📌 Arbroath, Angus
★★★
Despite the name, the Arbroath Smokie (smoked haddock) probably actually originated in the small fishing village of Auchmithie, a few miles up the coast. The informal But ‘n’ Ben restaurant still serves the local delicacy along with other locally caught seafood: lunch here seems a fitting culmination to this one-way clifftop walk. The scenery is excellent throughout, with dramatic rock architecture including sea stacks, arches and Gaylet Pot: a massive blowhole in the middle of a field connected to the ocean by a subterranean passageway. The whole stretch is a wild place on a windy day, as we can testify. As for the Smokie – you’ll either love it or hate it…
📷 Chronological photo guide
🌍 Location
📌 Start on Ponderlaw Street, 10-min walk east of Arbroath town centre
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NO 646412
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 56.560977,-2.577098
🏁 Finish in Auchmithie village centre
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NO 679442
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 56.588801,-2.524189
🚆 Arbroath (walk start) | 🚌 Bus to Arbroath (walk start) / Auchmithie (walk finish)
🚗 Car park (walk finish) – with bus connection to other end of route (relatively infrequent – check times in advance)
📝 Key info
▶ 9 km / 6 mi | ▲ 150 m | ⌛ 2.5-3 hr | ⚠️ Linear route
Features: 🏠 Arbroath ★★★ & town sights; 🌊 Seaton Cliffs Nature Reserve & coastline; 🌊 Gaylet Pot; 🏠 Auchmithie
⬤ Easy | Clear paths, suffering from coastal erosion in places. Rougher shoreline section at Carlingheugh Bay.
Download file for GPS➡️ Northbound linear walk: start – Victoria Park – Whiting Ness – Seaton Cliffs Nature Reserve – Carlingheugh Bay – Gaylet Pot – Auchmithie & harbour – return to village for finish
🥾 On our last visit
Wildlife: A few seabirds, otherwise too windy!
Weather: Easterly gales, chilly and overcast; dry apart from the sea spray.
March 2013
