Dundee & Angus
Dundee & Angus is situated in east-central Scotland, on the north bank of the Firth of Tay. The region is home to the only V&A Museum of Design outside of London.
Population: 265,000 (approx.)
Five Fascinating Facts:
| 1. Dundee is the birth place of the Grand Theft Auto series – one of the largest gaming franchises in the world |
| 2. The city is also home to the brand new V&A Museum of Design – the only one of its kind outside of London |
| 3. Kirriemuir – the smallest town in Angus – hosts an annual heavy metal festival called ‘Bonfest’ in honour of AC/DC lead singer Bon Scott, who was born in the town |
| 4. Channel your inner Shakespeare at Glamis Castle in Angus, which was the setting of Macbeth |
| 5. The stadiums of the two professional football clubs in Dundee are actually on the same street, and are just 200 yards apart |
Education:
Dundee and Angus is home to 105 primary and secondary schools, with an excellent spread across the entire region. Included in this is the very ancient High School of Dundee, which dates back as far as the 13th century. This region also has two universities: Abertay University and The University of Dundee.
Abertay University is especially respected for its computing and creative technology courses, particularly in computer games technology and is where the makers of Grand Theft Auto started out. It was also the first university in the world to offer a degree in ethical computer hacking.
Find out more about the school system in Scotland.
Find out more about universities in Scotland.
Local industries:
Video game development is one of the biggest industries in this area, and has been for decades now. The region is the birthplace of what is now Rockstar North, creators of the mega-hit series, Grand Theft Auto. This is by no means the only example with many other game development companies including Outplay Entertainment, the UK’s largest mobile games developer.
If technology isn’t your forte, the region is also home to D.C. Thomson, a publishing company with more than 100 years of history in everything from broadsheet newspapers to some of the UK’s best-loved comics. The surrounding Angus region also has a huge agricultural industry and is home to the world-famous Aberdeen-Angus beef.
Find out more about working in Scotland.
Transport:
This region is well served by an extensive network of bus routes, meaning that if you prefer a rural lifestyle, you still won’t have too many problems getting into the heart of the city. Dundee, as well as most towns in Angus, will also be served by a regular train service, giving you even more travel options. If travelling by car, the A90 road runs right through the heart of Dundee and connects as far south as Edinburgh, and as far north as Fraserburgh.
The outdoors:
The city of Dundee is located on the north coast of the Firth of Tay, which leads out into the North Sea, so although it might be a little too chilly for a swim, it does provide some beautiful seaside walks. Heading further inland, you can find Dundee Law - an excellent hill walk to the summit of an extinct volcano that was central to Dundee’s defences for thousands of years.
Outside of Dundee, you are spoilt for choices, from the tall mountains and picturesque glens of the north, across the forests of areas like Strathmore, and down to the stunning sea cliffs in the south. You will definitely never be short of sights to keep you occupied.
Leisure:
All throughout Dundee and Angus, you’ll be able to find a huge array of different leisure activities to keep people of all ages busy. Dundee itself is known by the tagline ‘One city, many discoveries’ and you’ll certainly be able to discover plenty of cool things to do. Chief amongst these is the RSS Discovery, the famous ship that took Captain Robert Scott on his expedition to the Antarctic more than 100 years ago.
Just a stone’s throw from there you will find the brand-new V&A Museum of Design, the only one of its kind outside of London and a must-visit attraction. If history is more your thing, you can also head to Arbroath, which is known as ‘the birthplace of Scotland’. It was here in 1320 that the Declaration of Arbroath was signed, marking Scotland’s status as an independent nation.
Find out more about the outdoors and leisure on VisitScotland.com.
Accommodation:
As with most major cities, the closer you live to the town centre, the more you can expect to pay. However, those excellent transport links mean that even if you choose to live in the surrounding areas, you’re only a short journey back into the heart of Dundee. The centre of Dundee has underwent a period of regeneration in recent years, meaning that there are many stylish an modern accommodation options to sit alongside the more traditional houses and flats.
If you prefer a quieter existence, you may be better placed in one of the quaint towns and villages throughout Angus. What these little places lack in size, they more than make up for in character.