Kiltwalk Dundee - prep 4

 

Lud Castle, Arbroath Cliff Trail

Daughter and I have been doing more Kiltwalk practice in and around Dundee recently (including another walk out to Broughty Ferry from the centre of Dundee) but this weekend we headed north for a Saturday morning mini adventure. We caught a bus up to Arbroath first thing and did a walk I haven't done for years - the Arbroath Cliff Trail. This walk starts at Arbroath and ends at the beautiful village of Auchmithie, the place we lived when we first moved to Scotland in 2002 (more about that back as part of this 2021 blog project). This is the map of the approx. 4 mile walk we did today:

First we had a little look around Arbroath, a place we knew very well 2002-04, and then purchased some provisions before we walked along the edge of Victoria Park to get to the start of the cliff walk. I don't normally put pics of myself online these days but here's one of the two of us at the start:

As you will see we use music to help us along our walks (Kiltwalk playlist constantly under construction). Current faves are Karine Polwart's Scottish Songbook, Self Esteem, Rhiannon Giddens, Raye, Ce Ce Peniston and a bit of Wicked. The only drawback is sometimes it makes us walk too fast - this may not be wise when it comes to the 20-mile walk in August.

There were lots of gorgeous views as we made our way along the cliff walk today (and it was perfect walking conditions, not too hot, a bit of breeze). We saw sand martins, a heron and, as you'll see, lots of wildflowers all around. A few walkers (and one cyclist) but pretty quiet on the whole:

The Needle's Eye

The Deil's Heid

The Three Sisters

We'd been told in the toon that the path around Carlingheugh Bay was in bad condition and overgrown and that's obviously still the case as a detour is in place:

Instead it was steep steps down to the beach, a wobble along the pebbles, a picnic on a log then more pebbles, an overgrown path (just ferns, nothing prickly), up more steep steps and back to the path. This means that the trail, not hugely accessible at the best of times, is really not open to all just now. It does have a musically themed art piece at the top of the steps (apparently it's 'The Lord of the Dance' and no one knows who made it). This is its second location as it was moved from the first because it was too near the edge of the cliffs (news story here):

Carlingheugh Bay

Picnic views (this and above)

Spot the heron

After that the path was very easy the rest of the way to Auchmithie, mainly just us, more flowers and the sea.

In our sitting room we have a lovely painting of the Coastguard Cottages in Auchmithie done by our artist friend Steph Masterson. This is it:

So today we enjoyed viewing the Coasties from the other direction (they are on the far right of this pic):

Finally it was past Lud Castle (looks like a whale to me):

and then off to see the Coasties artist in Auchmithie (and her visiting Mum) for tea, cakes and stories. It's a good excuse for some trips out and about this Kiltwalk business. 

You can still sponsor us for the walk in August if you feel so inclined - link here.