Walk: Coast path to Carlingnose

📌 North Queensferry, Fife
★★★

Heading east out of North Queensferry, the Fife Coastal Path climbs to reach Carlingnose Point – a headland with superb views back to the Forth Rail Bridge and ahead towards Dalgety Bay. The rocky bluff is a nature reserve supporting nesting terns and other seabirds; carlingnose refers to the nose of an old woman, though the resemblance isn’t obvious. Further around the coast are a couple of scenic inlets: sandy Port Laing and muddy Inner Bay, with the town of Inverkeithing visible across the latter. From here, we suggest returning by the outward route (a possible alternative over the Ferry Hills involves lots of road walking), leaving time to explore the narrow streets of North Queensferry afterwards.

📷 Chronological photo guide

🌍 Location

📌 Start / finish on Battery Road, just south of North Queensferry village centre

🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NT 132803

🛰️ GPS coordinates: 56.007979,-3.392564

🚆🚌 Train / bus to North Queensferry

🚗 Car park

📝 Key info

▶ 5 km / 3 mi | ▲ 50 m | ⌛ 1.5 hr

Features: 🏠 North Queensferry ★★; 🌉 Forth Rail Bridge ★★★; 🌊 Carlingnose Point Nature Reserve; 🏖️ Port Laing

⬤ Easy | Good paths, some ascent & descent.

➡️ Out-and-back walk with variant near finish: start & Forth Rail Bridge – North Queensferry – Post Office Lane – East Bay – Carlingnose Point Nature Reserve – Port Laing – West Ness – return by outward route – on approach to North Queensferry, remain on upper coast path to pass underneath Forth Rail Bridge – West Sands viewpoint – start

Download file for GPS

🥾 On our last visit

Wildlife: Eider ducks, mallards, curlews, mute swans.

Weather: Temperature in low teens, sunny but with a stiff breeze in exposure.

March 2021