Wester Dun
In April we spent a week in Wester Dun Cottage, near Montrose on the east coast in Angus. Wester Dun itself (in the gallery below) is a former manse, and the cottage at the end of the drive would once have housed servants. There is still a bell in the hall, and I imagine the minister deciding to go out and ringing for the gardener, or whoever the occupant was, to come out to open the gates for him. That was my job during our stay. I know my place.
Our nearest neighbour was the rather grander House of Dun, an 18th century mansion once home to the Erskine family but now a National Trust property. We visited the house one morning as paying customers, but were free to roam the grounds at any time.
As well as the house, there was the ruin of the original 14th century Dun Castle (ruin perhaps exaggerates – it was one archway), an old mausoleum, and family graves to explore.
From the highest point in the grounds we had views over Montrose Basin.
And on the other side of the road was the church, no longer in use and since sold. We saw another church nearby which had been converted to a beautiful house, and I expect the same will happen to this one. As usual, the graveyard tells a sad tale of infant mortality.
This was a lovely place to spend a week. There will be more on the House of Dun, Montrose Basin, and all the other places we visited in future posts.
The Glasgow Gallivanter 
Now, was your job ringing the bell or opening the gates? Or be John’s servant? Great place. I’m sure you were in your happy place (when not serving others). 🙂
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My job was to open the gate. Every time! I got really good at it 😀.
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What a treat to stay in such a cute cottage and have these very interesting surroundings to explore.
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It certainly was a lovely week.
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That looks like an interesting place… and I always enjoy a walk through a graveyard.
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Me too! As you might have noticed.
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A very good friend hails from there. Good to see it in detail 🤗💟
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Oh, grand!
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What an interesting place, Anabel!
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It is interesting – a view inside the big house next time, when I get round to writing it.
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Oh, cool!
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A lovely place for short sojourn, Anabel. the big house looks very majestic and i love the old arch too. So picturesque.
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The big house was lovely inside too, some beautiful plasterwork.
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I love that. 😍
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You’ve been out and about a whole lot the last six or more months. You truly are on a roll!
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We certainly have! And thoroughly enjoying it.
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Funnily enough I’ve always fancied exploring Montrose Basin at low tide but I’ve only been up there on a few occasions with friends so hill-walking was the main objective. Got £20 worth of petrol today for only 11 litres of fuel. Traveling any distance is not cheap nowadays as that £20 might get me to Largs and back if I’m lucky. I remember touring the entire Scottish Highlands over a weeks driving holiday in the far north for that same £20 a few decades ago.
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We did walk out to a couple of the hides, but there wasn’t much to see at that time of year, just the ducks and swans that we can see in Maryhill! The petrol prices are likely to rise higher too, ridiculous.
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Was the cottage you stopped at rented out by the National Trust? Looks like a nice area to explore. X
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The National Trust has apartments over the stables at House of Dun, which one of my friends stayed in a few months before we went there. Our cottage is owned by the couple living in the manse (who were lovely and supplied us with freshly laid eggs).
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Sounds ideal. 🙂
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I’m sure you love being out and about again, exploring your countryside. I got a laugh about you ringing the bell and knowing your place. 🙂
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The bell no longer functioned – I just knew by instinct it was my job to open the gates for John to sweep through! It certainly was lovely to be out exploring again, in an area I didn’t know at all.
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I’m glad to see you can get out for adventures further afield. Funny about opening the gates for John to sweep through!
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