Pittenweem, East Neuk of Fife

Fife Coastal Path

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Overview

Route

Package info

Itineraries & Prices

Accommodation

Travel Info

Additional Days

Overview

Walking Holidays

6 - 9 Nights

81 miles / 130 km

Prices from: £830 per person
Start: North Queensferry, near Edinburgh
Finish: Newport-on-Tay, near Dundee
Availability: Year-round
Grading: Moderate
Way-marked: Yes

Fife Coastal Path Highlights

The East Neuk

Discover the charming fishing villages along the coast of the Kingdom of Fife, with their tiny harbours and picturesque high streets.

Rich Scottish history

From Aberdour Castle to St Andrews Cathedral, there are countless historic gems to discover in this ancient corner of Scotland. Visit Lower Largo – the home of Alexander Selkirk and the inspiration for Daniel Defoe’s ‘Robinson Crusoe’.

Wildlife galore

Walk along miles of glorious sandy beaches and spot basking seals and dolphins. Add an additional day in Anstruther to take a boat trip to the Isle of May National Nature Reserve where you can view a magical array of nesting seabirds including puffin.

Forth Bridges

Start your walk in North Queensferry in the shadow of the three iconic Forth Bridges. The 19th-century railway bridge is one of Scotland’s major landmarks and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site – a fine testament to Scottish engineering.

Glorious food & drink

The Kingdom of Fife has a rich natural larder which is reflected in its exceptional standard of food and drink. From Jamie Scott’s fine-dining restaurant in Newport-on-Tay to award-winning fish and chips in Anstruther, you are sure to eat well on a Fife Coastal Path walking holiday.

Historic St Andrews

Visit the beautiful little town, home to an ancient university, the impressive ruins of the largest cathedral in Scotland and the world-renowned home of golf.

A Coastal Trail Through the Ancient Kingdom of Fife

The Fife Coastal Path begins close to the Forth Bridges and winds its way northwards around the golden coastline of eastern Scotland. Stretching 81 miles, the Path offers commanding views across the Firth of Forth to Edinburgh and over to the Isle of May before finishing on the Firth of Tay close to the revitalised city of Dundee.

Starting underneath the world famous Forth Bridges which stretch across the Firth of Forth, the Fife Coastal Path takes you past dramatic cliffs and bays, over grassy dunes, along miles of long sandy beaches and through the picturesque fishing villages of the East Neuk of Fife. Internationally important estuaries and an abundance of wildlife make this walk a real Scottish adventure.

All along the coast are wonderful sea views and reminders of Scotland’s rich history – including prehistoric caves and castles. From Anstruther, the Path also allows the opportunity to explore the Isle of May Nature Reserve, a major seabird sanctuary home to thousands of seabirds including puffins, terns, fulmars and gannets.

Towards the end of the walk arrive in the beautiful town of St Andrews with its ancient university and visit the world-famous golf courses. Explore centuries of history in its beautiful ruined castle, cathedral remains and university buildings.

Fife Coastal Path Route Map

Recommended Itinerary

Our most popular itinerary is FCP2 which covers the route in 6 days / 7 nights.

Travel to North Queensferry for your first night’s accommodation

Arrive in North Queensferry, and spend the evening at your accommodation overlooking the famous Forth Bridges. Situated 20 minutes north of Edinburgh by train – North Queensferry is very accessible from the capital city.

Day 1: North Queensferry to Burntisland (12 miles / 19 km)

Your journey along the Fife Coastal Path begins at the Waterloo Well in North Queensferry and continues through the ancient Burgh of Inverkeithing. It hugs the coastline up to the modern town of Dalgety Bay and from here heads past the ruins of St Bridget’s Kirk and into lovely Aberdour with its famous castle – one of the oldest in Scotland.

The Way passes Aberdour’s picturesque harbour and Silver Sands Beach, and follows the route next to the railway to Burntisland – a coastal resort on the Forth.

Day 2: Burntisland to Leven (16 miles / 25 km)

From Burntisland the route continues around the little harbour at Pettycur whose pier was built in 1760 to ferry traffic across the water to Leith, and through the fishing town of Kinghorn.

Ravenscraig Castle follows as you reach Dysart, with its narrow alleyways and picturesque old buildings, and then follow the path to West Weymss – once one of the most important ports in Fife, trading in coal and salt with the Continent. Leven is the last built-up area until St Andrews.

