Best walks from Kirkcaldy
Fife · Scotland
MapJump on a train, get off at Kirkcaldy Station and lose yourself in a beautiful hike for the day.
Lochgelly Station to Kirkcaldy Station
A varied rural walk on tracks and paths through fields and woodland, including a picturesque wooded glen and burn and with short pavement sections beside busier roads at each end. Over 90% off-road. Rough and occasionally steep paths. Mostly uses Fife's core paths. Highlights include the late-18th-century designed landscape of Raith Park and the wooded ravines of the Den Burn. No places to eat or buy food between Lochgelly and Kirkcaldy. A bus service runs between the two towns.
12km. Moderate ascents.
One short core-path section involves climbing a very rickety gate wrapped in barbed wire through undergrowth; it can be avoided via a couple of quiet roads.
Lunch: Nowhere to eat en route — pack lunch!
Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route
Kinghorn Station to Kirkcaldy Station
Lovely bit of the Fife Coastal Path. A pleasant, easy-to-follow section of the Fife Coastal Path on hard-packed gravel, with lots of ups and downs and sets of stairs and ending near Kinghorn High Street. A little urban and post-industrial at the Kirkcaldy end. Follows the Fife Coastal Path; check the Fife Coast and Countryside Trust website for diversions.
Tough: steep ascents. 6km.
Lots of ups and downs and several sets of stairs. The Kirkcaldy end needs some redirection, as the road from Abbotshall Road is private with no access to the station; route instead via the war memorial gardens.
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!