Mason's Cave

You'll find Mason's Cave tucked into the cliffs near Arbroath, a proper little sea cave that's worth half an hour if you're walking the coastal paths anyway. It's nothing massive - more of a modest rocky alcove carved into the sandstone - but there's something satisfying about ducking inside and imagining the smugglers and fishermen who sheltered here centuries back.

Getting to it means a decent walk along the beach from Arbroath, so bring decent shoes and time it for low tide or you'll be clambering over rocks. The cave itself is free, as you'd expect from something carved by the sea rather than opened up as an attraction. Kids enjoy the adventure of reaching it more than the cave itself, frankly - it's not deep enough to properly explore, just a recess in the rock.

Historically minded visitors and coastal walkers will find it fits naturally into a broader ramble along the Angus coastline. If you're staying at The Grange Glamping just down the road, it's an easy outing to tack onto a morning. Don't make a special trip though - treat it as a stop rather than a destination.

The cave rewards those with patience to sit quietly for a few minutes watching the waves, particularly when the light's coming in from the right angle. Atmospheric rather than spectacular, and genuinely free of any of the tourist furniture that clutters up similar spots.