The North East Coastline of Scotland
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the extensive scale of the large units, i.e. Ardersier to Burghead, Lossiemouth to
Portgordon, Fraserburgh to Peterhead and Collieston to Aberdeen, recreational use is
concentrated in relatively few localities. These locations are beside towns and villages,
or at specific access points which have often been provided for the purpose of
permitting informal day recreation at and near the coast.
Areas where recreational use appears to be having some adverse effect on the
resource occur but are relatively restricted. This may take the form of a physical
impact, e.g. erosion, as at Bridge of Don, Balmedie, Findhorn or at the forest access at
Roseisle near Burghead, or an aesthetic effect, as in the beach huts and caravans at
Findhorn, Nairn (East), Hopeman, Covesea or Inverbervie.
Attention should be drawn to the relatively high proportion of the coastline,
especially dune and links areas, that are conserved as some form of nature reserve. In
addition, although significant exceptions occur at Blackdog north of Aberdeen and
between St Fergus and Peterhead further north, the relative absence of dune sand
extraction pits is a welcome feature of the region.
Perhaps the most significant observations in any objective appraisal of the
resource base of beaches, dunes and links in North East Scotland is the high level of
availability of the resource. None of the large towns in North East Scotland are more
than about a 30-minute drive from a sand beach. Essentially the beach sand resource is
abundant. The beaches and dunes may lack the scenic quality of many Scottish
Highland and Island locations but they are located close to a dense settlement pattern
with a developed infrastructure of roads and services. Numerous settlements are
actually located on or beside the beach zones. No beach is more than a few kilometres
from a reasonable road. Accommodation in hotels, boarding houses, chalets and
caravans is readily available. It is not surprising that some beach areas are heavily used
nor that a proportion of local government resources are currently used in managing
specific areas and in providing a range of different recreational facilities. Several types
31
the extensive scale of the large units, i.e. Ardersier to Burghead, Lossiemouth to
Portgordon, Fraserburgh to Peterhead and Collieston to Aberdeen, recreational use is
concentrated in relatively few localities. These locations are beside towns and villages,
or at specific access points which have often been provided for the purpose of
permitting informal day recreation at and near the coast.
Areas where recreational use appears to be having some adverse effect on the
resource occur but are relatively restricted. This may take the form of a physical
impact, e.g. erosion, as at Bridge of Don, Balmedie, Findhorn or at the forest access at
Roseisle near Burghead, or an aesthetic effect, as in the beach huts and caravans at
Findhorn, Nairn (East), Hopeman, Covesea or Inverbervie.
Attention should be drawn to the relatively high proportion of the coastline,
especially dune and links areas, that are conserved as some form of nature reserve. In
addition, although significant exceptions occur at Blackdog north of Aberdeen and
between St Fergus and Peterhead further north, the relative absence of dune sand
extraction pits is a welcome feature of the region.
Perhaps the most significant observations in any objective appraisal of the
resource base of beaches, dunes and links in North East Scotland is the high level of
availability of the resource. None of the large towns in North East Scotland are more
than about a 30-minute drive from a sand beach. Essentially the beach sand resource is
abundant. The beaches and dunes may lack the scenic quality of many Scottish
Highland and Island locations but they are located close to a dense settlement pattern
with a developed infrastructure of roads and services. Numerous settlements are
actually located on or beside the beach zones. No beach is more than a few kilometres
from a reasonable road. Accommodation in hotels, boarding houses, chalets and
caravans is readily available. It is not surprising that some beach areas are heavily used
nor that a proportion of local government resources are currently used in managing
specific areas and in providing a range of different recreational facilities. Several types