Dog-friendly walk
Harbour Car Park just off the Promenade on the edge of Limekilns village (KY11 3HH). Closest train station is Dunfermline, 3.5 miles (5.5 km) away. Local bus service to Limekilns village stops at the harbour where the walk begins. Limekilns village sits on the NCN 76 cycle route along the Fife coast so can also be reached by bike.
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Leave the Harbour Car Park to walk West along the Promenade in the direction of Charlestown (the water should be on your left-hand side). Pass the War Memorial then turn left (West) down Saltpans. Saltpans soon becomes East Harbour Road where you pass the limekilns themselves, then West Harbour Road. Near the end of West Harbour Road follow the road as it bends to the right (North West). The road soon ends and leads onto a narrow earth track, signposted “Public Path to Lyne Burn“. After a short distance you will then walk along the wooden slats of a disused railway. Continue past a bridge which comes into view on your right and look out for a fork on the right leading to some steps. Climb the steps and cross the bridge then continue along the track behind a large house. Turn left (North East) at the fork and left again (North) onto West Road. After 730m, just before reaching A985, turn right (East) onto the NCN 76 cycle track. This road bends to the right before passing the Scottish Lime Centre Trust building. It then heads uphill and bends to the left. Continue all the way to the end of the road, coming off the cycle track towards the end, then turn right (South East) and follow this track for 1km towards Broomhall House. As you approach the house you will come to a crossroads where you should turn right (South West), heading away from Broomhall House. Pass through the gate and follow the track as it bends left and passes the site of a former quarry. The next section of footpath is on high ground above the Promenade and emerges out of the woods at Charlestown Bowling Club. Pass the car park then turn left (South) onto Cross Row before using the gap in the stone wall to take the steps down onto Main Road. Turn left (East) and walk along Main Road, becoming the Promenade 200m along. You will again pass the war memorial (climb up for a closer look if you wish). The Harbour Car Park is 350m further along the road on the right.
WALK REVIEW: 3rd February 2017
We have been trying out different routes around Dunfermline of late whilst walking a friend’s dog and decided to venture to the coast today. Had we given it some thought beforehand we would have realised that taking a golden retriever to the shore when you have no intention of letting him off the lead is not big and not clever….. However, the story starts before that…
It was the first time we had taken one year old Bodhi out in the car and we were a little nervous about it. Imagine our surprise and relief when we opened the boot and he jumped right in and made himself comfortable! Brilliant! We literally said “Wow, that was much easier than I expected!” Less than a minute later and he had clambered across into the back seat and was using a window sponge as a toy…. Ok, perhaps not quite as easy as we thought. We were very insistent that this was not on and promptly marched him round the car and back into the boot. Only for the same thing to happen again (minus the sponge this time which had been safely removed from his sight). There he remained for the 15 minute journey to the start point of our walk. Humans 0, dog 1 :-/
The next incident occurred within 10 seconds of getting out the car at the other end. Bodhi spotted the sea, or the dog on the beach, or both we are not sure. In any case he made a sprint across the grass towards it, his lead extending at top speed and Lesley’s hand gripping the handle bracing for the inevitable tug. Bodhi kept going but the lead reached it’s limit and Lesley summersaulted landing bum first on the grass. After checking she was ok I started racing after Bodhi who was now on the sand, still running, but now with his whole lead bouncing behind him as well. One step off the grass and onto the piles of dried black seaweed and I somehow managed to put my foot right into some sort of gooey brown gunk. Goodness knows what the two women on the beach must have thought of the scene!! We were able to laugh it off, but we did decide there and then not to bring him a walk near water again until we were able to trust him (and let him have fun) off the lead…
So, not exactly the ideal start to the day but let’s get on with the actual walk now! It had been Lesley’s suggestion to come and see the Limekilns and having done some research online I was really looking forward to exploring the area. It is definitely my favourite of all the walks we have done so far around Dunfermline: varied, scenic and with interesting historical features. The walk was ideal for dogs, our only concern being a short stretch along West Road which has no pavement.
The photo tour tells the rest of the story….
