Historic trails in Dundee and Angus

Ancient history – a heritage trail worthy of a visit for any history buffs 

When Graeme Johncock @Scotlands_stories visited Dundee recently, we were bowled over by the number of historical sites he visited during his stay. And we’re not talking about the ones we all know about. Let’s see where his historic trails in Dundee can take you.

Of course, Graeme visited our magnificent RRS Discovery – an absolute must-see for anyone with an interest in our heritage or a love of epic stories from history.

But it was all the other places that Graeme explored in the surrounding area, from roadside Pictish stones to a zoology museum that spun the place we call home on its axis. We’re pretty sure a lot of Dundonians don’t even know about these historical delights, so we’ve cherry picked a few of the fascinating places Graeme visited while on his heritage trail – for visitors and locals who fancy rediscovering their home turf. 

Underground worlds from different ages

During his exploring, Graeme visited a souterrain at Tealing in Angus. For those who don’t know what a souterrain is, it’s an underground house or is sometimes called at Earth House. It’s a bit mind boggling that this is on our doorstep. The remains of a community from the Iron Age, over 2000 years ago. In the middle of the countryside, once upon a time this hidden world was a thriving community full of houses. Graeme has speculated on what the purpose of the souterrain was. “A hidden bunker during times of attack, a grain store to keep things dry or some kind of ritual site,” said Graeme.

Searching for Pictish Stones

Many people don’t realise just how many Picitish stones there are at various sites around Angus. These ancient stones have survived thousands of years preserved in the landscape and can transport you to a different world as far back as the Roman times. Our blogger Graeme found the Eassie Stone which is carved with a cross and Biblical figures. Utterly captivated by them, Graeme said that if people are interested in seeing something from ancient Scottish history then “you’re in luck!” To explore the various Pictish Stones in the area, have a look at this trail from Visit Angus (https://visitangus.com/pictish-trail/).

A hidden menagerie 

When we think of animals in jars it tends to sound like something from a horror film. Far from dangerous or frightening, a visit to the D’Arcy Thompson Zoology Museum at Dundee Uni has a much more palatable and frankly fascinating small museum filled with a collection of animal skeletons from all around the world. A true hidden gem, so many people don’t know about this incredible collection including Graeme who hadn’t heard of the museum before. It’s not open very often, just every second Saturday and Friday afternoons in the summer so it’s worth checking the university’s calendar (https://www.dundee.ac.uk/museum/collections/zoology/events/) to catch it if you can. 

Be entranced by engineering from hundreds of years ago

Just outside Carnoustie sits Barry Mill. First built in the 16^th century, the corn mill is completely fuelled by water and is still running today. The intricate has to be seen to be appreciated and, as one of the only mills of its kind remaining in Scotland, making it a treasured educational tourist attraction and protected historical site. Open from April – September, Graeme was captivated by the ingenuity of people from so many centuries ago. “It’s incredible to see how innovative people were and how intricate a process like this is,” said Graeme. “I know lots of tales about millers and grain, but actually being able to see a mill clanking along brings those stories to life!”

Are you feeling inspired to take a journey into our ancient history? The Dundee area is just full of surprises. A small scratch to the surface and the place is just bursting with stories and intrigue. Graeme certainly scratched and found a wonderful array of often unseen wonders.

To read Graeme blog about his historic trails in Dundee and Angus, click here. (https://scotlands-stories.com/how-to-spend-a-weekend-in-dundee/)