Carnoustie, Grange of Barry, Panbride, Easthaven

Carnoustie and golf are inextricably linked, with one of the three splendid courses which make up the town's famous links a regular on The Open rota.

Once a tourist town - and it still attracts visitors in their droves - these days it is popular with homebuyers seeking a handy base to commute to Dundee, 11 miles away, or Aberdeen to the north.

But with a high school rebuilt in 2008 and three feeder primaries - and a population around the 12,500 mark - Carnoustie has preserved its own identity.

That is reinforced by a range of local clubs catering for pursuits as varied as yachting, rugby and football.

The town on the bay developed around the mouth of the Barry Burn, along with the nearby hamlets of Grange of Barry and Panbride, and the old fishing village of East Haven. The sprawling beach was once a haunt of the Royal Family holidaying at Glamis and remains a wonderful local amenity.