Tuesday, 24 February 2015

Coastwalk , Fife Coastal Path

Pittenweem → Kingsbarns

may-sunrise.jpg Distance: 12.40 miles
Ascent: 408 metres
Duration: 4 hours 2 minutes

Fife Ness
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The Dawn Walk has become a feature of our walking weeks recently. Since we're staying in Pittenweem, this walk — when we get to leave the car behind and head out directly from our front door — was the natural choice.

And what a choice. The sun rose fifteen minutes after we set out, sparking light to the sky and silhouetting the Isle of May out in the Firth of the Forth. By the time we were in the next settlement (Anstruther — pronounced "Enster" in these parts) the show was over but the rest of the day remained ahead of us.

caiplie-coves.jpgHalfway between Anstruther and Crail — the final two links in the East Neuk chain — the rolling landscape abruptly changes to reveal sandstone stacks and caves beside the path. The Caiplie Coves are well worth visiting, and looked stunning in the rich sunlight of this winter morning.

Crail itself feels like "just another" East Neuk village, but don't let that put you off. Frankly all of these villages are stunning and charming, full of cottages with stepped gable ends and open front doors welcoming strangers and locals alike. We certainly want to return.

The westerly wind propelled us all the way to Fife Ness where we sat for an early lunch. Off the headland a couple of dolphins provided a suitable demonstration of dexterity in choppy waters.

The Ness is the furthest east you can go in Fife; it marks the point at which the Firth of the Forth gives way to open sea and our way forwards switched from east to north. Today that meant battling gale force winds which we were sheltered from only briefly at Cambo, but all the way the light was stunning.

Posted by pab at 14:08 | Comments will be back one day. Please email me instead!