Montrose (Scotland) Voyage Tips and guide

Montrose is a small port in Angus, midway between Dundee and Aberdeen in northeast Scotland. In 2022 its population was 11,200.

This was an important harbour in medieval and Hanseatic times: so too were many others, but modern shipping outgrew them, and they couldn't compete with Aberdeen. Montrose port has stayed small but somehow keeps going with fishing, and support vessels for the offshore oil and gas industries. The town contributed to Britain's sea and air defence in 20th-century wartime, and in a sense still does so. New diseases remain a continual threat, and the pharmaceutical firm GSK is a major employer. They manufacture active ingredients against HIV and other conditions, which go elsewhere to be formulated into medicines.

56°41′42″N 2°30′36″W

Map of Montrose (Scotland)

Montrose is 30 miles northeast of Dundee on A92. The Dundee-Aberdeen road A90 sweeps several miles inland past Brechin.

Aberdeen Airport (ABZ ^IATA) has a good choice of UK and European flights. Edinburgh (EDI ^IATA) is further but has more choice, and with a rental car you exit onto the road north and can reach Montrose in little over two hours. Dundee (DND ^IATA) is the closest airport but has few flights.

Trains run from Edinburgh and Glasgow Queen Street via Dundee and Arbroath every 30 min to Montrose, and continue north to Stonehaven and Aberdeen. The Caledonian Sleeper from London Euston also sets down here around 7AM, with the southbound train picking up towards 10:30PM.

56.7128-2.47191 Montrose railway station is west side of town centre, with a view of the Basin as the train pulls in. There's a staffed ticket office and machines, toilets and a waiting room. There's step-free access to both platforms.

Stagecoach Bus X7 runs hourly from Dundee via Arbroath, taking an hour to Montrose, and continues to Stonehaven and Aberdeen. There isn't a bus station, the main stop is outside the pharmacy on High St. Buses from Edinburgh and Glasgow fly past on A90 and don't serve Montrose, you need to change at Dundee.

Stagecoach Bus 30 runs from Arbroath to Montrose, then north of the Basin past the entrance to House of Dun to Brechin and Strathcathro Hospital; a few continue to Edzell. It runs hourly M-Sa and every two hours on Sunday.

Bus 52 potters round town hourly.

Taxi firms are Lucian (+44 7484 653357) and J M Taxi (+44 7599 952382).

• Montrose Museum, Panmure Place DD10 8HF, ☏ +44 1674 907447. Apr-Oct W-M 10:30AM-4PM, Nov-Mar F-M 10:30AM-4PM. Local history museum and art gallery in a neo-classical 1842 building. Free. (updated Dec 2025)
• Old and St Andrews Church at 121 High St is Church of Scotland. It opened in 1793, and the steeple was added in 1834.
• St Mary's and St Peter's Church opposite the museum is Anglican. It was built in 1858 after its predecessor burned down.
• William Lamb Studio is at 24 Market St DD10 8NB. Lamb (1893-1951) was a sculptor, briefly famous (he sculpted the young Princess Elizabeth), but he was scarred by World War I and became a recluse in Montrose. Studio opening is erratic, check the website, but typically it's last Saturday of the month Feb-June.
• 56.7066-2.47381 Bamse stands guard at the bridge entering town. Why was a movie never made about this dog, whose wartime exploits with the Free Norwegian Forces far surpass the deeds of Black Bob, Greyfriars Bobby and Rin-Tin-Tin combined? A huge St Bernard, Bamse (which means "teddy-bear") was an official crew member of Thorodd, a whaler drafted into wartime use which escaped to Britain in 1940 when Norway surrendered to Germany. The ship then served as a minesweeper working out of Montrose and Dundee, with Bamse its most diligent Shore Patrol, breaking up fights, travelling unescorted on the buses to round up crew members from outlying pubs, rescuing people from the water, and repelling a knife-wielding assailant. He became the symbol of Norwegian resistance and it's probably only because of military secrecy that we've yet to hear of his role in defusing UXBs, unmasking spies, cracking ciphers and piddling on quislings. Bamse died aged 7 in 1944 and was buried with military honours and crowds of well-wishers lining the cortege route.
• 56.7037-2.45912 Bamse's Grave is by the riverside off Cobden St.
• 56.7256-2.46163 Air Station Museum, Broomfield Rd DD10 8SY (No access via Waldron Rd), ☏ +44 1674 678222. Apr-Oct Sa Su 11AM-5PM. This was a military airbase from 1914, among the first in Britain. It was set up in 1913 in Dysart a few miles south, but that site was foggy and boggy so it was re-located here. In World War II it was a training base for overseas pilots, and RAF sorties to Norway flew from Montrose. But there was little new building or war damage, so it's a rare survival of a World War I airbase. The Spitfire is just a replica, they flew string-and-paper SE5A/B biplanes in that era. Adult £8.80, conc £7.70, child free. (updated Dec 2025)
• Montrose Beach is long and sandy, but beach, sandhills and golf course are succumbing to erosion by the sea.

