Monday 4 August 2014

A summer walk in Scotland

We've been picking the brains of the Sea Champions team as they spend lots of time out and about by our fabulous coastline. They've come up with some great walks for you to try this summer.

Here's the second of four walks, Pittenweem to Fifeness in Fife, walked by Matt Barnes our Scotland Sea Champions Coordinator

Distance: 8 miles or 12.8 km including unmade paths and rough terrain. Can take between 4-6 hours. Proceed with caution near livestock.

Parking: Lower Largo Temple car park, Fife West Coastal Path car park

The walk: Pittenweem is Fife’s only working fishing harbour. The path borders the Anstruther Golf Course, and along the rockyshore past Billow Ness to the four old royal burghs which constitute Anstruther. This popular tourist village is noted for the Scottish Fisheries Museum and the Reaper, a herring drifter built in 1900. There are daily boat trips, during the Summer months only, to see the thousands of birds on the Isle of May nature reserve.

The route continues through the narrow streets of Cellardyke, passing its picturesque harbour north eastward towards Crail. At first, the path follows a track then narrows, passing through kissing gates and stone stiles onto open pasture. Caiplie Caves are a prominent, weathered sandstone feature situated almost halfway between Cellardyke and Crail.The route continues past an old salmon bothy and salt works before winding its way via some stone steps to Crail. 

Leading onto Fife Ness the path is challenging in places, with narrower and altogether rougher terrain. It passes the Kilminning Coast Wildlife Reserve. The reserve is managed by the Scottish Wildlife Trust and sheep and cattle graze the area at certain times of year. The path crosses the reserve and onto Fife Ness, the most easterly point in Fife.

A view over Crail in Fife, on Matt's summer walk in Scotland.

No comments:

Post a Comment