Culture

A journey through Fife Table 5: Douglas Wood Most…

Kenneth Roy 21 November 2008

A journey through Fife
Table 5: Douglas Wood

Most will recognise the blue signs showing a bicycle and a white number in a small red rectangle. They are springing up everywhere, giving directions for the National Cycle Network routes which aim to combine the best of quiet country roads and dedicated cycle-ways for those who wish to get about on a bicycle. Throughout the UK these trails extend to more than 12,000 miles, of which one third are traffic-free. Route 1 is the main arterial route which weaves a path from Dover to Unst, and last weekend I set out to explore the section of it that runs through Fife.
     Joining at Inverkeithing I followed the trail round the east side of Dunfermline where it was encouraging to see that much attention had been given to laying out separate cycle lanes; the downside was the landscape of raw new buildings looking windswept and bleak on a blustery overcast day. However, once into the Townhill Country Park it became what I had hoped it would be. Running roughly parallel to the M90 it progressed on good surfaces via old railway lines and quiet byways through Blairadam Forest and the Cleish Hills to Kinross, then round the north side of the loch to the welcome refreshment point at Loch Leven’s Larder. Just north of Kinnesswood the route followed a well-hidden minor road from Wester Balgedie to Strathmiglo contouring round the north-west slopes of the Lomond Hills, with not a single car passing on a stretch of about six miles. The final four miles to Falkland was on exhilarating traffic-free paths through splendid woodlands, eventually emerging through the grounds of the House of Falkland. Although the day was very windy it had stayed dry.
     After an overnight stop the next leg was a more leisurely day through the Howe of Fife to St Andrews. This is when you appreciate the real character of Fife: that it is made up of many small communities connected by a web of minor roads. The route headed through Freuchie, up over the Hill of Forthar to Coaltown of Burnturk, below Cults Hill and then onto a section of ‘B’ road from Craigrothie to Ceres and Pitscottie (where there is an excellent deli and cafe). Here there is a dramatic change as you are taken down a quiet road through the wooded gorge of Dura Den to Kemback, reminiscent of limestone gorges in faraway places. After a quick descent it came as no surprise to find a long steady climb to Strathkinness but with fine views northwards to Guardbridge and beyond. Then it was downhill and back to the traffic at St Andrews. Surprisingly, the only rain had been a light shower on the approach to Strathkinness.
     There was a bright blue sky on Monday morning for the final leg to Dundee. The route from St Andrews to Dundee is almost entirely off-road, firstly following the abandoned railway to Leuchars and then heading into Tentsmuir Forest and hugging the beach round to Tayport and the road bridge. In the warm sunshine without a breath of wind you could linger on the sands and see the Angus coast sparkling across the water stretching into the distance. Coming out of the forest you pass by the harbour at Tayport and arrive shortly at the Tay Bridge. Pedestrians and cyclists share their own protected channel between the two carriageways. Gathering speed you head rapidly downhill towards Dundee eventually to hurtle into a lift at the far end.
     The verdict? If this section of Route 1 is any indication, the National Cycle Network provides a fascinating way to explore the countryside away from our main roads, seeing new places and some familiar ones from different perspectives. Considerable effort has certainly been put to devising the routes and providing reliable signposting. Much of this has been achieved by Sustrans, the sustainable transport charity, working with the public and local authorities and it is to be hoped that this good work will be developed further. There remains a real challenge for our towns and cities to create cycle-friendly through routes as it is very noticeable how far they lag behind many of their continental counterparts in this respect.

Table 1
Mairi Clare Rodgers:
Are lads’ mags the cheap rags we deserve?
[click here]

Table 2
Walter Humes:
Yes, I did go on holiday to Dunoon
[click here]

Table 3
R D Kernohan:
Confessions of a free-loader
[click here]

WEEKEND
INBOX

THE ROAD TO GLENROTHES

Part II