Meet Morag Smith, the brilliant mind behind Stories of Stone. With 20 years of experience as a geologist, Morag has explored the world, but her heart (and her vision!) ultimately led her back to her Angus roots. She dreamed of starting a unique walking tour business that would tell the fascinating story of Angus’s geology and how it has shaped human life in the area.

Angus is sometimes a bit overlooked, but Morag’s tours quickly change that perception! She brings a completely fresh perspective to the region’s incredible history, revealing how the very rocks beneath our feet have influenced everything from ancient settlements to modern towns. It’s a truly unique experience that highlights just how special Angus really is.

To make sure Stories of Stone stays competitive and reaches more people, Morag is always honing her skills. She’s taken various workshops and training courses, and through this, she realised two key things would really help her business grow: high-quality video footage to promote her amazing tours and a powerful laptop capable of editing these videos and easily updating the Stories of Stone website. These tools would ensure she could offer the best possible experience for her customers.

With funding secured from Angus Council’s SME Start & Grow grant, Stories of Stone purchased a drone which the business is using to make high quality videos for social media, as a marketing tool to help increase visibility. There are plans to use drone footage to produce a presentation of the entire clifftop walk which can be shown at suitable locations – wonderful news for people with mobility issues who might not be able to do the walk themselves, and a fantastic example of how technology can genuinely help with accessibility. Stories of Stone also bought a powerful laptop which allows them to produce and store all the data from their drone and, of course, those amazing videos.

Owner Morag Smith said: “Invest in Angus has been fundamental in ensuring Stories of Stone can stay competitive in a growing digital marketing world. These purchases have already had a big impact on our marketing with increased followers and engagement on the videos with drone footage within them.”

The Angus Council SME Start & Grow Business Grants were funded by the UK Government Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). Grants were delivered by Angus Council’s Invest in Angus team, supported by Business Gateway.