The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Public urged to ‘stay away’ from castle as risk of collapse grows
A “stay away” warning has been given over a crumbling Angus castle with connections to Robert the Bruce.
Red Castle at Lunan Bay has been at the centre of safety fears for many years over the deteriorating state of the late 12th Century sandstone structure.
But the combination of Storm Darcy and this month’s severe snowfall has caused further landslides, which have now seen the area around the castle cordoned off.
Lunan Bay has remained a magnet for dog walkers during lockdown and the castle remnants remain an attraction for many.
Arbroath East and Lunan councillor Derek Wann last raised the unsafe condition of the castle with council officers in 2019.
Mr Wann is now pursuing the next step after the latest significant deterioration.
“The message we must get out to people is one of safety first,” he said.
“It would be dreadful to see this castle collapse, but what is even more important is that folk don’t put themselves at any type of risk by venturing too close to it.
“I will discuss this again with Angus Council officers, however there isn’t a lot that the council can do.
“I would urge Historic Scotland or the body responsible for ensuring these types of buildings are given some protection and I would hope the owner would consider working with them to preserve what is left.
“If there is any way of entering into discussions with all parties that would be great.”
The Courier Travel has announced a new and exclusive river cruise, which celebrates the best of the Dutch bulb fields.
The new 2022 cruise – The Blooms of Holland & Belgium River Cruise with Brian Cunningham – will feature a bespoke itinerary created with our readers in mind.
The exclusive sailing, created in collaboration with Emerald Waterways, will depart on May 7 2022.
Starting and finishing in Amsterdam, the river cruise will embark on a seven-night voyage, featuring exclusive excursions while visiting historic cities of the Low Countries.
Hopping on board the river cruise will be convenient for readers across the country, with direct flights available from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Inverness airports.
Craig Houston, head of ecommerce and partnerships for DC Thomson Media, said: “We have been looking into this idea for quite some time and I am delighted that we can now confirm the departure in 2022.
“It is fantastic to be able to develop a partnership with a company that has the calibre of Emerald Waterways.
“This is the first time we’ve been able to collaborate on a specific departure with a river cruise partner.
“The stylish and contemporary on-board experience will, I am sure, be a big hit with our newspaper readers. I just hope they are as excited as we are.”
The incredible itinerary will take in places such as Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Antwerp and Arnhem and will also feature some horticultural highlights with the help of our special guest on board, gardening expert Brian Cunningham.
Brian will be familiar to viewers of The Beechgrove Garden and readers of The Courier and The Press and Journal for his “Ginger Gairdner” weekly columns.
You can join Brian for an evening drinks reception followed by a Q&A session before visiting
Keukenhof Gardens in his company, where he will give a talk inside the bulb field.
Brian said: “I am genuinely excited to be joining and spending time with the passengers on this Emerald Waterways cruise.
“It is such an amazing opportunity to visit the gardens of Keukenhof and to see the work of the Dutch horticultural masters at their best.”
There is also an opportunity for passengers to have an afternoon visit to the renowned gardening festival Floriade 2022, an extremely popular event that only takes place once every 10 years.
Your home-from-home for your river cruise is an award-winning Emerald Star-Ship, where innovation meets relaxation.
It will carry just 180 passengers offering an intimate on-board service, similar to what you would expect from a world-class hotel.
Colin Downing, managing director for Emerald Cruises, said: “We are very pleased to be launching an exclusive river cruise in partnership with DC Thomson Media.
“Together we have created a unique eight-day itinerary through Holland and Belgium packed with exclusive inclusions,
“Offering an intimate on-board service, similar to what you would expect from a world-class hotel
activities and excursions especially created with readers in mind, and so we hope the readers enjoy it.
“The bulb fields of Holland are beautiful in May and the chance to visit the Floriade exhibition will be a real treat given it only occurs once a decade.”