Warning signs for coastal path

Anita Rogan, The Citizen, 23 July 1999

Warning signs are to be erected on the coastal route from St Andrews to Crail after the path claimed its fourth victim of the year.

Fifty-eight-year-old Mrs Esther Rattray, a visitor to the town, was taken to Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, when she sustained lower back injuries after slipping on the path which runs from the Kinkell caravan park down to the swimming pool last Sunday. Mrs Rattray, from Cardonald, is hopefully the last victim to fall foul of the path as Fife Council plan to install warning signs informing people that as the route has not been developed or upgrade it may be hazardous and is subject to tidal flow in places.

Despite being a popular walk with many locals and holiday-makers, the St Andrews to Crail route does not form part of the official Fife Coastal Path which stretches from North Queensferry to Crail. And while the official Coastal Path has been regularly maintained and upgraded since its inception back in 1994, the unofficial St Andrews to Crail path has not enjoyed the same care and attention.

As a result, mainly due to natural coastal erosion which has caused a landslip at St Andrews, the terrain has become quite challenging and uneven in places. The route also has three tidal “pinch points” including one at Kingask, a couple of miles outside the town, which can leave walkers unable to continue along the path when the tide comes in.

Plans are currently being developed by Fife Council to incorporate the stunning route as the final stage of the official 78-mile Fife Coastal Path.

A spokesman for Fife Enterprise commented: It is hoped that work will start on the Crail to Tay Bridge section of the Fife Coastal Path in the Autumn, in order that work can be completed in time for the start of the tourism season next Spring”.

He added that: “Prior to any work commencing, a full health and safety assessment will be carried out by Fife Council and any aspect of the proposed route deemed unsafe will be addressed”.

He also explained that orientation boards, similar to those already in place on the official Coastal Path, would be installed, in order to identify the degree of difficulty of different sections. Some of these, he added, would be more suitable for experienced walkers rather than those out for a family walk.

One of the areas requiring upgrading is that around Kingask where the path has been almost completely eroded away. The future of the route is currently under negotiation by Fife Council as its upgrading and subsequent maintenance was one of the conditions of the controversial planning application for the site being granted.

The creation of the official Fife Coastal Path - the result of a partnership between Fife Council, Fife Enterprise, Scottish National Heritage and the Kingdom of Fife Tourist Board - has involved substantial upgrading work along the route, with safety requirements top priority.

The measures carried out have been tailored to each area’s differing requirements and have been as diverse and individual as the route itself. The upgrading work has included the creation of a natural stone path along the muddy and slippery cliff-top walk between Shell Bay and Elie and fencing off the disused railway track which runs between Lower Large and Shell Bay.

Work has been done along the route to ensure the paths are as clear and free from obstructions as possible, and as well as some natural surfacing work where required, handrails and steps have also been installed. All the measures have been designed to blend into the natural environment as much as possible. All the walks have also bean graded according to their length and difficulty.

Regarding the present state of the as yet un-designated St Andrews to Crail path, Fife Council’s Head of Community Services, Mr Dave Somerville, whose department is responsible for its maintenance, explained: “We are working with Fife Enterprise and local landowners to upgrade the path north of Crail to the Tay Bridge and improve its accessibility to users”.

But he added: "At the moment, this particular stretch of land is not yet a recognised part of the Coastal Path. This is made clear in literature on the path produced by Fife Council. Signs informing people of this are also being erected in the area”.

In the meantime, he concluded: “We would urge users of footpaths to ensure the walk is within their capabilities”.