Arbroath Coastal Walk — Weather, Harbor & Cliffs by the Sea

Arbroath harbour wall under stormy skies, rough sea, waves breaking against stone.
RNLI station and lifeboat at Arbroath harbour, shot from coastal walk, rough weather.

Walking the coast around Arbroath often means facing the sea, sky, and whatever weather brings — and that’s exactly what this set of images shows. Storm-light, crashing surf, softened cliffs — all blending into the rugged edges of the harbour and coastline.

The image on the right makes me smile, as you can guess, I got absolutely soaked!

These photos were taken during rough weather; salt spray, wind, and sudden cloud cover influenced how each frame looked. The harbour walls stood weathered; waves broke against jetties; the cliffs loomed overhead, cliffs and textures highlighted where light managed through the cloud. Some shots show the RNLI, lifeboat station, or pilot office—places shaped by sea. Others are just of the way waves hit rock, or how boats hover between calm and chaos. It was more about mood than precision.

The coast around Arbroath always shows something new — in structure, texture, or weather. If you like rugged coastal scenes and harbour life, take a look at my Places and Travel galleries.

Jackup Bridge — Offshore Industrial Photography

JB-115 jack-up barge seen side on with legs out of water, showing platform height and offshore structure.

Side view of the JB-115 jack-up barge with legs deployed, showing the height and structure above water.

Close-up of deck machinery and crane structure of JB-115 jack-up barge, industrial photo.

JB-115 is more than just an accommodation jack-up barge; it’s a functional part of offshore life. On boarding, its size, structure, and role become clear — housing, workspaces, crane capacity, and leg height all matter when you’re working miles from land.

The JB-115, owned by JUB, is an MSC SEA-2000 self-elevating unit built in 2009. It houses 64 people with the capacity to increase to 120. Its legs stand 80 meters tall; with a maximum payload of 1,250 tonnes and a 300-ton crane, it handles more than just housing. I captured shots of deck structure, machinery, the legs reaching upward, and the scale of its operations. Whether close-up of welds or distant views of tower and platform, there’s something in the lines, metal, and industrial detail working together.

Platforms like this are where engineering, endurance, and offshore conditions intersect. For more industrial and renewables work, see my Wind Industry and Industrial galleries.

Montrose Quay — Early Morning Port & Industrial Photography

Wide view of Montrose Quay at sunrise, supply vessels and pier reflected in calm water.

Montrose Quay lights up quietly in the early morning. The vessels, equipment, and waterfront infrastructure are still moving, but softer light and calm seas lend contrast and detail to a place that in daylight is loud and full.

Ports like Montrose show how industrial activity, marine life, and structure blend. For more harbour or industrial photography, see my Places and Wind Industry galleries.

How Tall Are Offshore Wind Turbines? — Technical Info & UK Offshore Examples

UK offshore wind turbine up close; tower height, blade rotation, scale against sea.

Offshore wind turbines are massive — but how massive? On UK wind farms, turbines can reach up to 204 m to the blade tip, with blade diameters around 164 m. These numbers aren’t just statistics — they shape visual scale, installation requirements, and how turbines integrate into sea and sky.

The turbine in the video above comes from a UK offshore wind farm. At full height of 204 m, the blade tip sweeps an arc almost twice that of many older onshore turbines. For comparison, many onshore turbines are 80-120 m in tip height. That scale affects logistics — transport, foundation design, sea access — and affects what the turbine looks like from shore or sea.

Seeing one in place, through video, gives a real impression of height and movement. The blade diameter of 164 m means each blade is longer than many football fields are wide, and the swept area covers hectares. Height also changes how shadows, wind, and light interact with the structure — tall towers catch more wind, reflect more sky, and tower over waves.

Technical specs like this help understanding what wind turbines are and what they do. For more photographs of UK wind farms, structure and scale, see my Wind Industry and Places galleries.

Exploring the Timeless Beauty of Arbroath Abbey — Medieval Architecture, Scotland

Arbroath Abbey, founded in 1178, remains one of Scotland’s finest medieval ruins. Even in partial ruin, its arches, rose windows, and carved stone tell stories of history, craftsmanship, faith, and identity.

Built by King William the Lion, the Abbey is best known as the place where the Declaration of Arbroath was drafted in 1320 — a document that asserted Scotland’s independence. In person, the Abbey’s architecture speaks in stone: towered sections, pointed arches, weathered rose windows, and worn masonry. The play of light through open arches and across aged surfaces accentuates how architecture survives time. During my visit, I walked among the ruins, noting where shadows lengthen and details emerge in light — stone carvings, tracery, and subtle wear showing centuries of exposure.

Ruins like this connect us to centuries past, where architecture, faith, and identity meet in stone. For more church architecture and heritage photography, see my Places and Drone galleries.

St Vigeans Church

Good morning,

Today I’d like to share some photos of St Vigeans Church.

This Church of Scotland parish church serves the parish of the ancient village of St Vigeans on the outskirts of Arbroath, Angus, Scotland. The church was rebuilt in the 12th century but not consecrated until 1242 by David de Bernham, Bishop of St Andrews

These images are another edition to my church project where I am enjoying shooting different churches.

Do you have an ongoing project? I would love to see it.

Send me a message on Instagram.

Thanks,

Lee

Arbroath cliffs trail.

Imagine standing atop rugged cliffs, with the North Sea crashing below and the wind whipping through your hair.

Welcome to the Arbroath Cliffs Walk, where nature’s raw beauty meets Scotland’s storied coastline.

The Arbroath Cliffs Walk stretches along Scotland’s east coast, offering a 4-mile trail filled with dramatic cliff faces, natural rock formations, and panoramic sea views.

Have you walked the Arbroath Cliffs? Share your favorite spots or good photography walk in the comments on my instagram @lee_ramsden as I would love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks

Lee

GWO course renewals.

Good morning, today id like to share some images of recent courses attended.

Those who work in the renewables industry will feel my pain for attending the GWO renewal courses….again

The courses consist of -

  • Sea Survival

  • First Aid

  • Working at height

  • Manual handling

  • Fire fighting

These certificates are only valid for 2 years and have to be kept up to date whilst working offshore in the renewables industry.

Honda Motorcycle.

Good morning,

today i’d like to share some images of a recent motorcycle shoot.

Here is a short video of how I lit the above image.

The images were lit and shot by myself and I had to keep the equipment very light and compact to a single rucksack, so that I could ride the motorcycle to the different locations.

I really enjoy vehicle photography.

I would love to see your images, comment over on Instagram @lee_ramsden.

Thanks,

Lee