Fife Coastal Path Short Break
- Immerse yourself in the history of the ‘Kingdom of Fife's' coastal communities
- Wander the length of many white sand beaches
- Look out for basking seals and jumping dolphins from the coast path
- Search for wild flowers and admire the dramatic coastal scenery
- Tuck into an award-winning fish supper at Anstruther Harbour
Gallery
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive KirkcaldyKirkcaldy is easily accessible and located just 25 mins from Edinburgh by train. Arrive early and you can visit the Museum and Art Gallery and spend your first night relaxed and ready for your walking adventure.
The Strathearn features a garden, terrace and free WiFi throughout the property. Boasting a 24-hour front desk, this property also provides guests with a restaurant and a shared lounge.
Muriel purchased the Elbow Room in 2004 after it had been closed for over 2 years. She has since transformed it into a thriving family business.
Formerly known as the “Royal Oak Hotel” the upper section of the property has been completely refurbished with 6 comfortable en-suite bedrooms. There is a large car park at the rear of the building and it is conveniently situated just off the A92 providing easy access to Dundee (40 mins) Perth (45 mins), Edinburgh (40 mins) and Glasgow (1 hr). There are plenty of golf clubs within a short drive of the premises and Fife Ice Arena is only a 2 min walk away. Muriel & her family look forward to welcoming you to The Elbow Room.
Ravenscraig Castle is your first historic remain as you start the walk followed by Dysart where the Harbourmaster’ House lives with its popular bistro and visitors centre. From Dysart, the path climbs over Blair Point to the walled chapel garden which is the private burial ground of the Wymess family. The caves of Wemyss are reached as you head up to the town of Leven.
Lomond Guest House provides comfortable accommodation and a friendly relaxed atmosphere. It has recently been renovated and all rooms are tastefully decorated to include digital TV, hospitality tray, hairdryer and toiletries. They also offer complimentary therapies such a reflexology, reiki and acupressure massage, which can be booked in advance through their website.
From the moment you approach their door, you will see the welcome that is in store for you when you stay at Dunclutha. It is a spacious house and has brought comfort to its residents for over a hundred years. The house was originally the Rectory for the nearby Scottish Episcopal Church and was built with the grace and solidity associated with such structures. The surroundings are bright and cheerful, and this is a place to rest and feel comfortable. All rooms have Freeview TV with tea and coffee making facilities with Julie's homemade shortbread. Although the house is Victorian it has been well cared for and has been recently refurbished with emphasis on preserving the grace and elegance of that period. A hot tub in the secluded rear garden is even available for your use to help after a long day's walking!
The Old Manor is set in a fantastic location enjoying panoramic views overlooking Largo Bay and the Firth of Forth. It has 23 bedrooms, all with en-suite facilities and all the amenities you require for a great overnight stay. In the restaurant their menus are always changing and you can enjoy whatever abundant delicacy the local area has to offer in their Seafood restaurant.
From Leven the main route leads to Lunden Links along glorious sandy beaches. There is an alternative route at high tide up into the sand dunes which are a haven for wild flowers and butterflies. Soon the path begins to round the headland passing inlets, Shell Bay Beach and Earlsferry Golf Course before reaching the beautiful little fishing village of Elie. On the spit of land that juts out to sea from Elie you'll see Elie Ness Lighthouse, build in 1908, and designed by David Stevenson, cousin to the famous Robert Louis Stevenson.
Please note that occassionally we encounter availability issues in the small village of Elie due to limited accommodation options. If this is the case for your booking you will have two nights in Leven with complimentary transfers collecting you from Elie and taking back to Leven for your overnight. The following morning you will be dropped off at the trailhead in Elie to continue your walk.
The inn has a terrace and views of the sea. Each room have complimentary bathroom products from Siabann, Nespresso machines and a beautiful tea selection from The Tea Lovers’ Company, Egyptian cotton bed linen and thick large towels. They also have flat screen freeview televisions, free wi-fi and docking stations.
