Walk of the week: Crombie Country Park, Angus

IT WAS with a little trepidation that I set off for Crombie Country Park, just north of Carnoustie, fearing a friend’s recommendation would not fulfil my requirements: peace, quiet and a genuine ‘away from it all’ feeling.

I was pleasantly surprised. A short way into the walk, at the quiet end of the loch where reeds and marsh try to claim the territory, I was able to look around and realise this place could be almost anywhere in Scotland, from the Kyles of Sutherland to the Rhinns of Galloway.

Maybe it was the pines, or the teeming birdlife, or simply the stillness that brought a real sense of nature to the fore.

The park’s history is rather more urban, however. The loch is really a reservoir, created in the 1860s to supply the growing city of Dundee with much-needed water supplies. It is no longer used for that purpose and in the early 1980s became a country park, home to red squirrels, woodpeckers and roe deer as well as herons and grebes. The ranger service is on hand in a former waterworks building, leaflets and guided walks. n

DISTANCE 3 miles.

HEIGHT CLIMBED Negligible.

TIME 1½ to 2 hours.

MAP OS Landranger 54.

PARK Turn off the A92 at Muirdrum, near Carnoustie, and follow the B9128 north for just over 2½ miles where you go left, on to the B961. The country park is less than half a mile down the road, on the right.

IN SUMMARY Follow a path to the right of an information board and hut at the end of the car park, signed “birch wood trail”. The path winds along to reach Crombie Loch, where you go right to cross a footbridge over a spillway. Continue by the water’s edge into pine trees where the main path goes left to follow the loch side.

On the way round the loch look out for yellow thistles painted on marker posts; these indicate a discovery trail with information boards set away from the main path explaining points of historical interest including forestry, smallholdings and ancient settlers. Just before the path turns into a grassy track go left at a yellow thistle marker to head to the marshy, western end of the loch. Cross a footbridge and go left at a yellow thistle to start the walk back down the loch. Continue to a house used as a ranger centre and go up steps opposite to reach the top of a grassy bank. Follow a path on top of the bank, by the loch, to the bridge over the spillway passed near the start. Go right just before the bridge to retrace your steps to the car park.

REFRESH It is best to take a picnic and take your time on the way round the loch. Otherwise, head to Arbroath for a bag of chips by the harbour.

WHILE YOU ARE IN THE AREA Arbroath Abbey (www.historic-scotland.gov.uk), where the famous Declaration was drawn up, is just up the coast.

NICK DRAINEY