The 2013 Angus Glens Walking Festival will take place between Thursday 30th May and Sunday 2nd June. We look forward to seeing you there.
Please ensure you read this page for your own safety as well as that of others attending the Angus Glens Walking Festival.
If you have a question which is not answered on this page, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Kirriemuir is on the A926 and A928, 8km/5 miles west of Forfar and 28km/18 miles north of Dundee, the nearest railhead. There are good bus services to Kirriemuir from both Dundee and Forfar.
There is an excellent range of accommodation in the Walking Festival area, both in Kirriemuir and in the Angus Glens, including hotels, guesthouses, B&Bs and self-catering accommodation. There are also several excellent camping and caravan parks. The Angus Glens Walking Festival Programme lists a number of accommodation providers and details of accommodation providers can also be found on this website at www.angusahead.com/accommodation and at www.visitscotland.com.
Please do not smoke while on a guided walk, both out of consideration for others and also to avoid any undue risk of fire.
There is free public car parking in Kirriemuir, and it is well sign-posted. To assist you in planning your journey to the Festival, here is a map of Kirriemuir (PDF, 729KB) with all the car parks highlighted. Please note that there is both long stay and short stay (2 hours maximum) car parking in Kirriemuir. We advise that you park in the long stay car parks, as marked on the map of Kirriemuir.
Start and finish points for walks often have very limited car parking, so we advise that you use the Walking Festival bus service which is included in the cost of the walks. Departure times and locations for this service can be found in walk descriptions. The bus service leaves from the Event Centre at Kirriemuir Town Hall.
For your enjoyment and relaxation, refreshments are available to purchase from local establishments at the end of each walk. Where stated in the Programme you should provide your own packed lunch, which can be obtained either from your accommodation provider or local shops.
There is a small charge per person for each guided walk and evening event. Both charges include return transport, where necessary, from the Event Centre. Pre-booking for walks and for evening event is essential as many have limits on numbers. The 'All Abilities' Walks are discounted at £5 but you will need your own transport to the start of the walk.
In common with other similar events, dogs are not allowed on Festival walks. Many walks go through livestock areas or places where ground-nesting birds breed, and June is a sensitive time of year. This rule is strictly applied (guide dogs excepted).
Participants in the Angus Glens Walking Festival take part at their own risk, and the organisers and sponsor bodies shall not be liable for any accident or injury, however caused. The event is covered by public liability insurance, but you are strongly advised to check that you have adequate personal accident insurance.
All walks will have experienced leaders and first aiders. Many leaders are local folk who work in the Angus Glens or Countryside Rangers who will be able to pass on interesting information about the landscape, its wildlife and human history. Qualified Mountain Leaders will lead all high-level walks.
The Event manager is the Angus Glens Walking Festival Chairman, Tom McGrath, Countryside Services Manager, Angus Council.
Walks in the Festival have been graded in order that you can select walks suitable for your own level of fitness; descriptions are included in the programme. More detailed walk grading information.
PLEASE NOTE: This year we have four 'Extremely Strenuous' walks which requires a high level of fitness and previous hill walking experience. It is particularly important that you choose the right level of walk as this can seriously affect your enjoyment and that of others and may compromise the safety of the group.
Most walks require full hill-walking gear including boots, waterproof jacket and over trousers, hat, gloves, spare fleece, spare food and water. Where stated you should provide your own packed lunch. You may also wish to bring binoculars.
There are three 'All Abilities' walks in this year's programme, suitable for all levels of fitness. These walks are ideal for first time walkers, families and are suitable for wheelchair access.The walks will be led by the Angus Council Ranger Service and will look at the natural and human history of the area.
For reasons of both safety and comfort, lower and some mid-level walks will be limited to a maximum of 30 people. Higher walks may have lower limits, due to distance and severity of terrain. Limits are clearly indicated in this programme. Pre-booking for walks is therefore essential. If your selected walk is full, the booking service will offer alternative walks on the same day, wherever it can.
The Event Centre is at Kirriemuir Town Hall. Information on the Walking Festival and the surrounding area is displayed at the Event Centre and there is the opportunity to book any vacant next day walks.
All buses for the walks leave from the Event Centre. This is with the exception of Walk 7 (Monikie Country Park), Walk 14 (Forfar Country Park) and Walk 21 (Crombie Country Park) where walkers must arrange their own transport. Please check the bus departure times for each walk. Individual walk details can be found in the Walk Programme.
ALL Walkers must register with the Event Centre at Kirriemuir Town Hall at least 15 minutes prior to bus departure. If you are planning to meet the bus en route or are travelling to the walk's starting point by your own transport, then you can register by phone on 07825 387330. If you do not register, you will not be permitted to join the walk.
Please ensure you book your bus transport and entertainment at the same time as numbers are limited. Spaces will be allocated at the time of booking. Remember to print off your receipt information - you will also receive an email confirmation at time of booking to the email address provided. If no email address is provided, a letter will be posted to the postal address provided. If you would prefer to pay be credit or debit card over the telephone please contact the VisitScotland Information Centre in Dundee on 01382 527527.
Online Booking support is available Monday - Friday from 10am to 4pm - please call:
01307 473271 or email walkingfestival@angusahead.com.
Payment can be made by Maestro, Visa, Visa Debit, Visa Electron, Mastercard and Solo cards.
Walks may be altered or cancelled at short notice for reasons beyond the organisers' control, including severe weather conditions, but alternatives will be offered, where possible.
Walks can be cancelled with a 15% administration fee per walk per person up to, and including, 26 April. Thereafter a 50% cancellation fee per walk per person will apply up to, and including, 10 May. No refunds will be given after this date.
The Angus Glens Walking Festival would not have been possible without the generous support of our Sponsors and Partners.
The following Ordnance Survey publications are relevant to the area featured in the
Angus Glens Walking Festival.
• Explorer 388. Lochnagar, Glen Muick & Glen Clova. Explorer 381. Blairgowrie.
1:25,000 scale (4cm to 1km or 2.5 inches to 1 mile). Retail price: £7.99 each.
• Landranger 44. Ballater & Glen Clova. Landranger 53. Blairgowrie and surrounding area.
1:50,000 scale (2cm to 1km or 1.75 inches to 1 mile). Retail price: £6.99 each.
All maps are packed with useful information to help you get to know the area including viewpoints, places of interest and visitor information. To place your order, please contact the VisitScotland Information Centre in Dundee on 01382 527527.
Kirriemuir can be accessed by public transport, please visit Traveline Scotland for more information www.travelinescotland.com or telephone 0871 200 22 33.
