Kirriemuir

Kirriemuir offers several distinct points of interest for a stay: musical tributes and Bonfest, the literary history surrounding J. M. Barrie, local museums, and green spaces and wildlife watching. If you’re looking for a hotel in Kirriemuir, you can choose among these themes based on what you want your trip to focus on: an annual event, individual historic sites or outdoor activities.

Musical tributes and Bonfest

A life-size bronze statue of Bon Scott stands in a memorial garden at Bellies Brae. It was unveiled in April 2016 during the 10th annual Bonfest. The festival takes place in Kirriemuir every year and celebrates Bon Scott. Together, the permanent memorial statue and the recurring event represent two different ways of commemorating him. If Bonfest is important to your travel plans, check the dates for your intended year of travel.

J. M. Barrie and the Camera Obscura

J. M. Barrie’s birthplace is at 9 Brechin Road in Kirriemuir. The writer and creator of Peter Pan was born there in 1860. Another connection to Barrie is the Kirriemuir Camera Obscura: he gifted it to the town, and it opened on 7 June 1930. It offers a 360-degree view of the surrounding landscape, including the hills and the Angus Glens, and is one of only three camera obscuras in Scotland. The birthplace and camera obscura therefore offer distinct points of interest: a biographical site and a view of the landscape.

Museums and Peter Pan themes

The Kirriemuir Gateway to the Glens Museum is located in Kirriemuir Town House, a building constructed in 1604. The Tayside Police Museum traces the history of policing in Dundee City, Perth & Kinross and Angus. Its subject matter covers several areas, while the Town House brings together a museum location and a specific construction date. Local architectural history and the history of policing across a wider region therefore stand alongside each other as distinct historical themes.

Neverland Park opened in 2010 as part of a project commemorating the 150th birthday of J. M. Barrie. Its play equipment features themes from Peter Pan, including Captain Hook and a crocodile. This provides another connection to Barrie’s work: here, the focus is on characters and themes from the story, while his birthplace offers a biographical connection.

Green spaces, nature and cycling

Kirriemuir Den is a peaceful green space near the town centre. Paths at different levels run through it. Loch of Kinnordy, an RSPB-managed nature reserve, is also near Kirriemuir, 1.6 km west of the town on the B951 towards Glenisla. Three hides offer views of different parts of the loch. Wildlife watching is therefore spread across different areas of the loch. As visiting details may change, check the current conditions before your visit.

The cycle route from Kirriemuir to Loch of Lintrathen starts in the town centre. This gives cyclists a specific starting point; the route’s destination is Loch of Lintrathen, while the hides at Loch of Kinnordy offer a different nature experience. It is also worth distinguishing between the dates when planning your trip: the years of Barrie’s birth and the opening of the Camera Obscura, as well as the opening of Neverland Park, mark individual historic events. Bonfest, on the other hand, takes place every year; if you plan to visit for the festival, the date in your intended year of travel is the key consideration.

Discover more destinations: Bridgend Of Lintrathen, Dykehead, Tannadice, Monifieth, Glamis, Brechin, Westmuir, Kirkton Of Glenisla

For the wider travel overview: Angus.