DAY 8
TUESDAY 27TH FEBRUARY, 2007
NORTH QUEENSFERRY TO BURNTISLAND – 11.4 MILES, 4.5 HOURS
MORRIS, GEORGE AND BILL
TOTAL DISTANCE WALKED SO FAR 105.8 MILES
We travelled by train from Edinburgh to North Queensferry to reach the start of this walk. The views on the journey across the Forth rail bridge were of particular interest as we had walked across the road bridge on our last walk. The weather however was not so good and we set off wearing our waterproofs in rain. The planned destination was Kirkcaldy but as will unfold this was not to be. Our route from the north end of the road bridge followed the road (B981) into North Queensferry where we picked up the Fife Coastal Path (FCP) near the harbour. Throughout most of its length the FCP is well marked and in the main very easy to follow. From South Queensferry we followed the FCP close to the sea round into Inverkeithing inner bay. The walk round the industrial part of the bay was dull and dreich probably due to the large scrap metal yards located here (and of course the weather). On leaving the bay the FCP takes you on road into Inverkeithing town and the back out to pick up the coast again at East Ness on the north side of the bay. From here the scenery improved and the walk round into Dalgety Bay was very nice. At this point the FCP takes an enforced inland route along minor roads to bypass the Gas Terminal at Braefoot Bay and on into Aberdour. On clearing the Gas Terminal we left the FCP and walked round the edge of Aberdour golf course and into the town. We left the town back on the FCP and walked across the lovely Silversands beach staying with the well marked path which runs parallel to the railway line. We followed this path to near Bendameer House on the outskirts of Burntisland where our days walk came to a premature end. At a point on the FCP where the path is bordered on the east side by a high fence and railway line and on the west side by an ongoing residential housing development the path was flooded for a distance of some 50 yards. The underfoot surface was not suitable to remove boots and socks and we had no choice but wade through, at times to a depth of 18” resulting in our boots becoming waterlogged. We walked on into Burtisland where we decided to call it a day and returned to Edinburgh by train.
Summary; Good clearly marked paths. Mainly flat with good underfoot conditions (except at the end)
Highs; Walk round Dalgety bay and Aberdour.
Lows; The flooded path, caused by builders on site digging trenches to drain flooded site onto path. Fife Council was notified of the problem.
CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE
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- Just off the train at North Queensferry
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- Looking back at the rail bridge from the Fife Coastal Path
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- A tanker at Hound Point with Edinburgh in the mist in the background
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- George and Bill on the muddy Fife Coastal Path near Port Laing
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- On the beach near Port Laing looking across to Hound Point
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- Inner Bay , Inverkeithing
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- Looking back at the bridges
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- Dalgetty Bay houses across the bay
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- Approaching Dalgetty Bay
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- St Davids harbour at Dalgetty Bay
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- A rather dreich Aberdour
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- Beach at Aberdour
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- The sea front at Aberdour
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- Silversands Bay, Aberdour
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- Following the Fife Coastal Path out of Aberdour
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- The weathers bad but the path is good
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- A waterfall near Ross Point
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- Bill and George soaked, bedraggled and disappointed at Burtisland station
ROUTE MAP – CLICK TO ENLARGE
DAY 8 ROUTE MAP