Walk 120 – Dunfermline to Dean Plantation via West Fife Way – 5 miles

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This pleasant loop begins with an easy stroll along the Dunfermline-Alloa cycle track NCN764 (the former West Fife Way railway), before entering the Dean woodland & returning to the start following a series of farm tracks. Enjoy the views across the Firth of Forth as you go! Note that underfoot conditions can be muddy on the second half of the walk.

Print  Dog-friendly walk (Note there is one very short road section on exiting the Dean with no pavement)

  Car park just off A907/William Street, Dunfermline. There are bus stops on Rumbling Street/A907 a short walk away. Dunfermline bus station is approx 1 mile away and the train station approx 1.5 miles away.


WALK REVIEW: 7th April 2017

Ever since I learned that there is a cycle track running all the way from Clackmannan to Dunfermline I have wanted to check it out! The whole thing is some 14 miles long, ideal on a bike but personally I find that dismantled railways turned into cycle paths tend to get boring after a few miles of long and straight tarmac walking. No harm in doing bits of it though and turning them into loops 🙂 I do love a loop!

On the whole I found this cycle track to be quite scenic compared to most, with lovely views out across the local farmland. There aren’t many original railway features remaining, a couple of stone bridges is about your lot: again this is pretty standard for these sorts of walks.

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Bodhi joined us for the walk! He loves to get muddy!

We found the path into the Dean by accident (well, my friend did, I wasn’t paying the slightest bit of attention at that point – probably too busy chatting!) The cycle track begins to run alongside a large field with the trees of the Dean woodland obvious behind it. The path was right at the very end of the field and was simply an earth track worn in by fellow walkers using it to cross to the woods.

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This wasn’t our first visit to the Dean, we had come here exploring a few times in recent weeks. One thing consistent each time was the mud and today was no different. It didn’t bother us though, we were expecting it so had come prepared. And Bodhi has certainly never complained about muddy puddles!

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Bodhi wondering what the hold up is, “Come on guys, why do you keep stopping?!” Eh, to take photos!!
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Couldn’t resist this shot of the sun shining through the trees. So atmospheric!
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Due to it being relatively busy as far as country roads go and the fact we normally have a dog with us, we have tried to avoid walking along Lundin Road in previous walks in this area, however we had no option today. It was a very short section and although there was no pavement there was a good sized grassy verge which we were able to stop on to allow traffic to pass.

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Lundin Road – the new bridge across the Forth visible in the distance. Cutting across the centre of the photo you can also clearly see the farm track which is the next part of the route.
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The point at which we turned off Lundin Road and onto the farm tracks. I am always wary of farm tracks when I plan walks, for 3 reasons:  I am never sure what type of field it will be (prefer not to cross fields with cattle in them!); it is difficult to know how good the path will be; I worry that the farmer will frown upon me trampling on their field.  The way markers instantly put my mind at ease: a public right of way *sigh of relief*

I really enjoyed this section across the open farmland. The views were stunning and the fields were a vibrant shade of green with new crops starting to peek through. Taking a walk across a field such as this always leaves me pondering just how much work must be involved in the modern-day farm life. Not to mention the cost of the machinery used to create such perfectly farmed areas of land! Certainly makes you appreciate your veggies that bit more 😉

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The track wasn’t always the easiest to walk on but the farmer had left a good wide area at the edge of the field. I have experienced occasions on other walks when the ‘path’ has been so narrow that I have struggled to avoid walking on crops.
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View down to the village of Crossford and the new bridge, the ‘Queensferry Crossing’ in the distance.
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Took this one for my two boys who love tractors 🙂
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The final section of path out onto William Street

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