Overview
The Fife Coastal Path covers 174km between Kincardine, north of Edinburgh, up to Newburgh, between the Forth and Tay estuaries. On this self-guided walking tour you walk the North Queensferry to Newport-on-Tay section, from the Firth of Forth bridges to a Victorian town on the banks of the River Tay. Dip in and out of traditional fishing villages, the handsome town of St. Andrews and visit historic gems such as Macduff’s Castle. A perfect immersion into Scotland’s eastern peninsula over eight days, where coastal paths and nature reserves are peppered with caves and coves. Stay in mostly locally-owned hotels, with luggage transfers.
- Forth road and rail bridges
- Award-winning beaches
- Fife’s East Neuk fishing villages
- Eden Estuary Nature Reserve
- Tentsmuir beach and forest
- Castles, windmills, lighthouses and abbeys
- St. Andrews
Click to view map
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive North Queensferry
Today you arrive in North Queensferry, situated north of Edinburgh and home to the iconic Forth Bridge, Forth Road Bridge and the Queensferry Crossing. North Queensferry is easily reachable from Edinburgh by train (20-30mins).
- Accommodation: Hillpark Hotel, or similar in North Queensferry
Day 2: North Queensferry to Burntisland | 19km
From North Queensferry, the path heads out along the rural coastline with views across the water to Edinburgh. You soon reach Aberdour with its harbour, sandy beach and art galleries, a perfect resting stop. The walk finishes at the seaside resort of Burntisland.
- Walking for the day: 19km, 4-5h, highest point: 76m
- Accommodation: The Kingswood Hotel or similar in Burntisland
Day 3: Burntisland to Leven | 27km
From Burntisland, the path heads along a sandy beach before heading out east towards the village of Kinghorn. The path continues past the harbour and out towards Wemyss Caves before finishing in Leven.
- Walking for the day: 27km, 6-7h, highest point: 99m
- Accommodation: Dunclutha Guesthouse or similar in Leven
Day 4: Leven to Elie | 14km
From Leven the main route leads to Lunden Links along the glorious sandy beaches. Onwards, the route climbs and winds along the coastline with some beautiful views before passing a nature reserve and Kincraig Head. A transfer will collect you for your second overnight in Leven.
- Walking for the day: 14km, 4h, highest point: 77m
- Accommodation: Dunclutha Guesthouse or similar in Leven
Day 5: Elie to Crail | 17km
From Elie, the path heads along the coastline, passing the ruins of a clifftop castle before reaching St Monans, one of three East Neuk fishing villages. Continuing on, you come to two more villages: Pittenweem and Anstruther. The next section of the path is easy-going and straightforward with views over to the Isle of May and Bass Rock before reaching Crail – considered the most photographed location on the Fife Coastal Path.
- Walking for the day: 17km, 4-5h, highest point: 28m
- Accommodation: Honeypot Guesthouse or similar in Crail
Day 6: Crail to St. Andrews | 22km
Soon after leaving Crail, the path winds it’s way around the Fife headland. Make sure to check tidal times before beginning your walk today as some sections are impassable at high tide. The walk today consists of beaches, rivers and farmland before arriving into the historic town of St. Andrews.
- Walking for the day: 22km, 5-6h, highest point: 128m
- Accommodation: No12 B&B or similar in St Andrews
Day 7: St. Andrews to Newport-on-Tay | 30km
This section of the path starts along a long stretch of a cycle path heading out towards Leuchers. After Leuchars the path bends and winds along the coast through to the Tentsmuir plantations that lead on to Tayport. The final section of the walk, leading into Newport-on-Tay, begins to open out with great views of the Tay Bridge, Firth of Tay, Broughty Ferry and Dundee.
- Walking for the day: 30km, 7h, highest point: 37m
- Accommodation: Lillian May B&B or similar in Newport-on-Tay
Day 8: Departure
Departure after breakfast. Additional nights at the end of the walk can be arranged to explore Dundee or Edinburgh at your leisure.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour includes a mix of small, locally-owned hotels, B&Bs and traditional guesthouses. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their proximity to the Fife Coastal Path, warm hospitality, fine local food or commitment to responsible tourism. All rooms have en-suite or private bathrooms.
Show the default hotels for this trip
Hotels are subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included on all days. When no restaurant location is available on the route, lunches and snacks should either be bought from local shops, or packed lunch can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before. You can have dinner at the guesthouse you are staying at or at the village pubs and restaurants.
Difficulty and terrain
Although daily elevation gains are not very big, you should be prepared to walk on average 22km or 5-7h per day. Some days will be more challenging than others and the terrain will be varied with some rough and rugged footpaths (read more about difficulty grades). The route is well signposted throughout, however, walkers must be vigilant at all times as there are paths and junctions along the way which deviate from the main route. We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never try to shorten the path through unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed info on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available to commence every day from 18 March till 07 October.
The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates, and you can start your trip on any date during the season. For detailed info, see our blog on the Best time to go to Scotland.
Getting there
Up-to-date travel advice on the United Kingdom is available here (for Canadian citizens) and here (for US citizens).
Click to view travel options and route planner
By plane
Our recommended airport for this tour is Edinburgh.
By train or bus
- Glasgow/Edinburgh: There are excellent air, train and bus services, allowing easy access anywhere in the UK and overseas.
- This trip is reachable by rail. There is a train station in North Queensferry at the start of the tour and from Dundee station at the end, just 3.5km over the Tay Road Bridge from Newport-on-Tay. A great website useful specifically for public transport planning within Scotland is Traveline Scotland.
Inclusions
Included
- Pre-booked accommodation as per the itinerary on 7 nights in B&Bs, small hotels and guesthouses
- Full breakfast each morning
- Door-to-door luggage transfers on all walking days – 1 piece per person up to 18kg
- Access to your digital pre-departure information (your accommodation list, GPS map of the route, baggage transfer information, itineraries, route information of cafes, restaurants, local bus timetables, etc.)
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office / representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable on-site)
- Any items not specifically mentioned as included in the programme
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
- This holiday is available for solo travellers; a supplement will be charged as accommodation and luggage transfer costs are not shared (we never mix and match – solo travellers will be accommodated in single rooms)
- Extra nights along the route are available upon request
Gallery