Pass Elie Ness Lighthouse as you hike north to St Monans where you'll reach an old Windmill that used to pump seawater into the fossil rich limestone beds below. Continue along the coastal path to Anstruther passing the quaint fishing harbour of Pittenweem - a photogenic stop. Anstruther is a popular tourist town with daily boat trips to the Isle of May nature reserve where thousands of birdlife can be seen. Finally, walk through fields and past an old salmon fisherman's bothy to arrive in the charming village of Crail.
This cafe and licensed B&B is located in the centre of historic Crail, a few minutes’ walk from the harbour. All rooms are on the upper floor and have recently undergone refurbishment; all rooms are en-suite and have all the amenities you require for a great overnight stay. Their little cafe creates a friendly buzz when the doors open at 10.30am, from a cooked breakfast to delicious Crail crab there is something for everyone on their menu. Sourcing is important to them and wherever possible they use local ingredients. Their cheese scones have attracted a fair number of supporters, yummy cheddar with red leicester and a tweak of mustard, try one with their homemade soup, a perfect combination.
The Golf Hotel is situated in the heart of the historic town of Crail in the East Neuk of Fife. It is a grade A listed coaching inn and is said to be one of the oldest licensed inns in Scotland. Mr Guthrie is only the fourth owner since 1928 and plans to stay host at this charming hotel for the long term. It offers newly refurbished en-suite bedrooms, resident’s sitting room, lounge bar, dining room, public bar and garden restaurant.
Recently renovated in 2021, the hotel is on the verge of celebrating 120 years of welcoming guests to the East Neuk of Fife. Along with its freshly renovated rooms, the hotel boasts a Bar & Lounge, as well as an outdoors patio area for you to enjoy a well earned drink after your day's walk.
After breakfast this morning your journey along the Fife Coastal Path has come to an end, and it's time for your onward journey to begin.
This trip has a carbon score of 8kg per person per night, meaning it’s one of our best trips! For comparison, a carbon count of 8kg is equivalent to 12 pints of local beer at a bar. Here at Macs, we pride ourselves on being a responsible travel company and continue to adopt, develop and innovate ways to positively impact the environment. Find out more information about how we've carbon counted our trips.
Other Information
Is it for me?If you are a fan of stunning sea views, delightful coastal villages and an abundance of wildlife, then the Fife Coastal Path Short Break could be just for you. The perfect introduction to long distance walking.
Classic Routes | If you’re the active, outdoorsy type, who’s interested in taking on the great routes of the world or looking for a challenge, then our Classic Routes are for you. We’re talking the West Highland Way in Scotland, the world renown Tour Du Mont Blanc and Germany's Moselle Cycle Path, to name but a few!
Inn to Inn Walking | Walk from place-to-place changing accommodations each night. Generally staying in B&Bs, inns, and guesthouses.
Solo Travellers, Families with Teens
The minimum age for this tour is: 12 Years
This holiday is graded easy overall with an average daily walking distance of 10 miles. Some days will be more challenging than others and the terrain will be varied with some rough and rugged footpaths. There are ascents and descents involved so a good level of fitness will be required.
One of the highlights of this tour is the high standard of accommodation. We specifically choose the hotels, inns, guesthouses and B&B’s to ensure that you enjoy every minute of your stay. They all offer a warm welcome to walkers, traditional hospitality and delicious local food.
Most itineraries on the coastal path include a stop in the small fishing village of Elie. However, as the village is so small accommodation options are limited meaning availability issues are often encountered. If this is the case for your booking you will have two nights in Leven with complimentary transfers collecting you from Elie and taking back to Leven for your overnight. The following morning you will be dropped off at the trailhead in Elie to continue your walk.
Single Rooms
This independent walking holiday is available to solo walkers but as all our holidays are priced per person based on two sharing there is a single supplement payable to cover the additional costs we incur.
Meals
A hearty breakfast is included each morning. Lunch and dinner are not included so you are free to choose from the available options. Most of your accommodations will more than happy to provide a packed lunch on request and this can be booked on arrival. Dinner is available either at your accommodation or nearby pubs or restaurants.
