Rail Tracks and Foreshore of Fife

Hi everybody.

This suggested route is Brompton friendly.

Commencing at Dunfermline Railway Station we'll make our way through the town taking in Pittencrieff Public Park with its views of the Abbey, being the burial place of king 'Robert the Bruce'. At the north end of town we pick up the former Dunfermline to Alloa railway, now designated National Cycleway Network route 64. This totally off road, basically flat, tarred track runs westwards for about 12 miles before a couple of minors roads see us arrive in Clackmannan with its historic Tolbooth and Mercat Cross. At Lookaboutye Brae we pick up NCN route 76 which passes the new Clackmannanshire bridge over the Forth. At Kincardine, route 76 skirts the foreshore eastwards passing Longannet Power Station and the NTS historic village of Culross with its restored houses, Palace and Abbey. At Crombie Point, we leave the foreshore but return again at Charlestown and Limekilns, the latter made famous in RLS's 'Kidnapped' as the place David Balfour and Alan Breck Stewart were ferried across the Forth to South Queensferry at the end of their adventures. Those attending the cycle have the options of returning to Dunfermline or catching trains at Rosyth or Inverkeithing. Dunfermline also has a main hub bus station.

The route overall is undulating but there are two very short (50 to 100m in length) steep climbs which only take a few minutes to walk. The vast majority of the cycle is on NCN routes, minor roads and tarred footpaths. Very Brompton friendly. Dunfermline, Clackmannan, Culross and Charlestown all have cafes in addition to public toilets.

I'd guess the proposed route is about 30 miles although this can be reduced by leaving NCN route 64 earlier and heading straight for Kincardine or Culross. There is also the option of returning to Dunfermline along route 64.

Andrew Dickson