Perth Burns Club

Summer Outings

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2019 Outing, Sunday 2nd June

20 members and guests made the journey to Dundee and Coupar Angus. The countryside was lush with growth and the Carse of Gowrie, the Sidlaws and Strathmore all provided a lovely background to the trip.

We encountered morning rain, but we were insulated first by the bus, then by the V&A building. After midday, drier weather allowed us to explore other Dundee attractions.

First stop was the Dundee V&A, opened in 2018 and funded by the Scottish and UK governments, Heritage Lottery, Creative Scotland, Scottish Enterprise, Dundee City Council and numerous others.

The dramatic V&A design was undertaken by Japanse architect Kengo Kuma, who won an international competition in 2010. His design is based on Scottish sea cliffs and the hull of a ship swathed in waves.

The Scottish Design Galleries are the permanent centrepiece of the V&A. Many of the exhibits have been assembled for the first time, and cover a huge range of activity, including engineering, construction, shipping, furniture, fashion, publishing and a reconstruction of Charles Rennie Mackintosh's Oak Room.

Also available was a Videogames exhibition, marking Dundee's major contribution to this vibrant new industry.

The V&A catering (restaurant and snack bar) was well employed recharging our batteries at midday, when the sun put in a welcome appearance. The remainder of our time in Dundee was given to individual choice.

The RRS Discovery is immediately adjacent to the V&A, and is a superb location with the visitor centre and the fully refurbished ship to explore. Dundee-built, the Discovery transported Scott and Shackleton on their Antarctic voyages of 1902-04 (including being trapped in the ice). Our party here thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

The Verdant Works is operated by Dundee Heritage Trust and tells the story of the jute industry. Located in West Henderson's Wynd, the refurbished factory has won several local and international awards for its huge stock of machinery and examples of jute products. The original Boulton Watt steam engine which powered the entire works is still operational. An absolutely fascinating place which needed 2-3 hours to do it justice.

The McManus Gallery, located centrally in Albert Square, and fronted by the city's Burns statue, contains a wealth of exhibition material, including 20th century Scottish Art, the Travels of a Dundee Doctor, Landscapes and Lives and the Making of Modern Dundee. Field reports from here were very positive.

Other options included central Dundee shopping, HMS Unicorn, and a wide variety of cafes and other watering holes.

After reconvening at the V&A, a short drive northwards took us to The Red House in Coupar Angus where we were treated to an excellent high tea.

Club president Stewart MacDougall proposed a vote of thanks to the Red House, our driver Duncan, and the first-class organisation work of Arthur and Jean Bruce.