• Montrose Basin is the tidal lagoon formed by the estuary of the South Esk, west side of town. It's almost 3 miles in diameter, ringed by salt marshes, and an important habitat for resident and migratory birds.
• 56.6989-2.49064 Montrose Basin Visitor Centre, Rossie Braes DD10 9TA, ☏ +44 1674 676336. Mar-Oct daily 10:30AM-5PM, Nov-Feb F-M 10:30AM-4PM. The centre has panoramic views across the reserve, binoculars and telescopes, and information on the geology and ecology of the area. Adult £6.50, child free. (updated Dec 2025)
• 56.6792-2.48565 Dunninald Castle, Craig Rd DD10 9TD, ☏ +44 1674 672031. May-Aug Sa-Tu 1-5PM. Neogothic mansion completed in 1824, with gardens. (updated Dec 2025)
• 56.654-2.5026 Lunan Bay is a little settlement 5 miles south of Montrose, with a much better beach. By the outflow of Lunan Water stands Red Castle, a medieval hunting lodge — it's utterly tumbledown, don't get close.
• 56.7342-2.52027 Langley Park Gardens are open May-Sep F-Su 10AM-4PM, adult £5.
• 56.7293-2.54048 House of Dun, Dun DD10 9LQ, ☏ +44 1674 810264. Apr-Sep daily, Oct-Mar Th-Su, 10:30AM-4:30PM. Grand 18th-century mansion designed by Adams, visit by guided tour. With gardens and woodlands bordering the Basin. Adult £17, child £1, NT / NTS free. (updated Dec 2025)

• 56.7555-2.46449 Stone of Morphie is up a lane half a mile west of A92. It's a megalith 3.5 m tall, and unmarked so its date is not known.
• 56.73-2.65510 Brechin is a small town off A90. Sight here are:
  • Brechin Cathedral (nowadays simply a church) has an 11th-century Round Tower — they're common in Ireland but only two survive in Scotland.
  • Brechin Town House Museum on High St.
  • Brechin Castle and its gardens can be visited in late May and early June.
  • The Victorian heritage railway station, see below.
  • Kinnaird Castle 4 miles southeast is now private accommodation.
• 56.7091-2.739211 Davidson Legacy Cottage, Netherton DD9 6HS, ☏ +44 7752 028115. Sa Su 11AM-4PM. Harley-Davidson motorcycles were founded in Milwaukee in 1903 by William S Harley and Arthur Davidson. Arthur was the son of William C Davidson (1846–1923), who grew up in this small cottage before emigrating to Wisconsin. It's been converted into a museum depicting that period. (updated Dec 2025)
• Aberlemno Sculptured Stones: see Forfar for these richly carved medieval Pictish stones southwest of Brechin.
• 56.7627-2.6212 Law of Keithock Standing Stone is a megalith 3 miles northeast of Brechin. It was probably originally part of a burial cairn that's disappeared.
• 56.8118-2.6813 Edzell Castle, Edzell DD9 7UE (5 miles north of Brechin), ☏ +44 1356 648631. Apr-Sep F-Su 10AM-4PM. Charming ruin of a 16th-century tower house in rose sandstone. The highlight is the early 17th-century walled garden or "Pleasaunce", with topiary and elaborate carved panels. Adult £7.50, conc £6, child £4.50. (updated Dec 2025)

• Montrose Sports Centre is on Marine Ave.
• Football: Montrose FC play soccer in League One, the third tier. Their Links Park (capacity 5000) is east of town centre.

Brechin City play in Highland League, the fifth tier, at Glebe Park in Brechin.

• Caledonian Railway is a standard-gauge heritage railway running in CR livery for 4 miles between Brechin and Bridge of Dun.
• Golf:' Montrose Golf Links are on the coast. The 1562 course is 6457 yards, par 71. The Broomfield course is 4822 yards, par 66.

Brechin and Edzell also have golf courses.