Day 3: Leven to Elie (10 miles / 16 km)

The East Neuk of Fife now lies ahead with its pretty little fishing villages. It was described by James II of Scotland as a “fringe of gold on a beggar’s mantle”.

From Leven the walk carries on around the shoreline of Largo Bay and across glorious sandy beaches through the little seaside village of Lower Largo. Continue over the cliffs at Earlsferry (or across the Elie Chain Walk for those wanting a more adventurous route!) to the beautiful fishing village of Elie. Transport is provided to Anstruther for accommodation this evening.

Day 4: Elie to Crail (11 miles / 18 km)

The route takes you through the delightful fishing village of St Monans and its Windmill to Pittenweem and on to Anstruther, a popular holiday town which boasts one of the best fish and chip shops in Scotland!

From Anstruther there are daily boat trips to the Isle of May Nature Reserve, a major seabird sanctuary. Carry on to Crail, probably the most scenic harbour of all the East Neuk fishing villages – you can still buy fresh lobster at the harbour.

Day 5: Crail to St Andrews (14 miles / 22 km)

This day is the toughest day’s walking and can be very challenging in parts. The Coastal Path turns the corner at East Neuk and heads towards St Andrews, passing golf courses and a lovely sandy beach at Kingsbarns on the way – care should be taken just before Kingsbarns where the path leads over cliffs.

From the top of the cliffs at Kinkell Braes, the ancient city of St Andrews with its medieval cathedral is laid out before you. Most people immediately associate St Andrews as ‘the home of golf’ but this ancient city has many other attributes, including the 3rd oldest University in the English-speaking world.

Day 6: St Andrews to Newport-on-Tay (18 miles / 29 km)

Your final day on the coastal path follows the beaches and the Eden Estuary Nature Reserve towards Leuchars, home to the 12th century St Athernase church – one of the finest examples of a Norman church in the UK.

Crossing into Tentsmuir Forest, walk through the forest up through Tayport, under the Tay Bridge and onto Newport-on-Tay where your journey along the Fife Coastal Path ends. Transport is provided to Dundee for accommodation this evening.

Onward travel

After breakfast, you will start your journey home after a wonderful walking holiday on the Fife Coastal Path.

What's Included?

Your Fife Coastal Path walking holiday includes:

Carefully selected accommodation along the route and trail transfers when applicable
En-suite or private bathroom facilities whenever possible
Daily door-to-door baggage transfers
Comprehensive information pack, kit list, guidebook and map (one set per room)
Personalised itinerary with details of your accommodation, route and recommendations for lunch and dinner
Traditional Scottish breakfast
24-hour emergency contact number
Full financial protection

Your walking holiday doesn't include:

Travel insurance
Transport to and from the start and end of the walk
Lunches and evening meals

Itineraries & Prices

We offer 4 suggested itineraries for walking the Fife Coastal Path.

Our most popular itinerary is FCP2 which covers the route in 6 days.

Tour code

Itinerary

Average miles

Difficulty

Price per person

FCP1

5 Days / 6 Nights

16 miles per day

Moderate

From £830

Average miles : 16 miles per day

Tour code: FCP1

Difficulty : Moderate

5 Days / 6 Nights (FCP1)

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this package. Transfers are included when you are staying away from the trail.

Additional nights can be added at any stage along the walk and we would be delighted to adjust it for you.

All of our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. Our packages include all accommodation, baggage transfers and full information pack.

Single room & solo walker supplements

Single rooms are available at a supplement which covers the additional costs of a single room or single occupancy of a twin or double room.

As we incur additional costs for transferring a single bag, there is a solo walker supplement in addition to the single supplement.

Arrive Travel to North Queensferry for your first night's accommodation

Day 1 North Queensferry to Burntisland 12 miles / 19 km

Day 2 Burntisland to Leven 16 miles / 25 km

Day 3 Leven to Anstruther 17 miles / 27 km

Day 4 Anstruther to St Andrews 18 miles / 29 km

Day 5 St Andrews to Newport-on-Tay (overnight in Dundee) 18 miles / 29 km

Depart Onward travel from Dundee

Prices

Premium

Best available Guest Houses, Inns & Hotels

From £1245 per person

Carefully selected guest houses, inns and hotels throughout your walk, which will be the best available in each location. As premium accommodation is in short supply on this trail, please note that some establishments will be of a higher standard than others. En-suite facilities or private bathroom guaranteed.

