📌 Island & abbey in the Firth of Forth, Fife
★★★★
🛠️ Abbey partially closed for masonry work – rest of island open (checked April 2024)
Incholm (Columba’s Island) is a small island sitting in the Firth of Forth, just off the Fife coast at Aberdour. Its 22 acres provide ample space for large numbers of seagulls, which can be aggressive to visitors during breeding season; consider taking an umbrella to ward off territorial dives. A part-ruined – but still beautiful – 13th century monastery still stands amongst the feathery chaos, as well as various concrete artillery defences constructed in the World Wars. Today defence, religion and nature awkwardly combine to create a quirky but somehow beguiling place, well worth the boat trip on the Maid of the Forth from South Queensferry. It all feels a world away from Edinburgh, only 7 miles distant.
Inchcolm ★★★★
🌍 Location
📌 Uninhabited island in the Firth of Forth
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NT 188825
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 56.028967,-3.304085
🚢 Access by boat (see above) from South Queenferry, which has train & bus connections
🚗 Car park / street parking in South Queensferry, then take the boat (see above)
📝 Key info
⌚🎫 Partial access restrictions during seabird nesting season (May to August). Otherwise, see opening & price info for the Maid of the Forth boat trip
Inchcolm Abbey ★★★★
🌍 Location
📌 Close to the jetty on Inchcolm
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NT 190827
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 56.030002,-3.301718
🚢 Access by boat (see above) from South Queenferry, which has train & bus connections
🚗 Car park / street parking in South Queensferry, then take the boat (see above)
📝 Key info
⌚ Daily, 29 March to October 2024
🎫 Entrance fee incorporated into Maid of the Forth boat fare
