see it from across the street.

The next morning, we went hiking on the Arbroath Cliff Walk, a scenic coastal trail running along the Seaton Cliffs on one side and the North Sea on the other.  The route spans between the towns of Arbroath and Auchmithie and features dramatic red sandstone cliffs, sea caves, rock formations and arches, blow holes, lagoons and a long beach.  We did not have enough time in our schedule to walk the entire trail and back since the round trip was about 7km. We might have tried to fit it in had the But ‘n’ Ben Restaurant at the end of the trail in Auchmithie been open but it was closed on the day that we planned for the hike. We only went as far as Carlingheugh Bay (about 5.5km) before heading back to continue our journey to the next Scottish town.

The main path along the clifftop is paved and relatively flat with benches along the way to rest and admire the view. It is quite the different story if you want to veer off the trail and head down towards the water.  These paths are unpaved, steep and uneven with loose gravel.  Although they would have let us get closer to some spectacular natural landforms, we did not have proper hiking shoes or hiking poles to give us enough traction and support to attempt this.  We still saw many fabulous sights from the path and admired the intrepid climbers who did make their way down precipitous slopes while navigating sheer drops. The “Needle’s Eye” is natural rock arch formed in the red sandstone cliffs that is part of a collapsed sea cave whose dramatic erosion patterns are visible at low tide.  Nearby, the “Three Sisters” consist of a set of distinct three sandstone sea stacks lined up in a row.

Dickmont’s Den is a narrow cleft formed by the collapse of the sandstone cliffs, forming Dickmont Den Cave, a 505-foot tunnel with multiple entrances, blow holes and a rocky floor accessible at low tide.  The cave is named after a notorious 18th century local smuggler and wrecker who stored his contraband whisky and tobacco there. The Deil’s Heid (Devil’s Head) is a prominent sea stack shaped by erosion. It is clearly visible from the cliff-top path or by kayak. Further along on the trail as we approached Carlingheugh Bay, we unexpectedly came across a mysterious art installation consisting of musical notes attached to a wire fence. Created by an anonymous artist in 2019, the notes depict the melody from “Lord of the Dance”, a 1967 hymn by Sydney Carter set to the Shaker tune “Simple Gifts”.  This whimsical sight was quite the surprise in the middle of the sandstone cliffs and sea views.

Finally, we reached a long, steep flight of wooden steps that would lead us to Carlingheugh Bay. From the top of the stairs, we could see the long, curved stretch of beach made of sand and pebble that stretches from the Three Sisters to the South towards dramatic cliffs and caves to the north.  When we descended the staircase, we came to “Castle Gate”, another tunnel-like arch formed by erosion.  This time, we could get close enough to the passageway to see the different layers of sedimentary rock formed over millions of years and watch the waves of the North Sea lapping in. This is the point that we decided to turn around and retrace our steps, rather than continuing on across the long beach.

In addition to the stunning rock formations offset by the magnificent sea views, we also came across various types of wildflowers and wildlife including butterflies and insects along the cliff path and colonies of seabirds down by the water. At one point we spotted what looked like a mini war memorial with a small metal sculpture, a stamp depicting a soldier and poppies, and painted rocks. This hike was the highlight of our driving trip and we were so lucky to have a bright, sunny day for this trek. It would have been a much different and more dangerous experience had it been raining. It was quite windy up on the cliffs and I regretted not bringing sunglasses, not for the sun but more to protect my eyes from the wind.