Bob’s Walk 2015 – Day 7 – Fife Ness to Guardbridge

Day 7 – The toughest day yet…

We started walking at 9.30, and the last steps were taken just as the clock hit 7.00 p.m. – our longest, most challenging, exhausting, demanding and rewarding day.

Our journey of 16.2 miles took us from Fife Ness to Kingsbarns, Boarhills, St Andrews and Guardbridge, but it wasn’t the distance that was the killer – it was the testing terrain on the toughest part of Fife’s coastal path.

We always knew it was going to be a tough day, but this one pushed everyone to their limits.

Assembling at Crail Golfing Society we quickly got on to the other side of the boundary wall to begin, pausing to let a few four-balls tee-off, including one which howked – that may not be a technical term -his shot in an arc over our heads and deep into the sandy beach.

With the weather again kind to us – it was dry, with a cooling wind, and warm enough to walk in a t-shirt – we made good time along the beach until we ran into an overgrown path that started to slow us down.

The closer we got to Boarhills, the tougher it became as the path was covered in vegetation. It really is in need of some instant attention – and a strimmer or two – before it becomes inaccessible.

The stony beaches slowed us down too as we each picked our way carefully from rock to rock, each finding a different path to zig-zag our way to the stone wall which we hopped across into Kingsbarns Golf Course.

It offered an easy walk, and a lovely donation from some of the golfers whose path we seemed to cross several times.

On to Boarhills where we found a lovely spot for lunch and then down to the waterside and up into farmland before the gentle turn back towards the coastal path which leads, ultimately, into St Andrews.

It’s a fantastic walk, but one which tests any walker to their limits as it throws up obstacles, steep descents, climbs which leave you breathless… and an incoming tide that doesn’t wait for stragglers.

It’s also a path that deceives. You get a glimpse of the clubhouse that sits below the Fairmont – our much needed coffee stop – but then leads you on a trail that snakes up and down so much you can no longer see your destination.

Every ascent is tough, none more so than the steps up to the Fairmount. I stopped counting after 80 steps largely because I could only wheeze in agony!

Refreshed and restored, we returned to the path, following the path which was well strimmed in parts, overgrown in others. It was anything but a gentle stroll!

The rocky beach landscape was equally tough, and we were grateful for the handle and step-up to clamber over the large rocks just as the tide started to lap its base.

Once over there the challenges continued as the long slow descent into St Andrews seemed to take forever.

We arrived well behind schedule, and kicked on through the town and past the Old Course where preparations for The Open are well advanced.

From there to Guardbridge it was simply a case of heads down and keep going. The three miles are easy to do on the cycle path, but, they were every bit as tough as the rest of the journey.

But for all the aches, we wouldn’t have skipped it for a second – the route from Fife Ness IS the true test for any coastal path walker.

So, mission accomplished!

On saturday we head from Guardbridge to the Tay Bridge; a 12-mile journey that takes us through the heart of Tentsmuir.

The finish line is almost in sight …

Bob’s Walk is sponsored by event partners Mackays Marmalade, route partner FMC Technologies, plus ACA Sports, Shadow Blinds and Dundee & Fife Chiropractic Clinics.

Huge thanks to O’Connell’s, Kirkcaldy, and Morrisons’ Invertiel store for their generous donations.

Thank you to Baird’s Bar, Elie, for their very kind donation. Please visit their Facebook page and ‘like’ it – and if you are in town, pop in!

Bob’s Walk 2015 for Maggie’s Centre takes place from 13th to 21st June
You can donate online at www.justgiving.com/bobswalk2015
You can also donate by text message.
To donate £5 just text DOCB99 £5 to 70070
To donate £10 just text DOCB99 £10 to 70070

 

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