Visits to Dundee are akin to waiting for a bus! I hadn't been there in ages then three trips followed in quick succession. This time, the purpose of my visit was to check out the new footpath from the city centre to the lovely coastal town of Broughty Ferry, a total distance of around four miles. A previous bugbear was the fact there was previously no way of doing this walk entirely off-pavement, due to public access through Dundee Docks being prohibited.
All this changed recently with the opening of a shared route for walkers and cyclists which threads its way between the port perimeter and the railway line. Providing this missing link is especially welcome as the section beyond the port authority is a lovely meander along the coast. Hopefully the new purpose-built walkway will attract a healthy interest. I started at the modern waterfront development where the new V&A museum is located. I worked my way along to the old docklands where HMS Unicorn is permanently berthed. The frigate is reckoned to be the world's oldest floating warship from the days of sail. It now functions as a museum and can be hired to host events. The new section of path is aesthetically unremarkable, being hemmed in between a security fence and the railway embankment, but the views change for the better when you emerge at Stannergate Roundabout. A footpath takes you along the coast with trains hurtling by along the East Coast Main Line to your left. Broughty Castle is a clear landmark in the distance. The plan was to jump on a train back to Dundee at the end of my walk. A consultation of the timetable informed me I'd have time to stop off at the Fisherman's Tavern for a pint or two. I had previously explored the castle and town (Mum & Dad used to have a caravan up here) so heading straight for the pub seemed perfectly in order.
The Fisherman's has been in the Good Beer Guide for donkeys years and you don't need to seek out the handpumps here - they are staring you in the face as soon as you walk through the front door. There are always half a dozen ales available in tip-top condition. I arrived just before 12 and the place was fairly quiet. The weekend lunchtime rush hadn't quite begun. I plonked myself on a bar stool
and perused the pump clips. Sure, you pay a bit more for a pint in these types of hostelry compared to the chain drinking barns. However, the atmosphere tends to be convivial and the ales are well looked after. Customer service is also first class. Not that I'm campaigning against the likes of Wetherspoons. They too have their plus points. Time to head round the corner for my train. Express services thunder straight through Broughty Ferry but there is an hourly local stopping service. Unusually, there is a level crossing right in the middle of town adjacent to the station. A nice touch is the preserved signal box and model steam train.
I was waiting on the platform when suddenly it flashed up on the screens that my train had been cancelled. Cheers Scotrail! I thought about going back to the tavern but upon checking the local bus timetable, it transpired that Stagecoach run buses up this way and my weekly Fife Plus ticket would be valid. Off I went on the bus back to Dundee and I popped into a Wetherspoons in the city centre. I'm not quite sure how they manage to sell ales at two quid a pop but I ain't gonna knock it back (the price, I mean). Purists rant and rave about Spoons but my argument is they don't browbeat
breweries into trading with them. Free market and all that. Moreover, the ales are generally well cared for (most certainly not the case in some other chain establishments) and there's usually a good choice on offer. Yes, it takes a while to be served at peak times but that would be the case anywhere. More power to Spoons owner Tim Martin. (Dodgy political views notwithstanding).
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