The route is well-waymarked throughout and easy to follow. Navigation is straightforward as you can use the Macs Adventure Smartphone App which has maps, GPS tracks, and daily route information. Simply download the GPS tracks for offline use and follow the route on your phone with the assurance that navigation will be simple, and you can’t get lost. You will find more information on downloading the app in your Macs Adventure Account.
Recommended Reading
If you would like more information on the route please see our recommendation below:
- Fife Coastal Path (Rucksack Reader)
- Hand-picked B&B's, guesthouses & small hotels
- Breakfasts
- Baggage transfer
- Access to maps, GPX tracks and daily route information with the Macs Adventure smartphone navigation app
- All your trip documents provided digitally through your online Macs “My Account”
- 24/7 Emergency telephone support from our UK office
- Travel to the start / from the finish of the walk
- Lunches, dinners, snacks & drinks
- Personal equipment
- Travel insurance (required)
- Additional nights
This walking holiday is best enjoyed between March and October. You can start on any date that suits your travel plans and you will find up to date availability on our website. The Fife Coastal Path is very popular so it is best to book as far in advance as you are able to.
Throughout the season St Andrew's is generally very busy. Therefore if we cannot find availability here on the dates you wish to travel there is the possibility that you will overnight in Newport on Tay or Dundee for 1 or 2 nights (depending on your itinerary) with included transfers back and to from St Andrews.
Kirkcaldy can be easily reached by train from Edinburgh (approx 30-40 mins).
Crail doesn't have a train station but there are plenty of buses to the rest of Fife and beyond.
Your bags will be collected from your accommodation each day and moved onto your overnight accommodation. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg per person.
At Macs Adventure, we work in partnership with many luggage transfer providers who set a limit on how many bags/suitcases they will transfer per person, and also the weight of the bag/suitcase. Your booking includes transfer of 1 bag per person. It is very important that you read the luggage information specific to your tour before departure. If you do not adhere to these limits, there is a great possibility that you will be charged locally both for extra bags or if they are too heavy. This limitation can be a challenge, especially as airlines generally have limits that are higher. However, our luggage providers have reasons for these limits (usually due to the Health and Safety of their employees), which we must respect.
The distances and ascent/descents are approximations of the recommended routes. Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example, proper rain gear (jacket and pants), sun hat, sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a day pack.
Most itineraries on the coastal path include a stop in the small fishing village of Elie. However, as the village is so small accommodation options are limited meaning availability issues are often encountered. If this is the case for your booking you will have two nights in Leven with complimentary transfers collecting you from Elie and taking back to Leven for your overnight. The following morning you will be dropped off at the trailhead in Elie to continue your walk.
Online Documents
At Macs Adventure we care about the environment! We’re taking action to minimize the impact we have by converting the majority of our tour documentation for online delivery.
On this tour, all your detailed tour information will be digitally delivered. You will have access to this documentation via “My Account” on our website.
It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity and emergency evacuation and hospital care.
The Fife Coastal Path Short Break is a good introduction to long distance walking. It is recommended for regular walkers and beginners. If you currently don’t enjoy an active lifestyle we suggest regular walking in hilly terrain supplemented by cardio vascular exercise for at least 6 months prior to your walk. A good gym or personal trainer will be able to draw up a personalised training programme.
We suggest you book as soon as your plans are finalised as the Fife Coastal Path is extremely popular especially over April/May and July/August. You will find up to date availability on our website and we will always try and accommodate your plans.
You will need good walking shoes/boots (ideally waterproof), comfortable walking clothes, waterproof jacket and trousers, a daypack and hats/gloves etc. You can download a full equipment list from the downloads page of our website.
Traditionally April/May has always been the most popular time of year because the theory goes that the weather is better. Although I believe any time between late March and October offers a wonderful experience.
Unfortunately we are unable to accommodate walkers with dogs as many of the accommodation providers we use do not accept pets.
You can use public transport or local taxis to continue to your next overnight stop.
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