A historic town right-of-way is back to its best after a successful Montrose Society campaign to revive the route.
In their day, the Mill Road steps would have been the daily thoroughfare for workers going to the business from which they took their name.
Mussel-fishers also used them to get to the beds on the Basin front.
The area they lead to has seen development including the Tesco supermarket and town centre ring-road, but the deterioration of the steps saw them closed off around five years’ ago.
A near £10,000 common good-funded restoration project has now been completed.
Montrose Society chairman Raymond Sutton said it had been worth fighting to have the steps brought back into use.
He said: “They must be at least 150 years old and would have been a short cut to get from the busy part of the town around Castle Street and Bridge Street to the Basin front.
“The steps are a right-of-way and we just felt it was important that shouldn’t be lost.
“Everything disappears if you don’t watch out and look after it.”
The wider Mill Road project also involved young apprentices from GSK who got stuck into something different from their normal duties at the pharmaceutical plant.
“GSK asked us if we could do something with the apprentices and we got them to help clear the garden area beside the steps.
“The Blooming Montrose group then took on to put plants in and they are looking after the garden.”
Raymond continued: “The steps are a bit of town history that’s been revived, even if it is for a different use today.
“People are using them and I’m very pleased to see them back again.”
What is the Montrose Society?
Raymond, 79, has been involved with the Montrose Society since 1972.
It formed in 1956 to fight the demolition of the former Toorie House, a building whose history included serving as a barracks for the Jacobites during the 1745 Rebellion.
Although the society’s founders were unsuccessful in their efforts to retain the Apple Wynd house, it was the impetus for the creation of the civic group which has gone on to promote and protect the history of Montrose.
The society has built a significant archive of documents and photographs around Montrose’s built heritage and it contributes to the debate around town centre improvements, preservation projects and planning matters.
Normal years also see a series talks and Mr Sutton said he was looking forward to those resuming when the pandemic allows.
He added: “We’re not doing anything on that front at the moment, but will have our first speaker lined up for as soon as we can get back into the library as a group.
“We still have around 50 members so we hope to keep it that way because it would be a shame if the society dropped away having been around since 1956.”