WITH four miles of cavernous inlets, breathtaking caves and secluded beaches, the coastal path from Arbroath to Auchmithie is described as one of Scotland’s hidden gems.
Now a small, newly formed charity is hoping to change that by securing enough funding to turn the Arbroath Cliff Trail into a major tourist attraction.
They want to emulate the Fife Coastal Path and create a walking and cycling route that will attract thousands of visitors to Angus, providing a much needed boost for the area’s hotels and restaurants, post-Covid.
A group made up of local guides, councillors, farmers and community workers are putting together a plan to create a fully accessible trail with improved paths, picnic areas and guides.
Craft shops and catering along the route are also planned and information boards with dolphin spotting tips.
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An app has already been created with a interactive map of the trail, that directs walkers to mysterious landmarks including The Devil’s Letterbox, the Forbidden Cave and Mermaid’s Kirk.
The perpetually dripping St Ninian’s Well is originally said to have been attached to a chapel and was thought to cure various diseases.
There are 43 caves along the route for the more adventurous walker and one of the most prominent landmarks is the The Deil’s Heid, a dramatic sea stack formed by differing rates of erosion.
Councillor Brenda Durno, secretary of the Arbroath Cliff Trail, said: “We would like to make the cliff trail more accessible for walkers, cyclists and tourists.
“It’s a great off the road adventure and we would ideally like it to be like the Fife trail.
“It goes all the way to Auchmithie and we are hoping to continue the trail to Lunan bay.
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“We created a map last August but everything has been delayed due to Covid.
“We have just been formulated as a charity group and we are now looking for funding streams so we can keep the path clear and introduce somewhere to sit and have a picnic.
She added: “We would like a better path across the beach in places to make it easier to walk on the stones and we would also like to launch geologist tours as we have a geologist in our group.”
Last year, Lee Mitchell, a 27-year-old joiner from Arbroath, is said to have become the first person to dive off one of the 66ft cliffs.
The diver said he had been considering the safety implications of it for weeks before and consulted retired fisherman and ex-lifeboat personnel before the death-defying stunt, which smashed his record by 11 feet.
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