Arbroath is a small fishing port in Angus in north-east Scotland, 16 miles from Dundee, and with a population of 23,500 in 2022. It's best known for its red sandstone abbey, its local fish specialty "Arbroath Smokies", and as the scene in 1320 of Scotland's first documented assertion of independence, the Declaration of Arbroath.
Understand
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- "...for, as long as but a hundred of us remain alive, never will we on any conditions be brought under English rule. It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom – for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself...." - Declaration of Arbroath
King Robert I (1274-1329) or "Robert the Bruce" led Scotland to a famous victory over the English at Bannockburn in 1314, but Pope John XXII had excommunicated him and backed the English. The Scottish nobility drew up a document affirming Robert as their ruler and that Scotland was independent of England. It was written in Latin, signed and sealed in Arbroath on 6 April 1320 and delivered to the Pope at Avignon. This original has been lost but one contemporary copy survives, held in the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. A modern copy is held in Arbroath Abbey. In the following years the Pope, France then (grudgingly) England accepted Scotland's status.
Get in
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By plane
[edit]Edinburgh (EDI IATA) has the best range of flights and fares - see Dundee for onward transport towards Arbroath.
Aberdeen (ABZ IATA) is closer but has fewer flights. Closest of all is Dundee (DND IATA) with flights from London Stansted but little else.
By road
[edit]The A92 follows the coast from Dundee through Arbroath to Montrose, Stonehaven and Aberdeen; it's dual carriageway south of Arbroath. The main Edinburgh-Dundee-Aberdeen road A90 runs further inland.
By train
[edit]Arbroath has trains every 30 min from Glasgow Queen St or Edinburgh via Dundee; some may start from London Kings Cross. The fast trains continue north to Montrose, Stonehaven and Aberdeen. The slow trains after Dundee stop at Broughty Ferry, Monifieth and Carnoustie, then terminate at Arbroath.
The Caledonian Highland Sleeper to Aberdeen runs Su-F from London Euston, departing after 9PM to reach Arbroath for 6:30AM. The southbound train picks up around 10:30PM to reach Euston towards 8AM. You might prefer to take the Lowland Sleeper from Euston towards midnight and change to a day train in Edinburgh. Going back, you need to leave Arbroath before 10PM to join the southbound sleeper at 11:30PM from Edinburgh.
1 Arbroath Railway Station has a staffed ticket office and machines, toilets and a waiting room. There is step-free access to both platforms.
By bus
[edit]Long-distance coaches from Edinburgh run inland and bypass Arbroath, so change in Dundee.
Stagecoach Strathtay Bus X7 runs hourly daily from Dundee to Arbroath (30 min), Montrose, Stonehaven and Aberdeen (another two hours).
Stagecoach Bus 73 runs hourly from Ninewells Hospital and Dundee, taking 75 min via Broughty Ferry, Monifieth and Carnoustie. Don't take 73A or 73C, which turn back at Carnoustie.
Wishart's Bus 140 runs every hour or two from Auchmithie to Arbroath, Brechin and Strathcathro Hospital; there's only three on Sunday.
Arbroath Bus Station is 150 yards east of the railway station.
Get around
[edit]Bus 30 trundles hourly round town as far as Warddykes.
Taxi firms include Arbroath Taxis (+44 1241 430430), Brothock (+44 1241 873107) and Abbey (+44 1241 877777).
See
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- 1 Arbroath Abbey, Abbey St DD11 1EG, ☏ +44 1241 878756. Apr-Sep daily 10AM-4:30PM, Oct-Mar Th-M 10AM-4PM. This was founded by King William I in 1178 for Benedictine monks, whose mother-house was Kelso. The king was buried here in 1214. It was here in 1320 that Scottish nobles signed the "Declaration of Arbroath" proclaiming Scotland's independence. The abbey fell into ruin after the 16th-century Reformation, and its roof-lead and masonry were pilfered. There remains an impressive shell of red sandstone (with the round "O", through which was shone a beacon to guide sailors), and the abbot's residence. The masonry of these is unsafe and they're closed, with ticket prices reduced. Adult £5.50, conc £4.50, child £3.50.
- 2 Keptie Pond is a scenic park wrapped around a pond. The mock-medieval "castle" on the rise to the east is a disused water tower, built 1885 but abandoned in 1905 when a better water supply reached town.
