Under-estimated Dundee
Tay Railroad Bridge seen from the Tayside promenade in Dundee
“The power of visibility can never be underestimated.” – Margaret Cho
Long overlooked by Scots and visitors alike, Dundee, Scotland’s fourth largest city, has for years been called the city of jute, jam, and journalism. Located on the shoreline of the Firth of Tay, this compact coastal city finds itself in the full swing of regeneration. As Dundee becomes more visible for visitors, this wonderful destination for a day trip by train from the capital promises a dramatic arrival over the Tay Rail bridge.
Next to the train station, the waterfront has been revitalized as in many European coastal industrial cities, in this case, to include two nautical museums. Moored at Discovery Point after returning to its construction site, the Royal Research Ship Discovery served as Captain Scott’s Antarctic Expedition ship, taking him and Ernest Shackleton there in 1901. The 1824 HM Frigate Unicorn is moored further along the delightful and diverse riverside promenade at City Quay, a new residential and entertainment area. One of the six oldest ships in the world, the 46-gun survivor of sailing navies makes for a rare experience. Adjacent to the RRS Discovery, Scotland’s design museum, the V & A Dundee, housed in a modern building of cutting-edge architecture, is aptly reminiscent of a ship. Open for free entry since 2018, the museum focuses on achievements in Scottish design, yet also includes international exhibitions.
From the riverside, through the Slessor Gardens, the town core is easily navigable on foot. St. Paul’s Episcopal Church overlooks the High Street, which leads to the pedestrian shopping street and City Square with its stately buildings including City Hall and Caird Hall for the performing arts. There’s a whimsical statue of Wild West comic character Desperate Dan from a now-defunct Scottish comic book series “The Dandy” published by local D.C Thomson & Co., a Dundee newspaper and magazine publishing empire.
On nearby Albert Square across from a Robert Burns statue, The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery & Museum is located in a beautiful Victorian Gothic Building resembling a cathedral. Eight gallery spaces display exhibits about history, art, and the environment, one spotlighting Dundee’s expansion in Victorian times when the big business of jute fueled the city’s prosperity.
Past the Howff Cemetery, a peaceful spot that was originally a Grey Friars Monastery garden, outside the old city core, lies the Verdant Works Museum. This museum of jute tells the story of Dundee’s textile and social heritage in a refurbished mill dating back to 1833. A legacy of the Industrial Revolution, the museum provides a fascinating view into jute production, the weaving of jute and linen, and working conditions. The industry once employed 50,000 people, touching virtually every Dundee family until the last mill closed in 1999.
Creative Dundee went beyond publishing and comics to include greeting cards and pioneering printmaking techniques for fine art prints during the 1960s. Considered an affordable alternative to painting, Dundee developed a network of open-access studios through which the industry thrives to the present day. Most recently, Dundee has become a hub for video game design, taking creativity into a new age.
Twenty minutes drive from Dundee on the way to the Cairngorms, majestic Glamis Castle, with its beautiful gardens and woodlands, is well worth a visit. Scotland’s “most beautiful” castle has seen over 650 years of Scottish history and provided Shakespeare inspiration for his tragic play of Macbeth.
Don’t Miss:
The V & A Museum, outside and inside with provocative permanent and temporary exhibitions.
Serendipity:
Finding the unexpected- Finding a parkland and painted columns under the Tay road bridge.
Lunch Tip:
The Verdant Works café for homemade soup and an array of tasty sandwiches.
Bedtime:
Since this is a day trip from the capital, Eleven Stafford Street, a beautiful townhouse in Edinburgh’s West End without reception.
Subscribe for inspiration to have my posts drop directly into your inbox. *If you enjoyed what you read, please share this post with like-minded travelers.*
*All photographs are mine, taken with my Nikon D5600 or iPhone 14 Pro.*