Best walks from Cowdenbeath
Fife · Scotland
MapJump on a train, get off at Cowdenbeath Station and lose yourself in a beautiful hike for the day.
Cowdenbeath Station to Lochgelly Station
A short, easy and very well-maintained route, off-road between the two towns: residential streets give way to a pleasant tree-lined path across a golf course and with a steep gradient into and out of a small valley. Good public transport connections at both ends, with bus links to various locations in Fife.
Easy: 3km, moderate ascents.
The path crosses a golf course, so watch for flying golf balls.
Refreshments are available in Lochgelly town.
Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route
Cowdenbeath Station to Kinghorn Station
Roughly half on road (mostly quieter roads) and half off-road on Fife's core paths and including a large field with no path to follow south of Auchtertool. There are kissing gates and possibly stiles and muddy tracks. Almost all on Fife's core paths. No places to buy food mid-route.
15km. Moderate ascents.
Take particular care on the road heading north from Auchtertool, which has narrow verges and tight bends, and at the B9157 crossing at Kilrie.
Lunch: Nowhere to eat en route — pack lunch!
There is a café at the Ecology Centre on Kinghorn Loch, about a mile outside Kinghorn.
Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route
Cowdenbeath Station to Kirkcaldy Station
About three-quarters off-road on core paths, with grazing land, kissing gates, self-closing gates, slopes of about 10% and possibly stiles and muddy tracks. There are pavemented in-town road sections at each end. Goes along the banks of Camilla Loch and through Beveridge Park, part of a historic designed landscape. There may be grazing water buffalo. Bring food and drink as there is nowhere to stop and eat. An alternative route avoids the unwelcoming Raith Estate.
15km. Moderate ascents.
One road section just north of Auchtertool has tight bends and needs extra caution.
Lunch: Nowhere to eat en route — pack lunch!
Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route
Cowdenbeath Station to Burntisland Station
About half on road, half off-road, with gorse, grazing animals, kissing gates, stiles and small lochs. Most road sections are small and quiet or in-town with good pavements and though there is a 2 km stretch along the A909. Includes the Old North Road local heritage trail and a footpath along the banks of Stenhouse Reservoir, with likely views to the Firth of Forth. Optional side trips up Dunearn Hill (an ancient hill-fort) or Burntisland Binn. Bring food and drink as there is nowhere to stop and eat; bus routes on the B925 and B9157.
Tough: steep ascents. 11km.
Lunch: Nowhere to eat en route — pack lunch!
Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route
Inverkeithing Station to Cowdenbeath Station
15km. Moderate ascents.
Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route
Dalgety Bay Station to Cowdenbeath Station
11km. Moderate ascents.
Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route
Dunfermline City Station to Cowdenbeath Station
Mostly off-road paths and farm tracks through quiet countryside, with pavement sections through the towns at each end. Good underfoot for much of the way and but boggy ground around Hill of Beath. An off-road cycle path from the Leys Park Road car park parallels the suggested roadside start and keeps the walk off-road.
Easy: 10km, moderate ascents.
Navigation becomes difficult around Hill of Beath where recent works have disrupted the old paths, and the ground there can be boggy.