Fife - Running in a quiet corner of the county

The north coast of Fife is a bit of a hidden gem. While Tentsmuir, Tayport and Newport are well visited, the coast west towards Newburgh is much more quiet. But the shore path here is beautiful and has become one of my favourite running routes when I'm staying in Newport with family.

 

My run starts at Wormit Bay beside the memorial to the Tay Bridge Disaster. On 28 December 1879, the first rail bridge collapsed in a storm as a train was passing over it. It's thought that 75 people were killed in the accident and that the cause was poor engineering design. Today the memorial is a peaceful spot with Dundee and the Sidlaw Hills providing the backdrop for the rail bridge that was built to replace the original and still stands today. 

A single track, dirt path undulates west from the memorial, dipping in and out of woods and opening up views through the trees over the Tay and the Carse of Gowrie. In spring and summer the coastal woodlands here are a riot of colour with many types of wildflower. Once I also caught sight of a fox on the path ahead, the dappled sunshine picking out the rich reds of its coat. 

After a few kilometres, the path arrives at Balmerino, a pretty cluster of cottages along the beach. Here I like to detour to Balmerino Abbey as its decaying ruins and overgrown grounds are a peaceful haven to spend a few minutes and catch my breath. The abbey dates from the 13th century and within its grounds is one of Scotland's oldest trees, a sprawling Spanish chestnut more than 400 years old.

 

From the abbey, I run along the Monk's Road, an old path that loops through the woods back to the coast. Spring is my favourite time to be here because the woodland floor is thick with wild garlic and the path just a narrow line through the dense vegetation.

On the return leg along the coast path, I'm feeling the miles and every descent where a stream has cut a mini gorge on its way from the fields to the sea. I'm happy when my feet hit the flat path again at Wormit Bay.  

Fact File

Start/finish: Wormit Bay

Public transport: Stagecoach bus 77 

My route: Follow the Fife Coastal Path west from Wormit Bay to Balmerino. It joins the dead-end road here. Stay on the road a couple of minutes up the hill to visit the abbey. The roads here are single track and have barely any traffic on them. On the return take the road to the right, The Neuk, and then take the Monk's Road path signed to the right. Where it meets a road turn left, then left at the next junction then take a track down to the coastal path passed the Balmerino beach hut (ice cream, drinks) to return on the same path to Wormit Bay.