A-Z of Secret Dundee: The Unicorn

By Gayle Anderson -

Songs of the Sea can be learned on the HM Frigate Unicorn

Spare a thought for the Frigate Unicorn. She is Scotland’s only preserved warship and one of the six oldest ships in the world.

She has spent a remarkable 136 years in the same port and yet she is now being overlooked by that three-master young whipper-snapper, the Discovery, in its shiny new berth just up the road.

If you want a real sense of naval history, avoid the crowds and head to Victoria docks to see this often forgotten treasure. There are four decks to explore and you can do this at your own pace with your Welcome Aboard guidebook. Children love the freedom of clambering around the ship playing pirates… come to think of it, some adults do too, “Arrr me hearties!”

The aim is to get the vessel into dry dock

The Unicorn also hosts regular events including jazz evenings, ceilidhs, plays and talks. Money raised goes to the Unicorn Preservation Society of which HRH The Princess Royal is a patron. Their aim is to get the vessel into dry dock before she succumbs to rot.

HM Frigate Unicorn, Victoria Dock, Dundee DD1 3BP.

Opening hours: April-October, Mon-Sun, 10am-5pm. November-March, Wed-Fri, 12noon-4pm. Sat & Sun, 10am-4pm.