Lunan Bay

Travelling North to Aberdeen and as it was a lovely day we decided to take a detour east on the coastal road through Angus in search of a blip oportunity.
Lots of pics of the the harbour at Ferryden and views over Montrose but I decided Lunan Bay is worthy of a blip.

Lunan Bay is a broad beach of beautiful sand backed by dunes and framed by low cliffs to the north and south. Three miles south of Montrose, it stretches for over two miles and is one of Scotland's best beaches.

High on a grassy bluff overlooking the river and bay are the ruins of Red Castle. Built in the the late twelfth century for King William the Lion to repel Viking invasions it was used on several occasions for hunting expeditions. In 1328, Robert the Bruce gave the castle to the Earl of Ross. Red castle is so named because of its burnished red sandstone typical of the area.

From the sixteenth century the castle slipped into decline, and, although it remained partially roofed until 1770, it was never again a residence of nobility.

The beach is popular with surfers and traditional fishing still takes place with nets strung from poles on the beach to trap fish in the falling tide. The bay also has a reputation for being a good source of agates and other gemstones.