Sunday 14 April 2013

Day Trip to Carnoustie...

Sunday i was back on the east coast but a 100 mile drive north i rolled into the car park at Carnoustie near the rail station at 9,30 to meet local fat biker Steven on his pugsley. We were joined by Stu from Stirling who had bought a black pugsley from friend Si. It rained all the way up the road, and was a bit overcast when i parked up...


But as forecast the day dried up and the sky cleared to blue with big fluffy clouds, perfect for pictures.

I have wanted to visit the coast for a days ride here for a while, and looked across to here from a day trip to St Andrews and Tentsmuir Last Year...
Carnoustie is another Scottish East Coast seaside town that has a history of sea fishing, historic Golf Courses and Victorian Hotels and Holiday houses so popular in the Victorian era...
The Golf courses are very famous and Golf has been played here since the 1500s and the present course was designed in 1850 by Alan Robertson of St Andrews. The famous Tom Morris extended the course 20 years later then the famous architect James Braid redesigned the course in 1937 to what it basically is today. There are now 3 courses here on the links today.
Many young men from Carnoustie did the same as the many others from Scottish Links Golf Courses on the east coast and took their Golf and club making skills abroad. Many stayed here and some fine hickory clubs were produced, hand made and  fitted to the customer. I have an old hickory club made in the town, and it is a work of art, here it is...

So we were rolling east along the coast and what better to be guided by local Steven who lives near the town and would give us great days coastal riding and we saw a lot of interesting stuff,

Roll the pics...





















This is the Towns Water tank! how impressive is that!

Amazing Urbex find, an old List D school, check out the stone work and carvings....










Another amazing building, an old church....


Look at the carving detail...

BMX track, fun time...


Then some amazing singletrack through woods...








Happy...

Then along a cliff top trail...



And across the shoreline...


To an amazing arch...













Then a cave once used by gold smugglers, men disguised as woman would carry the gold in bras... true!

These two in Bras? -:) ...



Pitch black and no torch inside, i turned around  and in the camera flash seen this and nearly peeded myself with laughter! Stu with a false nose,tash and glasses! lol...



Push back up onto the cliff top trail...


Amazing coastal scenery...






Visible offshore is the Bell Rock Lighthouse...




Classic East Coast Fishing Town streets...

 You can get Smokies here,,,




We got regular Haddock and chips...

Washed down with Irn Bru...

Across the Park and model Railway...

North Berwick take note- every seaside town should have a miniature railway...

Several miles of brilliant Sandy singletrack above the coastline...


And past the famous Links...


Tired legs need some sugar...



WW2 Coastal defence Anti Invasion Tank blocks here have the same domed tops as at Tentsmuir...



Fishermans Croft...


More brilliant woodland singletrack...


Time to go into the dunes to the west of Carnoustie...

Open to public, that's a Dutch army vehicle!...





Are we being watched?...



 Cool...




Big Sky...










And back to the cars at the sea front...



Great day out. Thanks Stu for great company and to Steven for organising and guiding the ride which was a great mix of coast and trails with local history. I will deft be back up here as still loads more to go ride and explore...

4 comments:

  1. Nice post Bruce, looks good up there. Any idea what the name of that church is? It's very unusual.

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  2. Hi Bruce, gutted I couldn't make this, looks like a great route Steven put together.

    (Gavin, it's the Mortuary Chapel at the Western Cemetery. Really amazing building.)

    http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/126622/details/arbroath+western+cemetery+mortuary+chapel/

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Del... I do like interesting buildings and that one is very unusual for a church. I'll have a wee look at the link too. :)

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  3. Hi Graeme, the BMX track was in a park we passed through, near the old Church

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