Bob Law’s Blog: Walking around Burntisland,The Binn, Kinghorn and Firth of Forth

Burntisland and the Binn

Setting off. Burntisland to Kinghorn Beach Walk

Burntisland in Fife is maybe not a place that most folk think of when planning a scenic day trip but it has much to offer the visitor both for easy spectacular beach walks and an elevated balcony trail. The town itself is semi industrial around the docks but boasts many old interesting buildings, a modest hilltop viewpoint within the town itself, just behind the main shopping street, a nice meadow/park and a fantastic beach.

Jogger and Inchkeith. Burntisland Sands

My friend and I arrived there last Sunday and parked in the pleasant large free car park beside the meadow area and not far from convenient and clean public toilets with a decent chip shop just across the road.

Inchkeith. Magic and Mystery Combined

Low tide for that day was around 9:30am and we arrived around 10:30am as it’s roughly an hour from Glasgow where we live. If you get there a few hours either side of full low tide a fantastic beach walk is possible out on the sands all the way to Kinghorn, passing oil rigs, large ships and remote offshore islands, like the far flung and rocky Inchkeith… a perfect pirate island…and one time stronghold of both English and French garrisons as well as a place to strand luckless folk in the past suffering from spreadable disease.

Burntisland and the Binn

At lowish tide you can walk across the sands out to the Black Rocks, a small tidal island, then continue along the beach to Kinghorn, another interesting smaller town. From there you can simply walk back along the beach by a different route until the incoming tide cuts you off. At a beach front caravan park west of Kinghorn there is a bridge over the railway line and you can also walk back to Burntisland along pavements next to the A921 which is more enjoyable and interesting than it sounds. Do not cross over the railway line unless a bridge is available as fast trains without any warning use this line.

Black Rocks at High Tide

You can also take an elevated right of way track through Kinghorn golf course passing just above the caravan site then follow this gradually rising track up the ridge to The Binn summit itself at 193 metres (632 feet) which seems far higher looking down. Continuing on an obvious path down the far side takes you back into Burntisland.

OS Landranger Map Sheet 66 Edinburgh has all the tracks and the beach marked on it to follow. A highly enjoyable five star walk but best completed when the tide is out on a sunny day. Local dog walkers and joggers go on the beach all the time so it’s safe enough for folk with common sense.

The Beach Landscape From Above

Allow 4 to 6 hours for full Beach-Kinghorn-Binn circuit depending on pace and stops. Around 10 kilometres or 6 miles- flat walking and less distance if missing out the Binn. Met Office Tide Times online along with a weather forecast.  At full high tide this beach disappears completely but enough of it is left to walk outside of this short time period. If it’s fully in when you arrive do the Binn summit first.

All of my photographic guide books feature parts of Scotland that most others miss out but they still reward the visitor with beautiful and little known scenery. My latest is out now on Kindle Bookstore for £2:49. Over 400 original colour photographs from spectacular parts of Scotland few apart from locals will have visited. Suitable for armchair travellers, seasoned walkers and beginners alike.

On Amazon:  Scottish Outdoor Kaleidoscope Bob Law ebook

Bob Law blog and photography: Edinburgh Lights at Christmas
Bob Law's Blog: Autumn Colours in Glasgow's West End

This section: Bob Law: photographer, walker and writer, Walks

Written by :

Avatar of PatByrne Publisher of Pat's Guide to Glasgow West End; the community guide to the West End of Glasgow. Fiction and non-fiction writer.

Leave a Reply

Copyright Glasgow Westend 2009 thru 2017

Contact Pat's Guide to Glasgow West End | About Pat Byrne | Privacy Policy | Design by Jim Byrne Website Design