East Wemyss – Sandstone Caves and a Castle above the Forth
About 3.7 miles on foot.
The shore at East Wemyss is lined with sandstone caves where the Picts left their carvings, under a ruined castle that tradition ties to the Thane of Fife.
The Wemyss Coastal Trail takes in both, then keeps to the Fife Coastal Path as far as the old coal harbour of West Wemyss. It's about three and three-quarter miles one way and takes two hours.
- Time
- About two hours one way: about 3.7 miles.
- The path
- Steps and some loose ground on the coastal path. Not for wheelchairs, mobility scooters or bicycles.
- Where to start
- On Main Street or Back Dykes in East Wemyss, a short walk from the green where the trail starts. Don't take a car down to the Haugh, by the caves. Buses stop at the green.
- When to go
- All year in daylight. It's an open shore path: leave it for another day in a gale or a big sea. From November to January set off by noon if you mean to walk both ways.
- Children
- Cave mouths to look into and a ruined castle above the shore.
- Before you set out
- Check the bus times back from West Wemyss before setting off.
The walk
The trail starts on the green in the middle of East Wemyss, opposite the Perfect Scoop ice cream shop, where the buses stop. Park on Main Street or Back Dykes. The Haugh, the lane by the shore, has no room for visitors' cars. The caves and the castle are along the shore east of the village.
The Fife Coastal Path runs below cliffs of red sandstone hollowed into caves, where the Picts cut their carvings into the walls. The carved parts are behind gates and are shut at present, so the caves are seen from their mouths. Macduff's Castle stands above the shore here, a ruin tied by tradition to the Thane of Fife who killed Macbeth. West Wemyss, where the trail ends, is the other way along the coast: an old harbour village that grew up on coal.
It's about three and three-quarter miles and takes two hours, with steps and some loose ground. Walking straight back takes about an hour, or there's the bus.
If it rains
There's no shelter on the shore, and the steps and loose stretches are slippery when wet. Keep it for a dry day.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
For further reading, before you go.