Kirriemuir, or “Kirrie”, is a small, picturesque town in Angus.
It has a rich history, dating all the way back to the earliest recorded times.
The Kirriemuir Sculpted Stones from the late Pictish period are on display at the Gateway to the Glens Museum in the town centre.
If you look up at the roofs on some older houses, you’ll spot curious ledges sticking out from the chimney stacks. These were known as a “witches stane”.
They were installed to provide witches a place to rest on as they flew over the town so that the dwellers could avoid being on the receiving end of a curse!
It’s also the home of several noteworthy people including J.M. Barrie, author of Peter Pan, and Bon Scott, vocalist of AC/DC.
It’s perfect for a day trip or a longer stay.
One of the best things about exploring Kirrie is that it’s quite easy to walk from one attraction to another in a circular fashion!
Celebrate J.M. Barrie
We started in the town centre at the statue of Peter Pan, commemorating its author. Don’t forget to read the plaque and the quote that wraps around the statue on the ground.
Photograph by Abbie Phillips.
From there, we walked north east through the centre of town, passing many interesting shops, cafes and restaurants as we went. Our destination was J.M. Barrie’s birthplace.
The small, whitewashed home is a traditional weaver’s house and the rooms are set out the way they would have been when Barrie was growing up. There is also a garden and small gift shop.
It’s open from April 1 to October 31 and closed for the winter months.
Enjoy stunning views
Leaving the weaver’s house, we walked to the outskirts of the town and up the footpath leading to an old quarry.
The quarry is now used as a rock climbing wall and we spotted some climbers having a go. But we were there for a different reason – the stunning views across Angus.
Photograph by Abbie Phillips.
If you have little ones with you, they’ll love the Peter Pan play park when you reach the top of Kirriemuir Hill. The wooden pirate ship and climbing frames have carvings of Captain Hook and Peter Pan – perfect for wild imaginations!
While they’re playing, you can soak up the views of the rolling Angus Glens in the distance.
Home to ten Munros, the Glens are definitely next on our list!
Photograph by Abbie Phillips.
Illusions, museums and more
There is also a cemetery at the top of the hill – the resting place of J.M. Barrie. It looks on over Strathmore Valley and the Sidlaw Hills.
Further along the path from the Peter Pan play park is a small Camera Obscura museum. It’s one of only three in Scotland and was gifted to the town by J.M. Barrie himself.
The museum has been closed due to the pandemic, but it’s hoping to re-open in Spring 2022.
From there, we headed down hill towards the town again.
Back in town there is plenty to do. The Star Rock Shop is ‘the oldest sweet shop in Scotland’. Perfect for souvenirs!
There is also the Tayside Police Museum and, of course, the Kirriemuir Gateway to the Glens Museum.
If you travelled in by car, be sure to take a selfie with the statue of Bon Scott at the entrance to the car park before you leave!
Find out what the rest of the team has been up to lately here.
Abigail Phillips Abbie is the newest member of the fiction team at the "Friend." She loves how varied the role is - every day is different and there is always a new story to read. She is keen to work closely with established writers and discover new writers, too.
