Scozmo's Photery

February 27th – I’ve been hankering after a walk to Scurdieness lighthouse for quite some time now. There’s about a one hour drive across Angus to get there, on the East coast and on the South shore of the River South Esk opposite the town of Montrose.

Our weather apps had been foretelling of a nicer day and that was how it started, blue sky, big white, fluffy clouds and a chilly breeze, it is still February after all so we prepped and headed off.

I’m the picnic prepper, nothing fancy today just a flask of good coffee (Illy Brasilien) a couple of packets of crisps (potato chips) a couple of biscuits, mini chocolate bars and water / Pepsi Max for me.

Two cameras ready, one long lens, one wide / zoom and binoculars, this can be a good birding walk but it’s also a gorgeous day so I’m prepared for all eventualities 🙂

We set off towards Forfar where we could join the road we needed but part way along our regular drive, Road Works signs started to appear Road Ahead Closed – No access to Glamis; Glamis is off our road so, on we went until we met cones and a sign partly closing the road and stating Road Closed! I turned us around and headed back to a turning I knew would take us to a parallel route but, as ever, that went a bit awry and took longer than expected, we did end up right where I planned, next to the exit for Glamis but ……… there was traffic coming along the closed road from our direction??? A wee bit confused, we ignored it and carried on.

Suffice to say we got to Ferryden, where the car park is and we could start our walk from around 12:15, still blue sky and sunshine.

Suitably dressed up for the walk, cameras etc. slung over shoulders, off we went. Jo stopped to read one of the information signs dotted along the path and I slowly meandered ahead, looking all around, watching House Sparrows flitting in and out of a pile of lobster pots. I looked up and out towards the sea …… there’s a bird …… a Heron? Camera out, fire off a few shots, check …..

It’s an Eagle! Looks like a White-tailed Eagle. It was flying up the estuary from the sea and over towards the town and beyond, I doubt anyone noticed. There’s a huge water basin and nature reserve beyond the town but I’d guess this one was heading for the hills beyond.

Well, what a start to the day and the walk, big smiles 🙂

We climbed the step wooden steps up to the lighthouse road, stopping for a wee breather every so often and set off slowly meandering towards the lighthouse.

The walk follows the water but quite a height above it so you have a great view below, ahead and North up the coast.

There were lots of Skylarks singing to our right over the fields but none that I could get a shot of 🙂

Dotted alongside the walk are various leftovers from the war years and there are information signs that answer just about every question you might have. As you round the first bend, the lighthouse itself comes into view.

The lighthouse was built and lit for the first time in 1870 – Scurdieness Lighthouse / Lighthouse Accomodation

It’s a really nice, easy walk, the only difficulty being the steps up from where we parked. You could park further back in Ferryden and walk along the lighthouse road. Ferryden History

If you look at the bottom of that shot above, there’s a fella standing next to an old Capstan, I love historic items left but with explanation / information boards.

“The Capstan: Sailing vessels still went aground on the Annat Bank. A rocket with a line attached would be fired over the stranded ship and a cable hauled aboard. Teams of horses harnessed to the capstan would attempt to pull the ship off at high tide.” Waymarking

We carried on past the lighthouse just to see what’s there and to round the walk up to a mile 🙂 Foibles lol

Back to the lighthouse we sat, in the Sun I might add, on a bench someone has placed behind that white building outside the lighthouse walls. The lighthouse is private accomodation.

The dredger was working to and fro, clearing the shipping channel I guess.

That is Montrose on the right and if you look closely to the far right is a beautiful beach that stretches for a few miles and is usually covered in driftwood, BIG BITS! 🙂

See what a lovely day it was, we still had coats and hats on 🙂

So after a wee picnic, we set off back to the car. One of the things I loved about this walk was the people we met, everyone said hello or stopped for a wee natter, mostly older people but one of the things I love about Scotland.

I stitched a few shots together for a wide view of the lighthouse and North Sea, Aberdeen would be way up to the left but what a beautiful sky!

The Yellowhammer have become very active all over, back on the patch and here.

Beautiful wee birds.

One of the little pill boxes next to the road.

We made it back to the car, almost 2 miles exactly, both bursting for a P!!!! 🙂 One of the down sides to walks like these and getting older but ….. there are still Public Toilets in many of our towns and many maintained by the local community.

Not a photo of the toilets but a wide view back up the estuary with Ferryden on the right. An interesting quirk you’ll see here if you visit, some of those houses don’t have gardens, they back right onto the river and they have washing lines that extend out over the water 🙂

Montrose is a nice wee town but I’d just like to add that there is a Museum here which commemorates one of our first operational airfields in 1913! I find it absolutely amazing that there are still original hangars from that time, it’s well worth a visit if you’re in the area and into that kind of thing. Montrose Air Station Museum

wanderings