Hidden Scotland
Sign in
Tall dune grass rolls down to a sandy beach where distant figures walk near the water's edge.
Fife

St Andrews West Sands

Almost two miles of sand beside the golf links at St Andrews, where the opening of Chariots of Fire was filmed, backed by protected dunes.

Welcome

The West Sands run for almost two miles beside the golf links at St Andrews, a long stretch of sand made famous by Chariots of Fire.

The film's opening scenes were shot here, and the beach is popular for walking and running. It is zoned to keep sand yachts and families apart, and it has won a Keep Scotland Beautiful Scotland's Beach Award for 2026.

Behind the sand are dunes that are part of a Special Area of Conservation and home to many plants and animals, so you reach the beach by the marked access paths. RNLI lifeguards patrol in the summer months, and the town centre is a fifteen-minute walk away. Take care not to venture out over the sands at low tide, when the incoming tide can trap walkers.

A little further outWee MexicoA small Tex-Mex café on the Nethergate in a pink building where the game Lemmings was dreamed up, with tacos, burritos and nachos.27 min by roadSee itWee Mexico
Before you go

A public beach, open at any time.

RNLI lifeguards patrol in the summer months, and the dunes are reached by the marked access paths.

Where
West Sands Road, St Andrews KY16 9JE, fifteen minutes' walk from the town centre.
Open
The beach is open at any time. RNLI lifeguards patrol in the summer months.
Parking
The Fife Coast & Countryside Trust says there is plenty of parking. Walkhighlands notes a car park with charges by the sea wall at the start of the sands, and free long-stay parking off the A917 on the way into St Andrews from the north, marked as Park & Ride on recent OS maps.
Getting there
St Andrews bus station is a fifteen-minute walk from the beach, which is reached from the A91 Cupar to St Andrews road. Traveline Scotland plans bus journeys.
Dogs
Check the signs on the beach for any area where dogs are not allowed at certain times of year.
Access
Soft sand, reached by marked paths through the dunes. Beach wheelchairs can be hired free from St Andrews Environmental Network, booked online or on 03000 122 014; its page lists the days and season, so check them before you go.
Toilets
Two public toilet blocks on West Sands Road, run by the Fife Coast & Countryside Trust and open 10am to 6pm or 10am to 4pm on the days in its 2026 calendar. The accessible toilet at Block 1 is open all year with a RADAR key.
Tide
Take care not to venture out over the sands at low tide, as the incoming tide can trap walkers.
Food
Shops and restaurants are close by in the town.

Been here? Tell others what you know, and the best go on this page with your name.

Add your review
Where it is

On West Sands Road at the edge of St Andrews, beside the golf links, fifteen minutes' walk from the town centre.

Close bySt Andrews.
  1. St Andrews New CourseSt Andrews New CourseSt Andrews is well known for being the home of golf.Under a mile 1 min by road
  2. Golden retriever rests by "The Himalayas" putting green sign near St Andrews clubhouseThe HimalayasThe famously bumpy putting green of the St Andrews Ladies' Putting Club, between the Old Course and the West Sands, open to the public in the season.Under a mile 3 min by road
  3. Old Course at St AndrewsOld Course at St AndrewsUnder a mile 3 min by road
  4. Illuminated display panels line a dark museum gallery with glowing floor exhibitsThe R&A World Golf MuseumThe museum of golf at St Andrews, beside the Old Course, telling over 400 years of the game through thousands of objects, with a putting green inside.1 mile 4 min by road
  5. St AndrewsSt AndrewsA town on the Fife coast with Scotland's first university, the home of golf, and the ruins of a great cathedral and a bishops' castle.2 miles 6 min by road
  6. St Andrews Castle, the ruined gatehouse range and tower on the green above the sea.St Andrews CastleThe ruined castle of the bishops and archbishops of St Andrews beside the sea, with a bottle dungeon and the ornate Hamilton Façade.2 miles 6 min by road
Directions
The Road Hole Restaurant at the Old Course Hotel, St Andrews: tables, a long banquette and tall windows looking out over the course.RestaurantsRoad Hole Restaurant0.7 miles
Tables in the glass-walled dining room of the Seafood Ristorante, St Andrews, with the sea and the beach beyond the windows.RestaurantsThe Seafood Ristorante0.9 miles
The dining room at Ondine in Seaton House, St Andrews, with a long marble-topped bar on one side and tables by tall windows on the other.RestaurantsOndine Oyster & Grill0.9 miles
The bar at Haar in St Andrews, with wooden stools at a stone-topped counter, blue armchairs and its awards on the wall.RestaurantsHaar0.9 miles
Glass-fronted students' union building with "Your Union" sign beside a bus stopAttractionsUniversity Quad1.4 miles
Spoiled Life, FifeCafeSpoiled Life1.5 miles
Floor-to-ceiling shelves of books line a bookshop with globe lights and a sliding ladderAttractionsTopping & Company1.5 miles
Carved wooden pews line the aisle beneath stained glass windows and vaulted ceilingAttractionsSt Salvator’s Chapel1.5 miles
The dining room at Forgan's in St Andrews, long tables under walls of shelves, books and framed pictures.RestaurantsForgan's1.5 miles

Recommend to a friend

The Daily for 25 October, from Scotland with love. bare tree stumps standing in an autumn loch, forested hills reflected in the still water

The Daily

Arrives at 5am every day.

A free morning email to see what’s on this week, catch up on what’s happening in Scotland and find somewhere new to go.

Stay nearby

Places to stay near the beach, and when each is next free.

The black timber cabin's exterior, with a chimney above the roofline and a freestanding bath standing on the decking below.Bracken Treehouse at Airdit
  • Sleeps 2
  • In Balmullo
  • 6 miles from the West Sands
Free 25–27 OctAn orange leather sofa draped with a sheepskin faces a stone fireplace beneath a timber ceiling, a staircase rising behind.The Old Stable
  • Sleeps 2
  • In Pittenweem
  • 10 miles from the West Sands
Free 28–30 OctThe Crow’s Nest, FifeThe Crow’s Nest
  • Sleeps 4
  • In Pittenweem
  • 10 miles from the West Sands
Free 2–5 NovFifies, FifeFifies
  • Sleeps 2
  • In Pittenweem
  • 10 miles from the West Sands
Free 1–3 NovPlaces to stayEvery stay in FifeAll our places to stay nearby, to search by date and by who is coming.See them all
Hidden Scotland, the magazine

Scotland, in print.

We want to show you the best that Scotland has to offer. The makers and the creatives, the enduring experiences, the evocative tales, the concealed corners. The roads less travelled that take you to places that matter. The adventures that gather you up and sweep you away. The blend of the wild and the artistic that makes Scotland what it is. We’d love for you to join us.

Get Issue 13Read it here
Read on

The collections it is in and more in Fife.

CollectionScotland's Best BeachesCollectionPlaces in Scotland You Have Seen on Screen
More in Fife
Find out more

For further reading, before you go. The details on this page were checked on .