Skip to content
Voykit
Set your trip — dates, party, bagsPlanner

Draft data. Times, fares and step counts are desk estimates awaiting field checks. Unknown times stay unknown. How we verify

Major city · United Kingdom

Forfar

Base in Forfar only if you have a car: 1 night covers the town, and Glamis Castle plus the Pictish stones need a half-day each.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
GBP
Best months
May–Sep
avoid Nov–Feb (short days, many sights closed)
Airports
DND · EDI · ABZ
Nights
1
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 8Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…
  • Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
  • Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗Neither the UK nor Ireland is part of Schengen: days spent here do not count towards the 90/180-day Schengen limit, and a Schengen visa does not admit you to either country.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗The island of Ireland runs on two currencies: euro in the Republic, pound sterling in Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Carry a card that pays in both without fees.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗Both islands drive on the left. Speed limits are in miles per hour in the UK (including Northern Ireland) and in kilometres per hour in the Republic of Ireland.
  • United Kingdom ↗Most visitors who do not need a UK visa now need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travelling; this includes EU nationals. Irish citizens are exempt. Check the UK government site for your passport.
  • United Kingdom ↗The UK is outside the EU and the Schengen area; a Schengen visa is not valid for the UK.
  • United Kingdom ↗Driving is on the left; London has congestion and emissions charges for most vehicles, so do not drive in the city.

Forfar is the county town of Angus, 13 miles north of Dundee, and works as a low-cost, low-key base for Glamis Castle and the Pictish carved stones at Meigle, Eassie and Aberlemno. The town itself is small: a museum, two churches, a loch with a park, and Forfar bridies. Without a car the sights are hard to reach, so most travellers sleep in Dundee and day-trip, or stop one night on the way to Aberdeen.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Forfar, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee or tea in a café£3–4.50 (≈ US$4–6)
  • Sit-down mealPub main course£12–18 (≈ US$16–25)
  • BeerPint of beer£4.50–6 (≈ US$6–8)
  • Taxi, about 5 kmTaxi Forfar to Glamis Castle£15–20 (≈ US$20–30) each way
  • Metro or bus rideStagecoach bus Dundee to Forfar£4–5 (≈ US$6–7) single
  • Museum or sight ticketGlamis Castle adult ticket2026 estimateabout £18.50 (≈ US$25)
  • Budget bedHostel or bunkhouse bed, a night, per person£25 (≈ US$35)
  • Mid-range bedB&B or hotel double room, a night, per room£110 (≈ US$150)
  • High-end bedB&B or hotel double room, a night, per room£170 (≈ US$250)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget £45 (≈ US$60) · Mid £75 (≈ US$100) · High £130 (≈ US$180)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Glamis CastlePictish carved stonesForfar bridiesForfar Loch
Airports
DND Dundee Airport (Small; most arrivals use Edinburgh (EDI) or Aberdeen (ABZ), then train to Dundee and bus to Forfar.) · EDI Edinburgh Airport (Train to Dundee about 1 h 20 min, then Stagecoach bus 20/21/22 about 40 min.) · ABZ Aberdeen Airport (Train south to Dundee or Arbroath, then bus.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Forfar: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

6°C

0°C

13 rd

Feb

7°C

0°C

10 rd

Mar

9°C

2°C

11 rd

Apr

11°C

3°C

9 rd

May

15°C

6°C

10 rd

Jun

17°C

9°C

10 rd

Jul

19°C

11°C

11 rd

Aug

19°C

11°C

11 rd

Sep

16°C

9°C

10 rd

Oct

13°C

6°C

12 rd

Nov

9°C

3°C

12 rd

Dec

6°C

0°C

12 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

Forfar has no railway station; Dundee (13 miles south) is the nearest. Stagecoach buses 20/21/22 run Dundee–Forfar every 30–60 min, about 40 min, and bus 27 links Arbroath in about 45 min. Citylink coaches between Edinburgh/Glasgow and Aberdeen stop at the A90/A94 junction two miles southwest of town, not the centre. For Glamis Castle, Meigle, Eassie and Aberlemno you need a car, a bike or a taxi: there is no practical bus service.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Glamis Castle

go

Door to door: About 20 min each way

Drive or taxi 6 miles southwest on the A94

Castle Apr–Nov, Thu–Sun 10:00–16:00; adult castle ticket £18.50 (2026 estimate). Gardens included in season.

Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum

go

Door to door: About 25 min each way

Drive 12 miles west via the A94

27 Pictish stones in a former schoolhouse; Apr–Sep, Sun–Tue and Thu 10:00–16:00, adult £7.50.

Kirriemuir

go

Door to door: About 40 min

Stagecoach bus 20 or 22 from Forfar, about 20 min

JM Barrie's birthplace museum (NTS) open Mar–Oct; Bonfest rock festival in May.

Aberlemno Sculptured Stones

caution

Door to door: About 20 min each way

Drive 7 miles northeast on the B9134 (≈ US$13,000)

Stones stand in the open by the churchyard and are boxed for frost in winter; no facilities.

Dundee

go

Door to door: About 1 h

Stagecoach bus 20/21/22 from Forfar centre, about 40 min

V&A Dundee, RSS Discovery and the McManus Gallery, which holds one of the Aberlemno stones.

Arbroath

go

Door to door: About 1 h

Bus 27, about 45 min; hourly Mon–Sat, only four buses on Sunday

Ruined abbey and the Signal Tower; smoked haddock country.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Forfar town centre (Castle St / The Cross)

Walkable to the Meffan Museum, pubs and buses; the practical choice for one night without a car.

Forfar Lochside

Caravan and camping site by the loch, open Mar–Oct; best for self-drive trips.

Glamis and Kirriemuir

Village stays closer to the castle and Kirriemuir; needs a car or taxi.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
£45–70 (≈ US$60–95) excl. bed
Mid
£70–110 (≈ US$95–150) excl. bed
High
£110 (≈ US$150)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
B&B or hotel double room1 × 1 night × £110£110
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × £75£150
Stagecoach Dundee–Forfar return2 × £10£20
Glamis Castle adult ticket2 × £19£37
Taxi Forfar–Glamis return1 × £30£30
eSIM, about a week of data2 × £10£20
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge£37
Trip total≈ £202 per person per day, bed included£404≈ US$550

2026 estimate in pounds; travel to Forfar excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee or tea in a café£3–4.50 (≈ US$4–6)
Forfar bridie from a bakery£2.50–4 (≈ US$4–6)
Pub main course£12–18 (≈ US$16–25)
Pint of beer£4.50–6 (≈ US$6–8)
Taxi Forfar to Glamis Castle£15–20 (≈ US$20–30) each way
Stagecoach bus Dundee to Forfar£4–5 (≈ US$6–7) single
Glamis Castle adult ticket2026 estimateabout £18.50 (≈ US$25)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Forfar is a quiet small town and feels safe day and night; the real risks are rural roads, single-track passing places, and long, dark winter afternoons. Standard UK advice applies: 999 in an emergency, 101 for non-urgent police.
  • No railway station: everything goes via Dundee by bus, or a car.
  • Glamis Castle is six miles away with no useful bus; book a taxi or drive.
  • Several sights are seasonal: Glamis Castle Apr–Nov, Meigle museum Apr–Sep, Pitmuies Gardens Apr–Sep.
  • The Tayside Police Museum in Kirriemuir is closed until 2027.
  • Rural roads are single-track in places with passing places; drive on the left.

Emergency numbers

Emergency (police, fire, ambulance)
999
NHS non-urgent advice
111
Police non-urgent
101

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

ForfarForfar

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Emergency (police, fire, ambulance)999
  • NHS non-urgent111
  • Police non-urgent101

Embassy

No embassies in Forfar; the US consulate-general is in Edinburgh and most other missions are in London. Check your own government's list before you travel.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Bus Dundee → Forfar: about £4–5 (≈ US$6–7) single, 40 min
  • Bus Forfar → Arbroath: about £4–5 (≈ US$6–7) single, 45 min
  • Taxi Forfar → Glamis Castle: £15–20 (≈ US$20–30) each way

Say or show

  • Hello — Hello (hel-LO)
  • Thank you — Thank you (THANK yoo)
  • Please — Please (pleez)
  • How much is it? — How much is it? (how much iz it)
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card? (kan eye pay by kard)
  • Where is the toilet? — Where is the toilet? (wair iz the TOY-let)

English is spoken everywhere; no phrasebook needed.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Forfar. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Sep · avoid Nov–Feb (short days, many sights closed) · month by month →
  2. 3 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 6 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for EDI and ABZ: last train and bus times to Dundee, taxi fallback from Dundee to Forfar, overnight rung.
  2. Walking cluster for the town: Meffan Museum, East and Old Church, Lowson Memorial Church, Forfar Loch and the Witches Memorial.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Glamis Castle, Meigle museum, Pitmuies Gardens, Restenneth Priory) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Car-hire and taxi fixtures so the Pictish-stone loop (Meigle, Eassie, Aberlemno, St Orland's Stone) can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to United Kingdom

Sources