A Dundee beach which disappeared under water has been restored in time for Easter visitors.
The former beach at Clatto Country Park was popular for decades but was submerged due to rising water levels in the reservoir.
Levels were lowered at the end of last year and the beach has been lovingly restored by volunteers.
With highs of 15°C forecast, it may only be warm enough for the bravest of sunbathers, but it is hoped locals will use the long Easter weekend to enjoy the revived beach.
Popular for decades
The beach at Clatto Country Park was enjoyed by families for decades but has been out of use for the last four years.
Since Dundee City Council lowered the reservoir’s water levels last year, environmental group Friends of Clatto has been hard at work to regenerate the area.
Dorothy McHugh, secretary of the group, says she is delighted to see the beach restored in time for Easter.
“It can now be clearly identified again as a beach and members of the public who visit are recalling those bygone days when they played there as children,” she said.
The beach was formed almost three decades ago when hundreds of tonnes of sand was deposited around a slipway at the reservoir.
Maintenance stopped
It was hugely popular with local families and was regularly cleaned and rotavated.
Dorothy added: “At some point regular maintenance stopped and the beach area grassed over, forming a grass meadow with buttercups, daisies and wild flowers which, although no longer a sand beach, was still an attractive and usable greenspace.
As the reservoir started to drain in October last year, it became possible to start work to restore the beach.
Dorothy said: “In the following months, Friend of Clatto removed the decaying turf, stones, mud and branches from the beach and dug it over in order to use the winter weather to naturally clean the sand.
“In the New Year we returned to rake the sand and remove as many of the remaining stones as possible to leave a nice, clean, sandy beach.”
