Romantic glens, white sand beaches and historic landmarks, Angus offers an action-packed escape from the crowds.
Stretching north of Dundee to the edge of the Highlands, Angus is a fertile and attractive region of wide valleys, rolling hills and vast swathes of farmland. The misty and romantic Angus Glens are a top destination for hill walkers, while the rugged coastline offers beautiful cliffside walks, sandy beaches and even a few opportunities for surfing and windsurfing. Mountain biking is another top activity, particularly around the glens, Montrose and Brechin, and keen golfers shouldn’t miss the championship courses. Summer is the prime time to enjoy everything the region has to offer and, because Angus remains off the beaten path for most visitors to Scotland, crowds are rarely an issue.
Angus’s five scenic glens offer superb walking and biking opportunities and are home to 10 Munros (mountains over 3,000 feet or 914.4 metres). Arguably the most beautiful is Glen Clova, at the head of which Glen Doll marks the start of Jock’s Road, an old driving route of 12 miles (20 kilometres) that takes you up and over a high plateau, ending up close to Braemar in the Cairngorms. Camping and glamping options are available in the nearby towns of Kirriemuir and Brechin.
Between the coast and the glens, the small village of Glamis is famed for its romantic, turreted Glamis Castle, setting for Shakespeare’s Macbeth. The rest of the well-preserved village is well-worth your time and filled with quaint cottages and intriguing businesses. Camping options around here included grassy pitches and glamping pods in rural settings.
Home to sandy beaches, towering sandstone cliffs and a bustling harbour, Arbroath’s most famous landmark is Arbroath Abbey, associated with the Declaration of Arbroath, which asserted Scotland’s independence from England in 1320. The coastal walk from Arbroath to Auchmithie takes you over cliffs and past dramatic sea stacks and caves and is one of the best on the northeast coast. Nearby camping options include pitching a tent by the beach at Lunan Bay.
Between Dundee and Arbroath, Carnoustie is best-known for its championship golf course, said to be one of the most challenging links courses in the world. The small coastal town also offers swimming, sailing and windsurfing on the bay. Camping options nearby include beachside holiday parks.