Brechin, Edzell, Stracathro, Trinity

At the heart of Brechin is the eye-catching cathedral and a remarkable 11th century round tower, along with High Street properties dating back to the 15th Century and one-time mill buildings which are attracting the attention of heritage preservation experts.

Another bypassed town which is handily placed for the A90 to Dundee and Aberdeen, Brechin - home of Brechin City FC - is large enough to offer its 8000 population one secondary school, several primaries and a wide range of shops and local businesses.

The communities nearby include Stracathro - which retains a Tayside Health Board hospital facility - the hamlet of Trinity and Edzell, renowned for the historic Dalhousie Arch spanning the entrance to an attractive Georgian era planned town. Once home to a major US military base, which finally closed in 1997, Edzell, which has a popular golf club, has successfully reinvented itself over the past 20 years.