• Angus Show is an agricultural fair at Brechin Castle, next held on Sa 6 June 2026.
• Drumtochty Highland Games are held at Drumtochty Castle 5 miles north of Laurencekirk, with the next on Sa 27 June 2026. The castle is an events venue with plush accommodation but isn't otherwise open for visits.

Tesco is next to the railway station, open M-Sa 6AM-midnight, Su 8AM-8PM. Aldi is just north of the station.

• Sharky's is a diner at 21 George St opposite George Hotel, open W-Su noon-midnight.
• Ma Yom is a Thai within Carlton Hotel at 139 High St, open W-Su 5-9PM.
• Sher-e-Bangla is opposite Ma Yom at 204 High St, open daily 5-10PM.
• Panda Palace is at 2 Hume St, open Tu-Sa 4:30-10PM.
• Stroma is a bistro at 1 Wharf St by Bamse's statue, open Tu-Su noon-9PM.
• Roo's Leap, 2 Traill Drive DD10 8SW (by golf course), ☏ +44 1674 672157. W-M noon-3PM, 5-9PM. Last thing you might expect in Montrose: an Australian grill doing burgers, steaks, other barbie fare and veggie options. (updated Dec 2025)

• Montrose town centre has a dozen pubs. Try Picture House, Market Arms, Royal Arch or Albert Bar.
• Brechin town centre has Brechin Arms, Dalhousie Arms and City Royal Bar.
• Glencadam Distillery, Smithbank Rd, Brechin DD9 7PA, ☏ +44 1356 622217. Daily 10AM-5PM. Re-established in 2003, this produces single malt whisky. Tour £22.50. (updated Dec 2025)
• Black Thistle, also in Brechin, distills gin and vodka. No tours.
• Arbikie south near Lunan Bay mainly produces gin and vodka, but they also distill Highland Rye Whisky, quite distinct from traditional Scotch. Tours available.
• Laurencekirk 10 miles north has two breweries: Burnside, and Six Degrees North, which (to save you searching in the vicinity of Penang) means 6° north of Brussels, source of their brewing style.

• 56.7093-2.46751 George Hotel, 22 George St DD10 8EW, ☏ +44 1674 675050. Solid reliable town centre hotel with 25 rooms en suite, good restaurant. B&B double £90. (updated Dec 2025)
• Bamse B&B is 100 yards north of the George at 4 St Mary's Rd DD10 8EU, off Baltic St.
• 56.7135-2.46372 Park Hotel, 61 John St DD10 8RJ, ☏ +44 1674 663400. Clean efficient hotel with 57 rooms and conference facilities. B&B double £115. (updated Dec 2025)
• Links Hotel, Provost Scott's Rd DD10 8RL (50 yards south of Park Hotel), ☏ +44 1674 671000. Comfy midtown hotel. B&B double £110. (updated Dec 2025)
• Star Hotel, 7 New Wynd DD10 8RB (200 yards east of station), ☏ +44 1674 676048. Inexpensive friendly hotel. B&B double £85. (updated Dec 2025)
• Greenbank B&B is north end of town at 50 Redfield Rd DD10 8TW.
• 56.7095-2.45263 South Links Holiday Park, Traill Drive DD10 8EJ, ☏ +44 1674 674335. Council-run site for caravans and camping, open March-Oct. Tent £24, caravan £33. (updated Dec 2025)
• Oaklands is a B&B just south of the river at 10 Rossie Island Rd DD10 9NN.
• 56.7403-2.47574 Hillside Hotel, Kinnaber Rd, Hillside DD10 9HE, ☏ +44 1674 830230. Pleasant small hotel, part of OYO franchise, two miles north of town. B&B double £110. (updated Dec 2025)
• Brechin on A90 may be more convenient for motorists. Try Northern Hotel or one of the B&Bs.

As of Dec 2025, Montrose and the coast road have 4G from Three and Vodafone, and 5G from EE and O2. Brechin and the A90 have 5G from all UK carriers.

• Stonehaven has a ruined castle perched on its cliffs.
• Aberdeen, the grey granite city, has lots of museums, galleries and visitor amenities, and it's the transport hub for the rest of Aberdeenshire.
• Aberdeenshire's best known attractions are Balmoral Castle near Ballater and Cairngorms National Park.
• Dundee has Scott's Antarctic sailing ship Discovery, the V&A design museum, Verdant jute works, and great views over the Tay.

Dundee ← Arbroath ←	SW  NE	→ Stonehaven
END ←	S  N	→ junction → Aberdeen