www.walkforfun.co.uk Walk For Fun based in Perthshire Scotland
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Walk Lower Largo,To Shell Bay,Then Elie For Tea
**Directions To Get Here**
Heading
North, follow the M90 over the Forth Road Bridge. Turn off at
Junction
2A on to the A92 East Fife Regional road to Kirkcaldy East. At
Kirkcaldy
East follow A915 Leven/St.Andrews signs to Lundin Links. In
Lundin
Links turn right to Lower Largo.then park in the main car park
next to the public toilets opposite the beach,
Explore Largo First
Before
starting the walk have a walk round Lower Largo go back over
300
years a world famous adverturer was born here,the real
"Robinson
Crusoe",soak up the atmosphere stand at the end of
the
pier try to imagine how he must have felt leaving from this tiny
pier
to travel the world
Decide Which Way
There
are 2 ways to do this walk it is entirely your choice,walk the beach
which
is the way we prefer
or
there is the Footpath that runs parrallel to the Beach and goes part
way
on the old railway track,
Disabled
& Less Agile Ramblers may wish explore Lower Largo
then
travel to Shell Bay car park where
you
can follow the cycle track to Elie Harbour,directions near the
end
of the walk directions
**THE WALK**
Starting
at the car park turn left and walk along the street to the
turning
circle at the end,
it
is now make your mind up time,join the footpath
or
go down onto the beach,
whichever
remember the Sea
must
be on your right hand side or you will be going the wrong way,
continue
walking and enjoy the uninterupted sea views watch the seabirds
foraging
for food in the shallows
listen
to the silence,if your on the track look at the wildflowers
pick
some brambles if they are ready
listen
to the skylarks lookout for buzzards,kestrals,herons hiding
in
the long grass like statues
you
will soon pass the old railway platform where hundreds of
daytrippers
used to disembark
to
take the clean sea air,remember due to heavy industry,
foundries,&
bad
sanitation,
in
our big towns & cities this must have been like coming
to
paradise
for the day,
After
about 3 miles you will be coming to the end of this stretch
of
beach in front of you
at
the other side of a river is a wall of conifer trees with a wide gap
in
the middle thats where
you
are going but come off the beach at the finger post and join the
footpath,follow
this round
cross
the foot bridge,look how the river curves round before heading
out
to sea,this is where
Smugglers
used
to land there cargos to escape
the
Goverment Excise Men
when
you go through the wide gap in the trees you are now in Shell Bay
Caravan
Site go straight on
follow
the road about 1/4 mile until you see a sign on the right
for
coastal path,
*its
decision time again at this point & very very important*
if
you do not like heights,narrow paths,steep cliffs then
"DO
NOT" turn right
instead
follow the instructions for Disabled & Less Adgile Ramblers
near
the end of the walk directions,
OK
we
are going right at the large notice board
follow
this path for about 1/2 mile
it
turns left and you start climbing you will come to 2 wooden benches,
our
walk continues uphill.
However
if you are a bit adventurous,strong healthy like a challenge
and
if the tide is out you may wish to do the
World
Famous CHAIN WALK
which
starts opposite the 2 benches,
its
STEEP its DANGEROUS be warned
We
continue uphill right to the top you will see World War 2
Gun
Emplacements
a
grim reminder of how lucky we are to live in more peaceful times
(in
this country at least)
on
reaching the top & just as you start to desend,you will be rewarded
by
an amazing panoramic view
accross
the Firth of Forth with the Bass Rock prominent
and
North Berwick behind,
for
hundreds of years the Ferry crossed to Earlsferry bringing Pilgrims
on
their way to St Andrews,
look
down at the tiny people on the beach below this will give
you
an idea how high up you are,
look
down to the right the rocks at the end of the beach is
where
the
chain walk finishes
&
joins the coastal path once more,
on
the left you look over Earlsferry with Elie your destination in the
background,walk
down the hill
about
2/3 the way there is a rock face with a seat made out of a
plank
& 2 fish boxes stop for a well deserved rest,
continue
down to the finger post,again you can walk on the beach
there
are stairs leading down or use the path that runs parrallel to the beach
for
about 1/2 mile to the next
finger
post turn left cross the golf course there are 2 paths either
will
do and out onto the road
you
can then follow the road into Elie and take the road off the
high
street to the harbour,
or
at various points along the road there are lanes going down to
Elie
beach with its colourful
beach
huts and walk along the sand to the harbour where you can
have
a well deserved break
with
maybe something to eat at the newly opened Galley take away,
snacks,lunches,suppers,&
ice cream parlour
or
have a go on the banana boat at Elie Watersports, opposite
**Disabled & Less Agile Ramblers**
Remember
way
back at SHELL BAY this is the rest of the directions for
disabled
& less agile ramblers
if
you have walked from lower largo walk straight on till you come to
the
car park at the entrance to the caravan park
If
you are a disabled rambler park in the car park,from here walk on
about
20
mts away from the
caravan
park then turn right onto the track signposted Cycle track
follow
this for about 3/4 mile
then
cross
the gravel road over the golf course which brings
you
onto Links Road there is
also
Earlsferry High St running parrallel behind it either one will do
follow
the road into Elie
the
take the harbour road off the high street to reach your destination
and
a well deserved
tea at The Galley or maybe a pint at the nearby Ship Inn then
walk
out to the High street where you can get abus back to
Shell
Bay or Lower Largo
the
number X26 & the 95 buses run every hour
timetables
are on the bus stops