Enquire Now

Standard

Good quality B&Bs, Guest Houses & Hotels

From £830 per person

Good quality and comfortable B&Bs, guest houses and some hotels located as close to the trail as possible. We will prioritise en-suite facilities or a private bathroom, although in remote areas with limited accommodation this may not always be possible.

Enquire Now

FCP2

6 Days / 7 Nights

13.5 miles per day

Moderate

From £950

Average miles : 13.5 miles per day

Tour code: FCP2

Difficulty : Moderate

6 Days / 7 Nights (FCP2)

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this package. Transfers are included when you are staying away from the trail.

Additional nights can be added at any stage along the walk and we would be delighted to adjust it for you.

All of our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. Our packages include all accommodation, baggage transfers and full information pack.

Single room & solo walker supplements

Single rooms are available at a supplement which covers the additional costs of a single room or single occupancy of a twin or double room.

As we incur additional costs for transferring a single bag, there is a solo walker supplement in addition to the single supplement.

Arrive Travel to North Queensferry for your first night's accommodation

Day 1 North Queensferry to Burntisland 12 miles / 19 km

Day 2 Burntisland to Leven 16 miles / 25 km

Day 3 Leven to Elie (overnight in Anstruther) 10 miles / 16 km

Day 4 Elie to Crail 11 miles / 18 km

Day 5 Crail to St Andrews 14 miles / 22 km

Day 6 St Andrews to Newport-on-Tay (overnight in Dundee) 18 miles / 29 km

Depart Onward travel from Dundee

Prices

Premium

Best available Guest Houses, Inns & Hotels

From £1525 per person

Enquire Now

Standard

Good quality B&Bs, Guest Houses & Hotels

From £950 per person

Enquire Now

FCP3

7 Days / 8 Nights

12.5 miles per day

Moderate

From £1060

Average miles : 12.5 miles per day

Tour code: FCP3

Difficulty : Moderate

7 Days / 8 Nights (FCP3)

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this package. Transfers are included when you are staying away from the trail.

Additional nights can be added at any stage along the walk and we would be delighted to adjust it for you.

All of our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. Our packages include all accommodation, baggage transfers and full information pack.

Single room & solo walker supplements

Single rooms are available at a supplement which covers the additional costs of a single room or single occupancy of a twin or double room.

As we incur additional costs for transferring a single bag, there is a solo walker supplement in addition to the single supplement.

Arrive Travel to North Queensferry for your first night's accommodation

Day 1 North Queensferry to Aberdour 8 miles / 13 km

Day 2 Aderdour to Kirkcaldy 10 miles / 16 km

Day 3 Kirkcaldy to Leven 10 miles / 16 km

Day 4 Leven to Elie (overnight in Anstruther) 10 miles / 16 km

Day 5 Elie to Crail 11 miles / 18 km

Day 6 Crail to St Andrews 14 miles / 22 km

Day 7 St Andrews to Newport-on-Tay (overnight in Dundee) 18 miles / 29 km

Depart Onward travel from Dundee

Prices

Premium

Best available Guest Houses, Inns & Hotels

From £1620 per person

Enquire Now

Standard

Good quality B&Bs, Guest Houses & Hotels

From £1060 per person

Enquire Now

FCP4

8 Days / 9 Nights

10 miles per day

Moderate

From £1205

Average miles : 10 miles per day

Tour code: FCP4

Difficulty : Moderate

8 Days / 9 Nights (FCP4)

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this package. Transfers are included when you are staying away from the trail.

Additional nights can be added at any stage along the walk and we would be delighted to adjust it for you.

All of our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. Our packages include all accommodation, baggage transfers and full information pack.

Single room & solo walker supplements

Single rooms are available at a supplement which covers the additional costs of a single room or single occupancy of a twin or double room.

As we incur additional costs for transferring a single bag, there is a solo walker supplement in addition to the single supplement.

