Fife - Tay Bridge and the Newport Nature Trail

This is one of my favourite short walks. Handily for me, it connects the train station in Dundee with family in Newport-on-Tay. But if that’s not your reason for walking it, then it can also be used for a wander up Wormit Hill, chilling in Newport’s cafes or just for the joy of the route itself.

Stepping off the train in Dundee, I’m immediately greeted by the double delights of the RRS Discovery and the V&A Museum. The Discovery was built in Dundee and sailed Scott to the Antarctic in 1902. The V&A Museum is a little younger, having opened in 2018. Its design is inspired by the cliffs of Scotland's north-eastern coastline and it was built out into the River Tay to recreate the prow of a ship, reflecting the city’s shipbuilding heritage and the Discovery next door. What I love most about the museum is the walkway that cuts under the middle of the building. At the right time of day at the right time of year, it floods with light from the rising sun.

It’s a just a couple of minutes’ walk from the museum to the Tay Road Bridge and its central walkway. Once on the bridge the views really open up. Looking east is the widening Tay estuary guarded by Broughty Ferry Castle. Looking west, the Tay Rail Bridge forms the foreground as the river cuts a line back to Perth and the southern Highlands. Today my eye was drawn by the contrast between the old rigging of the Discovery and the modern rigging in the port, both reaching up into a morning sky tinged orange by the dawn.

As I walk towards Fife across the bridge, I can feel that it’s very marginally uphill. This is most obvious if you look at the bridge from a distance at high tide when there is much more space between sea and bridge at the Fife end. I always stop for a moment about halfway across the bridge whether I’m walking, scooting or cycling to look back to Dundee and the Sidlaw Hills rising behind.

Once I step off the bridge at the Fife side, I’m straight onto Newport’s nature trail. Initially it cuts a quiet line behind the houses of the village, sneaking between back garden walls and rows of painted, wooden garages. There are some nice villas here, probably built by the wealthy merchants of Dundee in the day.

Before too long, the trail climbs up onto the old railway line that once connected Newport and Tayport to the Fife end of the rail bridge. On a crisp winter morning, it was a beautiful walk along the old line. Early sun drenched the tangled mass of trees that line the route and fallen leaves were frosted white by the overnight chill.

As the trail heads westwards on the hillside above town, I’m reminded of the past as I walk under old railway bridges. At times I have open views across the rooftops of Newport to the Tay and Dundee. At other times, I’m wrapped up in a tunnel of trees and bushes alive with small birds.

Just before Wormit, there’s a great view of the Tay Rail Bridge which is much closer now. I always hope that a train is crossing and I can watch it taking the final curve of the bridge into Dundee. Just beyond here, it’s the end of the line for the nature trail as a series of steps take you off the old railway and down into Wormit. 

Fact File
Start: Dundee Train Station
Finish: Wormit
Public transport: Train to Dundee; local buses run back from Wormit or Newport to Dundee.
Route: Exit the station and cross the road towards the V&A Museum, then pass under the building. Walk east along the walkway beside the river to the stairs up to the Tay Road Bridge. At the other end of the bridge, exit to the right then take the path to the left. Where it meets houses, continue straight on up Norwood. Where it meets a road, cross and continue along a dirt track beside wooden garages. Where it emerges from here, ascend the stairs ahead to the old railway line. Follow the line west. Where it next meets a road, turn left up the road then take the first road to the right. A little way along here a nature trail sign points you to a path heading into trees and back onto the old line. Follow it west, going straight over the car park that it meets. The route crosses another road after here - a path to the left just before links to Wormit Hill. Where the nature trail ends, steps head down to the right into Wormit. You can walk back the same way or walk back to the bridge along the waterfront of Newport.