Tentsmuir Point – A Walk Along the Firth of Tay

27 July 2016 Andy

Our visit to Acorn Bank and Ladybank, including this Tentsmuir Point walk were part of our journey to Aberdeen to visit Sarah’s cousin Clive and his wife Sally.

We had arrrived in Ladybank the previous evening. Here then enjoyed an evening of catching up on events with Kevin, a former work colleague of Andy’s, and his wife Jules.

The following morning we set off for Tentsmuir Point. This is a Scottish Natural Nature reserve which lies on the north-eastern tip of Fife.

We started at a car park on the promenade on the edge of the town of Tayport. This was the opposite end to the usual tourist parts.

It was a fine day as we made our way firstly through a caravan site …

And over Lundin Bridge in to the Tayport heaths. The walk is littered with concrete blocks which are known as ‘Dragon’s Teeth’ and distributed along the shoreline. These acted as a coastal defence against landing craft during World War II.

Part of this route also forms a section of National Cycle Network Route 1. This section of NCN 1 is also part of Coast and Castles North, one of cycle tours we are considering undertaking at some point.

As we walked along we had excellent views of the Firth of Tay.

At the same time we were following the line of Tentsmir Forest on our right.

Eventually we reached Tentsmuir Point itself. This is the outermost point of an ever shifting and changing sand dune system where the River Tay and River Eden estuaries meet. Out on the Abertay sands (but sadly not close enough to photo) we were able to see seals resting and foraging in the tides.

We then returned along the edge of the forest.

Until the flies got the better of us and we headed back on to the sands.

Eventually we returned to Tayport.

This had been a splendid walk and we had covered about 7 1/2 miles.

From here we headed back to St Michaels and its local establishment. Here we treated Kavin and Jules to a meal as both a thank you, and a celebration …it was Kevin’s birthday.