Gin 'On The Rocks': Coast, Geology & Climate-Positive Gin

Spend a day on Scotland's most dramatic coast, and finish at the world's first climate-positive distillery — with a guide who can read 400 million years of history in the cliffs at your feet. This full-day tour from Aberdeen takes you down the wild Mearns and Angus coast to five remarkable places: a clifftop viewpoint where the Highlands meet the Lowlands, a working fishing harbour, a hidden coastal foreshore where some of the earliest plants ever to grow on dry land left their fossils, the abandoned 19th-century lime kilns at Boddin Point, and the Arbikie Distillery — where pioneering gins are distilled from peas grown on the family farm. Your guide is Steve Adams — a working geologist with 45 years of experience and a knack for making rocks come alive. No geology background needed. Most of our guests don't have one. They tell us afterwards they had no idea geology could be this interesting.

1. 1

   Hill Of Garvock Viewpoint

   30 min

   A spectacular viewpoint overlooking the boundary between the Scottish Highlands and Lowlands. We'll get our bearings, take in the views, and unpack a few basic geological ideas that'll make sense of everything you see for the rest of the day. Don't worry — no homework.

2. 2

   Johnshaven

   1.5 hours

   A working fishing village with one of the prettiest harbours on the Angus coast. We'll walk the foreshore and read the story written in the rocks — ancient riverbeds, dried lake mud, and the traces of one of Scotland's earliest desert landscapes.

3. 3

   St Cyrus

   45 min

   A chance to hunt for fossils of some of the earliest plants ever to grow on dry land, and to see traces of Scotland's historic lime industry up close.

4. 4

   Montrose

   1.3 hours

   A proper seaside lunch at a restaurant locals love. Time to relax, refuel, and watch the sea. Lunch cost not included — budget around £15–£25 per person.

5. 5

   Boddin Point Lime Kilns

   45 min

   A hidden gem most visitors never find. Volcanic cliffs, an abandoned 19th-century lime industry, and views down a wild stretch of coast. Time for photos and stories about Scotland's industrial past meeting its volcanic deep history.

6. 6

   Arbikie Distillery

   1.5 hours

   The grand finale. Tour the working distillery on the Stirling family farm, learn how Arbikie became the world's first producer of climate-positive gin (made from peas, of all things), and taste three of their craft gins. A genuine field-to-bottle story you won't hear anywhere else in Scotland.

• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Service animals allowed
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
• Moderately steep cliff walks

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.