The Airlie Monument – A Tower above Glen Prosen and Strathmore
About 1.6 miles on foot.
The Airlie Monument is the red stone tower on Tulloch Hill that you can pick out from half of Angus, standing where Glen Prosen and Glen Clova meet the low country.
A short, steep walk climbs to it from a small car park beside the memorial to Captain Scott and Dr Wilson. It's 2.5 km there and back, and the view from its foot takes in both glens and the whole of Strathmore.
- Time
- About two hours: Visit Angus's Airlie Monument trail, 2.5 km (1.6 miles) there and back, graded moderate. Steep at first.
- The path
- A steep forestry track, then a path through heather, muddy in places.
- Where to start
- The small car park round the bend from the Scott and Wilson memorial at the mouth of Glen Prosen. Free. DD8 4ND is the nearest postcode.
- Set off
- From November to January, set off by 12.30pm to be back in daylight.
- When to go
- All year in daylight and clear weather. From November to January set off by 12.30pm.
- Dogs
- On a lead: sheep and grouse on the hill.
- Children
- Short, with a tower to aim for. The first climb is steep.
- Toilets
- None at the car park or on the hill.
- Before you set out
- The hilltop is open to the wind.
The walk
Park in the small car park just round the bend from the Scott and Wilson memorial, where the road enters Glen Prosen beyond Dykehead. It's free, and DD8 4ND is the nearest postcode. There are no toilets. Visit Angus gives the walk as 2.5 km there and back, grades it moderate and allows two hours. A forestry track climbs steeply from the road, then a clear path carries on through heather to a tall red stone tower on the shoulder of Tulloch Hill.
It was built in memory of the ninth Earl of Airlie, who was killed in the Boer War. From its foot you look up Glen Prosen and Glen Clova one way, and out over the whole of Strathmore the other. Give the memorial by the road a few minutes as well. It was unveiled in 2012 to Captain Scott and Dr Edward Wilson, who planned their expedition to the South Pole at Wilson's home in this glen. The track is muddy in places and the hilltop is open to the wind.
Sheep and grouse are on the hill, so keep dogs on a lead. The road into Glen Prosen is narrow and twisting, so take it gently. From November to January, set off by 12.30pm.
If it rains
The forest gives a little shelter at the bottom, but the tower stands on open heather and the view is the reason to go. In rain or low cloud, keep it for a clear day.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
The nearest of ours is Nàdair, 6 miles away. Sleeps 6; next free Fri 4 Dec to Sun 6 Dec.
For further reading, before you go.
Photograph by Petru via Google