Crail to St. Andrews (Coastal Walk)

Date/Time

Date(s) - 07/08/2016
8:00 am - 8:00 pm

Walk Details

Pub Stop?: No
O/S Map Sheet No.: 59
Grid Ref. Start: 615076
Grid Ref. Finish 502173
Walk (Miles): 14
Walk Hours: 7
Bus Time to Walk:2.5 hrs
Bus Time from Walk: 2 hrs
Departure time from walk: 6:00 p.m.

Walk Notes

O.S.Map 59 (St. Andrews).

N.B. 8.00am start from Aberdeen.

The walk today takes us south from Aberdeen towards the Firth of Forth Estuary and the Kingdom of Fife. Alistair Condie suggested this walk and your Committee included it on our 2016 Programme. The logo for the Fife Coastal Trail is a blue and green disc with wiggly dark and white lines running from bottom left to top right.

High tide prediction for Kircaldy is 0620, low tide is 1200. This walk is a through one, so members who require a shorter, or different walk – please indicate your intentions with your committee member in charge today.

We commence the walk in the village of Crail (NGR 615 076). From the church, turn right down Kirk Wynd towards the sea and follow a footpath past a whitewashed dovecot. This leads to Roome Bay which is followed to Sauchope Links Caravan Park and onwards to a shore path past the site of an old wartime airfield, followed by an ancient fortification – “Dane’s Dyke”. Continue NE’wards to the coastguards station and lighthouse at Fife Ness. Our route then continues NW to Balcomie Golf Course with its sandy bay, followed by a craggy section leading to Cambo Glen, where the burn is crossed by a bridge. The path now leads round the headland to Cambo Sands and its picnic area. Continue to the next headland of Babbet Ness passing a ruined harbour and an old salmon fishing bothy. The track then reaches the inlet of Kenly Water. Here, the “coastal trail” has been re-aligned and swings W’wards passing Hillend and crossing a metal bridge near Burnside Farm. Our route now passes near Boarhills and heads back towards the coast at Buddo Rock with its natural arch. Hereabouts, St. Andrews first comes into sight. Continue round Buddo Ness to reach Kittook’s Den, a glen running inland. Here a wall is crossed and a rocky bluff has to be traversed where a cliff is crumbling away. The path now leads past the “Rock and Spindle” – a rock pinnacle, to soon reach Kinkell Ness. Continue past the caravan park to reach the East Sands of St. Andrews. Follow the sands for a short distance until a road is reached on the left which leads to the main A918 road running into town by a bridge over the Kinnesss Burn (NGR 516 163). Head for the West Sands Beach coach park. This park is opposite St.Andrews Links Clubhouse where there is space for our bus (NGR 502 173). Walking distance approx. 14 miles

Bus departs from St.Andrews at 6.00pm.

In the event of an emergency arising, the person in charge of the outing should be contacted, if possible, before the police are contacted.

Relevant telephone number for East Fife Police is 101 (non-emergency) or 999.

Committee member in charge today is Fiona Wallace

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