Escape to the Angus Glens

The story goes that when God had formed the world out of a mess of clay and rock, He couldn’t help giving His favourite bit one final loving pat. It was this last impression of the Creator’s hand which made the Angus Glens of east Scotland. The celestial thumb formed the Firth of Tay, and the fingers the four glens of Isla, Prosen, Clova and Esk in their crooked journeys towards the sea.

Geologists might not swallow that tale, but there’s no question that the Angus Glens form a heavenly area to explore. This is springtime country par excellence, provided you are properly wrapped up when you venture out of doors – the Costa del Sol it ain’t. Spring tends to arrive in the glens a couple of weeks after it hits more southerly parts of Britain, so those coming north can enjoy the primroses, the baby lambs, the flirting birds and the frogspawn ditches all over again. While residents of Angus’s smattering of towns and villages can enjoy the wildlife all year round – from eagles and peregrines in Glen Doll (above Glen Clova), to the delicate wild flowers left over from the post-Ice Age world blooming on the rock ledges of Glen Esk, and the chase of sun, rain, cloud shadow and rainbows over the mountain flanks.

Going for the weekend
A trip to the Angus Glens makes the ideal short break; there’s never a crowd, often a show of brilliant spring weather and always an overflowing dose of mountain scenery and the peace, quiet and away-from-it-all-ness that stressed southerners – and northerners, for that matter – would gladly swap their ulcers for.

Explore castles
As you’d expect, there are plenty of strongholds in the area; from gaunt old towers like the ruined Invermark Castle at the head of Glen Esk to fortified houses such as Edzell Castle (01356 648631), with its unique walled and panelled garden, and the fairytale dream of turrets and candlesnuffer roofs that is Glamis Castle (01307 840393; www.glamis-castle.co.uk). This is where Shakespeare set Macbeth and Queen Elizabeth, the late Queen Mother, grew up here.

See the ‘painted people’
The mysterious Picts, the ‘painted people’ who ruled north-east Scotland for a thousand years, left traces of their culture in the form of crude, vigorous carving on standing stones at Aberlemno (on the B9134 between Brechin and Forfar).
They illustrate battles, hunting scenes, mythical beasts and intricate patterns. Pictavia at Brechin (01356 626241; www.pictavia.org.uk) explains what’s known about them. The 2,500-year-old hillforts of White and Brown Caterthuns, just west of Edzell, give a vivid idea of where the Picts lived, and stunning views into the bargain.

Visit Peter Pan
Stop by at JM Barrie’s birthplace (01575 572646), The National Trust for Scotland property at 9 Brechin Road, Kirriemuir. The touchingly small two-up, two-down cottage is where the author of Peter Pan laid the foundations of his fantasy world in childhood. And if you want to have the whole history and culture of the Glens encapsulated for you in a user-friendly form, make for the Kirriemuir Gateway to the Glens Museum (01575 575479) in the town’s square.

Watch wildlife
The Angus Glens shelter a tremendous range of Scottish mountain wildlife – golden eagles and red squirrels in Glen Doll at the top of Glen Clova, for example, and delicate arctic flora such as purple saxifrage and alpine lady’s mantle and twinflower in the hanging ‘cliff gardens’ of Glen Doll, Caenlochan and Corrie Fee. Birdwatchers can make for the Loch of Kinnordy RSPB Nature Reserve (01738 630783) near Kirriemuir and the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Montrose Basin Visitor Centre and Wildlife Reserve (01674 676336; www.swt.org.uk) near the coast.

Get out and about
Being outdoors is what it’s all about here. Ideal picnic spots include Reekie Linn waterfall near Loch of Lintrathen. It is a tumbling spectacle, as are the Falls of Unich up at the head of Glen Esk. You can walk pretty much where you like and there are hill paths aplenty for the adventurous; plus coast paths, too, such as the one from Arbroath that explores the spectacular sandstone Seaton Cliffs. For guided walks contact the Angus Glens Ranger (01575 550233). If you’d rather ramble on your own, buy John Fyfe’s pocket walking guide Walks Angus & Dundee (Hallewell Publications), available in Tourist Information Centres.

What to do if it rains
And it probably will at some stage. Small museums well worth a look include Kirriemuir Aviation Museum (01575 573233; www.kamrafa.co.uk), an endearingly ramshackle place stuffed with World War Two bomber and fighter memorabilia (open from 1 April); and The Glenesk Folk Museum (01356 648070) far up Glen Esk near Tarfside. If you are after traditional music, it occasionally breaks out in the Glen Clova Hotel (01575 550350; www.clova.com). Though it resembles a not-very-well-designed public lavatory, Kirriemuir’s Camera Obscura (01575 572646) – gifted by JM Barrie to his home town – is a fine example of an old-fashioned curiosity that actually works. The gurning gargoyles under the south eaves of Brechin Cathedral will give adults and children alike many a giggle.

Escape essentials
How to get there
• National rail GNER (0845 722 5225; www.gner.co.uk) trains from King’s Cross to Aberdeen (approx 7 hours) stop at Montrose, Dundee and Arbroath.
• Flights Easyjet (www.easyjet.com) flies to Edinburgh from many UK airports. Arnold Clark (0131 458 1501; www.arnoldclarkrental.com) rents cars near the airport. From here follow the M90, then the A90 to Forfar and Brechin.

Tourist information
• Visit Scotland Angus & Dundee (01382 527527; www.angusanddundee.co.uk).
• Visit Scotland (0845 225 5121; www.visitscotland.com).

Maps
• OS Landrangers 44, 45, 53 & 54. l OS Explorers 382, 388, 389 & 395.

Places to stay
• Castleton House Hotel, Glamis (01307 840340; www.castletonglamis.co.uk). From £230 per double room B&B + dinner (2 nights min.).
• Glen Clova Hotel, near Kirriemuir (01575 550350; www.clova.com). From £70
per double room B&B.
• Kinnaber, Ramsay Street, Edzell (01356 648051; www.kinnaber-bedandbreakfast.co.uk). From £60 per double room B&B.
• Lochside Lodge, Bridgend of Lintrathen, Kirriemuir (01575 560340; www.lochsidelodge.com). From £70 per double room B&B.
• Mangey Cottage, Glen Esk, near Edzell (07801 074856; www.cottagebytheriver.co.uk). Sleeps six. From £120 for two nights.
• The House of Mark, Invermark, Glen Esk, near Edzell (01356 670315; www.thehouseofmark.com) From £66 per double room B&B.

Places to eat and drink
• The scents of delicious home baking waft throughout the Angus Glens; and of course local salmon, venison and hill lamb are all superb. Two less obvious treats to try are the wonderful ice creams made in Kirriemuir since the 1930s by the Visocchi family (Visocchi’s Coffee Shop, 36 High Street); and down on the Angus coast the famous Arbroath smokies (smoked haddock) which are a speciality of that fishing town.
• Both Lochside Lodge and Castleton House Hotel (see Places to Stay) offer good dining. Bea Rawlinson at The House of Mark in upper Glen Esk (see Places to Stay) cooks superbly and might just join you for a chinwag. If you can drag your eyes away from that homemade ice cream, Visocchi’s Coffee Shop in Kirriemuir does tasty toasted baguettes filled with mozzarella and tomatoes.
For afternoon refreshment, try three scones in the tearoom at The Glenesk Folk Museum in upper Glen Esk, near Tarfside – you simply can’t stop at just two, you know.