Geography Carnoustie

carnoustie beach rocks combat coastal erosion

carnoustie occupies seafront position on north sea coast of scotland, on land north east of buddon ness, 10.3 miles (17 km) ene of dundee, 6.7 miles (11 km) sw of arbroath , 13.1 miles (21 km) sse of forfar. town lies 42.2 miles (68 km) nne of edinburgh , 360.2 miles (580 km) nnw of london. built-up area occupies rectangular shape 1.9 miles (3.1 km) long 0.5 miles (0.9 km) wide. land relatively flat, rising gradually around 30 m elevation north of town. climate typical east coast of scotland, although weather can locally influenced sea mist, locally known haar.

the town straddles border between parishes of barry , panbride , incorporates number of former villages , hamlets, including greenlawhill, gardynebourg , hunterstown west, , gallowlaw, panbride , westhaven east. contiguous town, on west side, village of barry, , east, separated town 250 yards (0.22 km) hamlet known kirkton of panbride (now known panbride). north of town runs a92, between dundee , arbroath. 1 mile (1.9 km) east of town lies village of east haven. running through town on border of 2 parishes small stream, lochty burn, , western edge of town, runs barry burn. south-western corner of town lies within floodplain of barry burn. half mile (0.8 km) east of town runs craig mill burn, flows through batty s den, craig mill den, sea.

the dundee , arbroath railway runs along south of town, bisecting former villages of gallowlaw , westhaven east of lochty burn. a930 runs through town barry, , named barry road, dundee street , high street, runs west east. turns sharply north @ gallowlaw, named carlogie road, , carves path through batty s den muirdrum, meets a92.

the part of coast lies east of lochty burn rocky shore, devonian old red sandstone bedrock exposed. west, lies sandy beach of barry sands (otherwise known carnoustie beach). soil sandy and, prior founding of town, land resembled sandy dunes of barry links. west of lochty burn, shore increasingly separated peninsula of buddon ness, on lies 3 golf courses of carnoustie golf links, , panmure golf club. south of golf courses lies ministry of defence owned barry buddon training camp. land classified site of special scientific interest , special area of conservation.

the buddon ness triangle of land around 11 km. position @ estuary of river tay makes prone erosion, , position of both west , east facing shores have changed considerably since founding of carnoustie. comparison of ordnance survey maps mid-19th century present-day maps show shoreline retreating on west shore , advancing on east shore. supported comparison of old photographs of carnoustie links present day situation in foreshore further beach pavilion (now rugby club) 80 years ago. concern latterly has been of shoreline eroding part of beach , rock armour placed @ shoreline in 1994.