- 3 Arbroath Signal Tower Museum, Ladyloan DD11 1PU, ☏ +44 1241 464554. Apr-Oct W-M 10:30AM-4PM, Nov-Mar F-M 10:30AM-4PM. The Bell Rock or Inchcape, 11 miles offshore, is only visible at low tide, with a long extension lurking just beneath the surface. By the 19th century it was wrecking half a dozen ships every winter. A 115-ft (35-m) lighthouse was built 1807-10 by Robert Stevenson, a daunting engineering challenge on such a small sea-washed foundation; and built so well that it has needed no alteration since. A shore station was built by Arbroath harbour: it housed the lighthouse keepers' families and the crew of the support vessel, and there was a tower for exchanging signals. In 1955 the support base was switched to Leith and the station endured a spell as Council housing, before being renovated as a museum; Bell Rock lighthouse was automated in 1988. Free.
- 4 St Vigean's, Arbroath DD11 4RD, ☏ +44 1241 878756. Museum Apr-Sep Tu W Sa 10AM-4:30PM. Approach from the east via St Vigean's Brae, a line of old sandstone cottages leading to a 17th-century bridge. It skirts the church, prominent atop a mound; this goes back to the 12th and 13th centuries but was over-restored in the 19th, so most ancient features were lost. An 18th-century legend had it that below lay an underground loch harbouring a kelpie, a shape-shifting evil spirit usually manifesting as a horse. It was, they said, harnessed to heave masonry up the mound to build the church, causing it to curse the church and its minister, who would be struck down or tumble to perdition in the loch. As an excuse not to go to church on Sunday, this was a beauty. The museum in the two cottages opposite the church displays 38 fine Pictish stones that formerly stood on the mound; the "Drosten Stone" is 9th century. Adult £7.50, conc £6, child £4.50, HES free.
- 5 Arbroath Western Cemetery has the usual collection of 19th and 20th century funerary art, plus Commonwealth War Graves from both world wars. But its most remarkable feature is the mortuary chapel, built from 1875 in an astonishing mix of styles. You can visit within Apr-Sept Sa 3PM, adult £10, child free.
- 6 Deil's Heid is a sea stack on the rugged sandstone cliffs east of town.
Do
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- Cinema: Chalmers Filmhouse is on Queen's Drive west of the harbour.
- Theatre: Webster Memorial Theatre is at 64 High St. It usually stages live music.
- Abbey Theatre on Abbot St is musicals, panto and similar light fare.
- Beaches and cliffs: southwest of town is sandy, backed by West Links Park. It's somewhat cut off by the railway track, but there are access paths eg a subway at Red Lion Holiday Park. The coast northeast of town is initially sandy, backed by King's Drive, which dead-ends at a car park. From there a scenic walk continues along the clifftops, and four miles brings you to Auchmithie. You can swim in the sea or walk below the cliffs, but the tide comes right in and covers the route.
- Football: Arbroath FC play soccer in Scottish League One, the third tier. Their stadium Gayfield Park (capacity 6600) is by the coast at the south end of town. This club holds the world record for the most goals scored in a professional match: they beat Aberdeen Bon Accord 36-0 in the Scottish Cup first round on 12 Sept 1885, with a further five goals disallowed. (And in another Cup tie that day, Dundee Harp beat Aberdeen Rovers 35-0.) Arbroath marched on in the Cup to beat Forfar Athletic 9–1 then Dundee East End 7–1 before losing 5–3 to Hibernian in the fourth round. Higher scoring matches have since occurred but aren't accepted as record-breaking, for instance in 2002 a notorious 189-0 result in Madagascar was a "thrown" game.
- Golf: Arbroath Golf Links are on A92 two miles west of town. Letham Grange 5 miles north is still shown on maps but closed years ago.
Buy
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The main supermarket is Tesco, on the corner of Cairnie St and Lochlands St, open daily until 10PM. The pedestrianised High St has the usual chain outlets eg Boots.
