Coastal area named 'one of Scotland's best walking adventures' by National Geographic
Perfect for an end-of-summer walk.
A coastal area of Scotland has been named one of the country's "best walking adventures" by National Geographic. It was praised for its charming fishing villages and picturesque beauty spots.
On Saturday, August 23, National Geographic shared an article explaining why "coastal Fife is one of Scotland's best walking adventures". The iconic travel magazine shared an itinerary of where to head along the route to make the most of it.
According to National Geographic, the village of St Monans is a good starting point for anybody keen to head out on a walk in Fife. Also known as St Monance, the parish gets its name from the Christian missionary Saint Monan.
Among the highlights of St Monans singled out by National Geographic are its Welly Garden and the Auld Kirk. The former is comprised of dozens of pairs of welly boots that are filled with colourful plants and flowers, while the latter dates all the way back to the 13th century and is one of the only remaining medieval churches in Scotland that is still in use.
The travel magazine then recommends heading along the Fife Coastal Path walk to the village of Pittenweem. One of the beauty spots along the way that was praised is the St Monans Windmill, which is the last remaining windmill in Fife.
Once in Pittenweem, some of the sights that were singled out include Pittenweem Harbour and Nicholson’s Sweets and Ice Cream Shop. Pittenweem Harbour is home to many colourful boats that gently bop up and down on the water, while Nicholson’s Sweets and Ice Cream Shop offers 12 tasty flavours of ice cream.
The next stop along the walk according to National Geographic is Anstruther, which is a town around 1.5 miles from Pittenweem. Popular amongst day trippers and holidaymakers, the settlement is renowned for its charming shops and scenic harbour.
One destination in Anstruther that was named is the Anstruther Fish Bar, which has multiple awards and is often considered one of the best fish and chip shops in Scotland. However, National Geographic also recommended fellow takeaway The Wee Chippy—which it states "many locals now prefer".
Elsewhere in Anstruther, the magazine singled out the Scottish Fisheries Museum. As the name suggests, the attraction is all about history of fishing in Scotland—from ancient times to the present day.
Walks in Scotland
Moving on, it is a four-mile walk from Anstruther to the next village of Crail. According to National Geographic, Crail is "often considered the loveliest of all the East Neuk villages".
The magazine named Crail Pottery and the 12th century Crail Castle as among the village's standouts. It also praised Crail Beach, which it stated is a top spot for a sunset walk.
Other places named as worthy stops include The Ship Inn in Elie and Lady’s Tower Beach. The experts also stated that it is worth getting a cruise to the Isle of May, which is a stunning national nature reserve.
National Geographic wrote: "Today, there are more pleasure boats than fishing boats, but the East Neuk’s free-spirited nature finds new expression in art galleries and open-air sculptures. The villages have watercolour-box houses, while the marriage of Fife farming heritage and the teeming Firth of Forth estuary makes for unparalleled, straight-off-the-boat seafood dining.
"This region is also arguably home to the best section of the 117-mile Fife Coastal Path, and a train link from Edinburgh to nearby Leven, opened in 2024, means you can leave the car at home and let your coastal adventure unfold on foot. In this nook, you won’t want to cut corners."
For more information, visit the National Geographic website.