When planning my previous Dundee walk, I noticed a railway path beyond the northern extremities of the city. This proved to be part of the old line to Newtyle, an Angus village which itself has an excellent network of walking trails based around dismantled railways. I had a wonderful time exploring there a couple of years ago. The new Dundee option was put on the list and plans began to firm up as a bank holiday approached. By then I had heard about another section of the old line open to walkers. This leg was closer to the city centre and the aim was to traverse both routes plus a swathe of Dundee streets in between.
Firstly, a bit of background on the Dundee to Newtyle Railway. The line dates back as far as 1831 and originally had three rope-worked inclines powered by stationary steam engines. There was also a tunnel under the imposing bulk of the Law (incredibly, the bore still exists). This incarnation of the railway was expensive and time-consuming to operate and by the 1860s a sweeping deviation had been built around the extinct volcano to allow traffic to progress more efficiently. Off I headed on the Stagecoach express. I was using my weekly commuting pass and it made financial sense to travel by bus today. The Fife Megarider Plus ticket offers good value at £30 for seven days travel. Dundee, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Stirling, Perth and Livingston are also included in the zone. You simply wave your pre-loaded smartcard over the reader and step on board. I was also breaking in a new pair of walking shoes. Therefore I wanted a decent test on firm dry surfaces but didn't plan to overdo things. The first stage began almost two miles from the bus station and I decided to cut that distance out by hopping on a service that passed close to the starting point. Being a Stagecoach route, my Megarider was again valid.
The path is known as The Miley and is part of a rewilding project. Overgrown old railways are ideally suited to the job as they harbour a great deal of wildlife within an urban environment. Simply cut back enough vegetation to allow walkers and cyclists a safe passage. This particular stretch passes through mixed residential and industrial terrain but - curiously - you're not too aware of all that as the line sits in a cutting which shields you from much of the surroundings. A green artery running through a bustling city. The mighty Cox's Stack was visible at certain points. Must go for a closer inspection of this old chimney some time. The Miley ends at Clepington Road where you climb to street level and are faced with the concrete mass of a retail park. Clearly no future extension of the walkway is viable. I now faced a trek to the northern limits of Dundee, crossing over the Kingsway en route. The weather had been holding up well but I was hit by a couple of brief hail showers. The sun was soon shining again and you never know what to expect in Scotland. As soon as I left the city, a rapid switch to rural countryside occurred and the Sidlaw hills rose in the distance. A road sign indicated I was entering the Council Area of Angus which of course does not tie up with the historic county boundaries - something I feel people are not always aware of. It's sensible that large cities do govern their own affairs and of course Dundonians have their own strong identity. However, Dundee is traditionally part of Angus (or Forfarshire as it was once known) and I'm hesitant to airbrush the borders of the various shires which have been in place for centuries.
I quickly reached the pleasant hamlet of Bridgefoot then turned left along a quiet minor road towards the start of the railway path. The two-mile section of trackbed wound its way through the countryside and I had a very peaceful lunch on a bench. I couldn't dally as I wanted to catch a bus at the end of the route and it was an hourly service. I knew I would make it but had to keep moving. Passing though the remains of Dronley Station was interesting. The crumbling platform is extant and I don't think anyone would venture out here with the intention of committing vandalism. I pushed on towards the end of the trail and emerged at the cottages on the main road with a good 15 minutes to spare. The bus trundled along and whisked me back to Dundee. I supped a couple of welcome pints in Wetherspoons. The pub chain divides opinion but there is always a good selection of ales and I like to find a quiet corner at the end of a lengthy walk.