Eat
[edit]- Smokies are the signature dish of Arbroath: smoked haddock. This delicacy is available all around Scotland, but nothing compares to eating one that only finished smoking a few minutes ago, and it's an EU-protected food name. The fish are salted and dried overnight, then hung up to smoke over a fire of hardwood chips. Traditionally this is done in barrels sealed with wet jute sacking to stop the whole contraption burning; it takes an hour and the town smokeries have signs showing when their next batch will be ready. Originally they were made in Auchmithie, a little village 3 miles north, but it had a poor harbour and they relocated to Arbroath in the 1890s. There's a hoaky legend of how the villagers discovered the delicacy in a burnt-out store, like the way Piltdown Man discovered Chicken McNuggets, but the technique was obviously brought from Scandinavia.
- San Diego, 61 Ladybridge Street DD11 1AX, ☏ +44 1241 878104. W Th 4-11PM, F-Su 11AM-11PM. Burgers and similar.
- Royal Thai is at 33 West Port by the railway station, open Tu-Su 5-10PM.
- Andreou's Bistro, 57 High St DD11 1AN (within Fisherman's Inn), ☏ +44 1241 230240. Daily 4-8:30PM. Greek Cypriot bistro, the meze is recommended.
- Azzurro is a pizzeria at 43 High St near Andreou's.
- San Diego, 61 Ladybridge Street DD11 1AX, ☏ +44 1241 878104. W Th 4-11PM, F-Su 11AM-11PM. Burgers and similar.
- Old Boatyard is a seafood restaurant on Fisherman's Quay, open W-M 10AM-11PM.
- Marco's on the Shore, 10 Shore DD11 1PB (by harbour), ☏ +44 1241 430992. Daily 11AM-9:30PM. Great reviews for their fish and chip shop and next door ice cream shop, takeaway only.
- Bellrock is a fish & chip shop opposite the Signal Tower Museum, open daily noon-10PM.
- 1 The But 'n' Ben, Auchmithie DD11 5SQ (on coast 3 miles NE of town), ☏ +44 1241 877223. M noon-2PM, W-Sa noon-2PM, 6-9PM, Su noon-6PM. This restaurant serves traditional seafood and high tea. Good food and cosy, beach house décor. Great location on the clifftop over the old Auchmithie harbour.
- Gordon's in Inverkeilor has a great restaurant, see "Sleep".
Drink
[edit]- Corn Exchange is a JD Wetherspoon on Market Place, open 8AM-midnight.
- High Street and adjacent streets have Commercial Inn, Central Bar, Newgate Bar, The Pageant, Abbey Inn and Thee Fab Pub.
- West Port near the railway station has Foundry Bar, Westport Bar and Station Bar.
- Distillery: Redcastle makes gin.
Sleep
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- Harbour Nights is a friendly B&B overlooking the harbour.
- Townhouse, 99 High St, Arbroath DD11 1DP, ☏ +44 1241 431557. Great reviews for comfort and dining in this small central hotel. No pets. B&B double £100.
- Old Brewhouse, 1 High St, Arbroath DD11 1BH, ☏ +44 1241 879945. Grand wee place by the seafront. B&B double £110.
- 1 Brucefield, Cliffburn Rd East DD11 5BS, ☏ +44 1241 875393. Friendly well-run B&B in a 1920s manor a mile east of town. B&B double £150.
- 2 Red Lion Holiday Park, Dundee Rd, Arbroath DD11 2PT, ☏ +44 1241 872038. These are cabins and static caravans intended for several weeks self-catering occupancy. They also have camping and touring caravan pitches, but way overpriced for short stays. The static caravans have living area, kitchen, shower and toilet, and at least two bedrooms suitable for families. They're fairly basic, and the long list of units for sale tells its own story.
- 3 Gordon's, Main Road, Inverkeilor DD11 5RN, ☏ +44 1241 830364. Splendid stylish hotel near Lunan Bay, and the dining gets rave reviews. Open Feb-Dec, no children under 12 or dogs.
Connect
[edit]As of March 2025, Arbroath and its approach roads have 4G from O2, Three and Vodafone, and 5G from EE.
Go next
[edit]- Dundee needs a couple of days to see Discovery, the V&A, Verdant jute mill and more.
- Forfar has Glamis castle and a remarkable collection of Pictish stones.
- Stonehaven has Dunnottar castle; indeed Aberdeenshire has almost as many castles as it has malt whiskys.
| Routes through Arbroath |
| Dundee ← | SW  NE
|
→ Montrose → Aberdeen |