Arrive Travel to North Queensferry for your first night's accommodation

Day 1 North Queensferry to Aberdour 8 miles / 13 km

Day 2 Aderdour to Kirkcaldy 10 miles / 16 km

Day 3 Kirkcaldy to Leven 10 miles / 16 km

Day 4 Leven to Elie (overnight in Anstruther) 10 miles / 16 km

Day 5 Elie to Crail 11 miles / 18 km

Day 6 Crail to St Andrews 14 miles / 22 km

Day 7 St Andrews to Leuchars 6 miles / 10 km

Day 8 Leuchars to Newport-on-Tay (overnight in Dundee) 12 miles / 19 km

Depart Onward travel from Dundee

Prices

Premium

Best available Guest Houses, Inns & Hotels

From £1940 per person

Enquire Now

Standard

Good quality B&Bs, Guest Houses & Hotels

From £1205 per person

Enquire Now

Fife Coastal Path Accommodation

All of the accommodation that we reserve for you has been personally selected by our expert team to ensure it meets our exacting standards. We regularly review our extensive database.

We will always prioritise accommodation as close to the walking trail as possible. Occasionally, your accommodation may be located a short distance from the trail, or you may need to spend more than one night in the same place, in which case we will provide return transfers.

Travel Information

As an environmentally conscious tour operator, we actively encourage the use of public transport by providing clients with a detailed breakdown of travel options in their information packs. The following information may help with your pre-trip planning.

Getting to North Queensferry

By Air

Nearest International Airport: Edinburgh International Airport.

An airport shuttle bus and tram runs from Edinburgh Airport to the city centre (journey time 30 min). From Edinburgh, you can connect with onward bus or train services to North Queensferry.

By Public Transport

Nearest Railway Station: North Queensferry

North Queensferry is located 15 miles north of Edinburgh city centre and 11 miles from Edinburgh International Airport.

North Queensferry can easily be accessed from Edinburgh by train (journey time 20 min) or Glasgow (1 hour 15 min).

Alternatively, the taxi fare from Edinburgh Airport is approximately £30 (journey time 25 min), and from the city centre to North Queensferry approximately £45 (journey time 35 min).

By Car

If you plan to travel by car, you may wish to park in Edinburgh for the duration of your walk, so you can travel by public transport to North Queensferry and back from Dundee. We can advise you about parking options when you make your enquiry.

Departing from Dundee

By Air

Nearest Airports: Aberdeen Airport.

Nearest Major Airports: Edinburgh Airport.

From Dundee, you can take a train to Aberdeen (journey time 1 hour 15 min) or to Edinburgh (journey time 1 hour 15 min).

All airports run regular shuttle bus services to the city centres.

By Public Transport

Nearest Railway Station: Dundee

From Dundee, there are regular services to Aberdeen (journey time 1 hour 15 min) or to Edinburgh (journey time 1 hour 15 min). Dundee is also serviced by National Express coaches.

As the bus and train services can be very busy, we recommend booking in advance.

By Car

Additional Days

We would be delighted to arrange additional accommodation for you along the Fife Coastal Path.

You may wish to plan a rest day or have an additional night at any of the locations along the route which offer activities or sightseeing opportunities – we’ve made some suggestions below. Please request this when you make an enquiry.

North Queensferry (for Edinburgh)

Enjoy a boat trip to historic Inchcolm Island from nearby South Queensferry where you will enjoy magnificent views of the world-famous Forth Bridges
Make the short journey into Scotland’s wonderful capital city of Edinburgh, where you can explore Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile

Anstruther

From Anstruther there are daily boat trips to the Isle of May Nature Reserve, a major seabird sanctuary home to thousands of seabirds including puffins, terns, fulmars and gannets
Take a walk along the cobbled streets & explore the galleries and shops

St Andrews

Explore the beautiful town of St Andrews with its ancient university buildings
Visit the Old Course – the most famous golf course in the world
Explore centuries of history in its beautiful ruined castle and cathedral remains

Dundee

Visit the V&A Dundee – Scotland’s first design museum which is housed in a spectacular building on the River Tay
Wander the revitalised waterfront of Dundee and relax in vibrant cafes and bars
Soak up some culture at the MacManus Galleries – a terrific museum and art gallery with a collection of fine and decorative art and a natural history collection
Hunt for Dundee’s quirky modern statues, from Desperate Dan to Lemmings

How do our Walking Holidays Work?

For more than 20 years, we’ve been weaving together unforgettable walking holidays amidst the enchanting landscapes of the British Isles. Dive deeper into how they work in our comprehensive guide. Read more

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