A driving tour with the owner of Rottal Estate, Dee Ward, in the Angus Glens. It was the first day of spring when I was there and we saw an abundance of wildlife including lapwings, curlews, oyster catchers, red kites, kestrel, snipe, just to name a few. Mr Ward also showed me where he has some tree planting projects on the go along the river to keep water cool for salmon, but also up on the hill to help drain water during bouts of heavy rainfall to reduce the impact of flooding on towns nearby. At one point we were encircled by some greylag geese, honking at us and getting a bit close while we were walking and talking by the Rottal burn. There must have been a nest there so we moved on quick. Mr Ward gave me the opportunity to have a break from the tent and invited me to stay at the estate, where I spent the evening talking more about nature projects with him and his son, Archie, who also takes a keen interest in wildlife. A driving tour with the owner of Rottal Estate, Dee Ward, in the Angus Glens. It was the first day of spring when I was there and we saw an abundance of wildlife including lapwings, curlews, oyster catchers, red kites, kestrel, snipe, just to name a few. Mr Ward also showed me where he has some tree planting projects on the go along the river to keep water cool for salmon, but also up on the hill to help drain water during bouts of heavy rainfall to reduce the impact of flooding on towns nearby. At one point we were encircled by some greylag geese, honking at us and getting a bit close while we were walking and talking by the Rottal burn. There must have been a nest there so we moved on quick. Mr Ward gave me the opportunity to have a break from the tent and invited me to stay at the estate, where I spent the evening talking more about nature projects with him and his son, Archie, who also takes a keen interest in wildlife.
A driving tour with the owner of Rottal Estate, Dee Ward, in the Angus Glens. It was the first day of spring when I was there and we saw an abundance of wildlife including lapwings, curlews, oyster catchers, red kites, kestrel, snipe, just to name a few. Mr Ward also showed me where he has some tree planting projects on the go along the river to keep water cool for salmon, but also up on the hill to help drain water during bouts of heavy rainfall to reduce the impact of flooding on towns nearby. At one point we were encircled by some greylag geese, honking at us and getting a bit close while we were walking and talking by the Rottal burn. There must have been a nest there so we moved on quick. Mr Ward gave me the opportunity to have a break from the tent and invited me to stay at the estate, where I spent the evening talking more about nature projects with him and his son, Archie, who also takes a keen interest in wildlife. | Katharine Hay

Hay's Way: 10 pictures of the walk in Angus from the glens to the coast to Dundee

Katharine Hay
By Katharine Hay

Rural affairs correspondent

Published 5th May 2024, 13:04 BST
Updated 6th May 2024, 15:44 BST

A few interesting sites that caught my eye while walking in Angus as part of Hay’s Way

While walking in Angus as part of Hay’s Way, I went from the Angus Glens to Forfar in land, and then onto Arbroath and down the coastline to Dundee.

Here is a collection of pictures showing what I found interesting on the way.

Among the highlights of this leg of the journey was a visit to the back door of the Arbroath Fisheries – one of many businesses in the town that produces the famous Arbroath smokie.

Campbell said one of his deliveries shot up in cost to over £1,000 and he couldn't work out why. That was until it arrived and a halibut bigger than him was hauled out the box. This is a picture on his phone of him lying next to the enormous sea creature delivered that day.

5. The huge halibut

Campbell said one of his deliveries shot up in cost to over £1,000 and he couldn't work out why. That was until it arrived and a halibut bigger than him was hauled out the box. This is a picture on his phone of him lying next to the enormous sea creature delivered that day. | Katharine Hay

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It's not the best photo, but it's the only one I have to sum up my night at the family-run Commercial Inn in Arbroath. If you find yourself in the town, I recommend going here for a pint. I planned to just stop for one after walking in the rain that day, but thanks to some generous locals, that turned into a few. I met Alex Smith, the former RNLI operations manager at the harbour and other residents who told me about the frustration many locals in the town still feel with rescue charity after it replaced the all-weather lifeboat with what has been described as "a downgrade" option at the 220 year old lifeboat station.

6. Commercial Inn, Arbroath

It's not the best photo, but it's the only one I have to sum up my night at the family-run Commercial Inn in Arbroath. If you find yourself in the town, I recommend going here for a pint. I planned to just stop for one after walking in the rain that day, but thanks to some generous locals, that turned into a few. I met Alex Smith, the former RNLI operations manager at the harbour and other residents who told me about the frustration many locals in the town still feel with rescue charity after it replaced the all-weather lifeboat with what has been described as "a downgrade" option at the 220 year old lifeboat station. | Katharine Hay

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A sculpture of Airedale terrier dogs, hewn from a 30 ton block of granite, to commemorate Airedale terriers and the soldiers they served beside in World War One can be found on the seafront at East Haven, Carnoustie. The dogs were taught to use gas masks as part of their training, and were mainly used to carry messages in the trenches. There is one story of an Airedale named Jim who was trained to alert to the sound of Zeppelins. It has been reported on May 16, 1915, Jim's loud barks raised the alarm of an approaching Zeppelin carrying a payload of bombs. Because of his early warnings, nine biplanes from the Royal Naval Air Service were able to chase the Zeppelin away. There is an Airedale Terrier Club of Scotland which started just after the war and has about 100 members today.

7. Airedale memorial

A sculpture of Airedale terrier dogs, hewn from a 30 ton block of granite, to commemorate Airedale terriers and the soldiers they served beside in World War One can be found on the seafront at East Haven, Carnoustie. The dogs were taught to use gas masks as part of their training, and were mainly used to carry messages in the trenches. There is one story of an Airedale named Jim who was trained to alert to the sound of Zeppelins. It has been reported on May 16, 1915, Jim's loud barks raised the alarm of an approaching Zeppelin carrying a payload of bombs. Because of his early warnings, nine biplanes from the Royal Naval Air Service were able to chase the Zeppelin away. There is an Airedale Terrier Club of Scotland which started just after the war and has about 100 members today. | Katharine Hay

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Barry Buddon is a military training camp that sits between Carnoustie and Monifieth in Angus. The Ranges and Danger Areas are closed to the public during periods of live firing. Details of the monthly Live Firing Schedules are published each month in advance on the Carnoustie Community Development Trust Website and on its Facebook page. I wasn't aware of this at all when making my way down the coast. I was in a bit of a zone with walking, trying to get to Dundee before sunset and I hadn't seen the signs until sounds of gunfire forced me to take a bit of a closer look at my surroundings. The site dates back to around 1850 when the area was used by the Forfarshire Rifle Volunteers, the Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, the Panmure Battery of the Forfarshire Artillery Brigade, and a Royal Naval Reserve Battery. In 1897 the Earl of Dalhousie sold the site to the War Office for use as a military training area which it still is today and which I very much found out while in the middle of it.

8. Barry Buddon

Barry Buddon is a military training camp that sits between Carnoustie and Monifieth in Angus. The Ranges and Danger Areas are closed to the public during periods of live firing. Details of the monthly Live Firing Schedules are published each month in advance on the Carnoustie Community Development Trust Website and on its Facebook page. I wasn't aware of this at all when making my way down the coast. I was in a bit of a zone with walking, trying to get to Dundee before sunset and I hadn't seen the signs until sounds of gunfire forced me to take a bit of a closer look at my surroundings. The site dates back to around 1850 when the area was used by the Forfarshire Rifle Volunteers, the Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, the Panmure Battery of the Forfarshire Artillery Brigade, and a Royal Naval Reserve Battery. In 1897 the Earl of Dalhousie sold the site to the War Office for use as a military training area which it still is today and which I very much found out while in the middle of it. | Katharine Hay

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