An army training camp and shooting ranges occupying Barry Links, behind Buddon Ness, at the mouth of the Firth of Tay, Barry Buddon Training Centre is located a mile (1.5 km) southwest of Carnoustie and 1½ miles (2.5 km) east of Monifieth. Comprising low-lying sand dunes and representing a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Special Area of Conservation (SAC), the training area extends to 930 ha (2300 acres) and is operated on behalf of the Ministry of Defence by the Defence Training Estates agency. The area has seen use for military operations for centuries; King Malcolm II is said to have defeated the Danes here in 1010 AD and a local militia set up cannon here to bombard Oliver Cromwell's fleet, which was anchored off Buddon Ness while laying siege to Dundee in 1651. By the mid-19th C. the area was used by the Forfarshire Rifle Volunteers, the Panmure Battery of the Forfarshire Artillery Brigade and a Royal Naval Reserve Battery, and the land was sold by Lord Panmure to the War Office for use as a military training area. While most of the camp is modern, the Officers' Mess dates from 1894 and is by J.M. Dick Peddie (1853 - 1921). The camp accommodates 507 individuals at one time, but can be used by up to 130,000 personnel annually from all three services, together with cadets and certain civilian organisations. The 21 separate ranges are primarily used for infantry training, with the firing of small arms, light and medium mortars, and occasional anti-tank weapons. The shooting events for both the 1986 Commonwealth Games held in Edinburgh and the Glasgow Commonwealth Games of 2014 took place here, with temporary ranges built alongside existing facilities. In 1986, Alister Allan (b.1944) of Scotland won two silvers and a bronze medal here while, in 2014, Jen McIntosh (b.1991) won a gold and a silver.
Given the restricted public access, the area represents a wildlife sanctuary, noted for its birds.
