Walk: Elie Chainwalk – Fife’s via ferrata

📌 Earlsferry, Fife
★★★★

The Elie Chainwalk is the UK’s only free via ferrata (of sorts), found close to the pretty village of Earlsferry on Fife’s south coast. Yes, you read that right – one of Scotland’s flattest regions is the location for an assisted scramble usually associated with the most mountainous areas of continental Europe. Eight metal chains strung up and across faces of up to 10 vertical metres make for an entertaining traverse across the foot of soaring basalt cliffs. The chainwalk can be followed in either direction, but tackling it from west to east (as described here) allows a scenic approach over Kincraig Hill and is probably slightly the easier of the two options: easing you in slowly, with the trickier spots generally left towards the end. Grippy footwear and a head for heights are essential, helmets may be advisable, and grippy gloves would provide comfort when handling the rough rock and metal chains. (Unlike most via ferratas, harnesses and ropes for clipping onto the chains are not required.) Parts of the chainwalk are also flooded at high water, so consult tide times before setting out.

📷 Chronological photo guide

🌍 Location

📌 Start / finish on Chapel Green Road, west end of Earlsferry

🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NT 481995

🛰️ GPS coordinates: 56.185358,-2.838524

🚌 Bus to Earlsferry

🚗 Street parking

📝 Key info

▶ 5 km / 3 mi | ▲ 130 m | ⌛ 2-3 hr

Features: 🏖️ Earlsferry West Beach ★★★; △ Kincraig Hill (63 m); 🧗 Elie Chainwalk

⬤ Tough | Clear paths & sandy beach for outward route, with steep descent to west end of Elie Chainwalk. Chainwalk itself has frequent scrambling (technically fairly easy, but with significant exposure) with metal chains to hold onto, interspersed with rocky bays which can be submerged for up to 2 hours either side of high tide.

➡️ Figure-of-8 circuit (clockwise then anticlockwise): start – Earlsferry West Beach via headland – Kincraig Hill via Fife Coastal Path – rough path at 🧭 NT 464998 descends to west end of chainwalk – Elie Chainwalk – Earlsferry West Beach – start, omitting headland

Download file for GPS

🥾 On our last visit

Wildlife: Grey heron, shags & lots of eider ducks at Earlsferry.

Weather: 13°C with sunshine & large cloud trains. Windy on clifftops & beach.

May 2022