Cramond to North Queensferry | UK Coast

We arrived back at the small park north of Cramond on the River Almond at around 9 am—a full hour earlier than yesterday's start time. With fewer miles to complete today (just as well, as I was knackered!) we had high hopes for the day.

I’d worked late into the early hours last night, finishing some overdue work with rapidly approaching deadlines. With the alarm set for 6 a.m., I managed barely four hours of sleep. Eve, however, was well-rested and bursting with energy and enthusiasm. Getting dropped off by Sarah, I was soon rejuvenated. Eve’s energy and enthusiasm for the day, luckily for me, is always contagious! 

Walking along the River Almond was wonderful, refreshing, and revitalising. The water was moving swiftly, creating a soothing melody, and the forest shone bright, reflecting the sun off wet surfaces. Some trees were still shedding their last leaves. For a moment, it almost felt like September, not days from the start of Advent!

The weather was much warmer than yesterday. The windchill then had made it feel just above freezing, but today the thermostat recorded, at one point, a balmy 16 degrees! Although rain was forecast, apart from a short downpour, it remained warm and dry all day. We were a happy father and daughter, and nothing was going to dampen our spirits. We were also excited at the thought of walking over the Forth Road Bridge.

There is a bridge over the River Almond that we were heading for, and once across, we doubled back down the opposite side, along farmers’ fields and back to the wooded coastline on the west side of Drum Sands. We sat on the rocky shoreline and had our first break of the day.

The shoreline was rocky and slippery as we tried to walk along it. Eve was the first to head into the forest to avoid slipping—a wise decision. I followed, and we walked along a forest trail next to the water.

The route from here to the Forth Road Bridge follows the John Muir Way, which we’ve previously hiked in its entirety. However, we have chosen to walk this short section again for two reasons: first, to hug the shore more tightly and, second, to complete the entire Edinburgh coast in one continuous line! The Forth Road Bridge is not part of the John Muir Way. We are coastal walking purists after all!

Throughout the day we found ourselves zigzagging between the John Muir Way and the coast and were glad we did. We saw things we hadn’t seen before and, as coastal walking purists, feel we have truly bagged this varied stretch of coastline.

As we walked along Drum Sands, passing Snap Point and Barnbougle Castle (a private residence), the coast shifted from rocky shoreline to lovely golden sand. The tide was out, so where possible we stayed on the sand, cutting carefully into the Firth to walk around rocks and other obstacles. It was fun and we made good progress.

We agreed that, once we reached Hound Point and Peatdraught Bay, we would stop for a break in hopes of seeing the mighty bridges over the Firth of Forth. We were not disappointed.

Rounding Hound Point into Peatdraught Bay, all three bridges were clearly visible and dominated the skyline. They’re an imposing and impressive sight that sparked plenty of questions and conversation between us.

We sat overlooking the bridges, discussing facts such as how painting the Forth Railway Bridge never ends—as soon as workers finish, they go back to the other side and start again. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site, opened in 1890, 2,467 feet long, with 6.5 million rivets. The foundations go 89 feet below the seabed, and 73 men lost their lives during construction. I have loads more facts, but I’ll omit them for now. Eve and I found it fascinating. The other two bridges: The Forth Road Bridge is closed to general traffic due to cracks in its framework, and the newest, the Queensferry Crossing (also known as the Queen Elizabeth Bridge), only opened in 2017.

After a lengthy break, we walked on and onto some very slippery rocks, forcing us to retreat back into woodland. Luckily, as we walked, we found a bench close to a sailing club that also overlooked the bridges. It hadn’t been long since our last break, but we chose to sit and eat our lunch before heading into Queensferry. Lunch today was Chunky Vegetable Soup from our not-so-new Thermos Food Flasks!

Entering Queensferry, we passed under the Forth Railway Bridge, which only served to heighten our respect and admiration for the engineers who designed it and the people who risked their lives building it. The pillars supporting the bridge are enormous but beautifully crafted. As impressed as we are with the other two bridges, the railway bridge is the one that captivates us. The challenges faced in the late 1800s to construct such a bridge are unimaginable by today’s standards, with our reliance on computers and modern technology. The most outstanding fact about it is that it is still, to this day, used exactly for its intended purpose—an unbroken railway route from London to Aberdeen.

Queensferry is lovely: a long, wide promenade with an RNLI station we have visited often. The village looks and feels very traditional with cobbled streets and quaint shops, including an intriguing bookshop that, unfortunately, is always closed when we visit! A great excuse to go back—though I fear it may still be closed!

Walking through Queensferry, we searched for somewhere to get Eve an ice cream. We did find a shop, but it was one where we were overcharged before (without realizing it until it was too late). We decided not to risk it again. Unfortunately, we didn’t find another ice cream shop, but by this point Eve was excited and energized at the thought of approaching, and crossing the Forth Road Bridge. I was also very excited!

We wound around some houses, following the main road out of Queensferry and arrived at the start of the Forth Road Bridge. Crossing the bridge was the highlight of the day! I was excited but nervous, while Eve was completely fearless—not fazed by the height or the wind!

We phoned Sarah as promised to let her know we were on the bridge to give her time to drive to pick us up. Sarah had gone Christmas shopping… for the second day in a row!

The wind on the bridge was strong, the views breathtaking, and again, the challenges involved in building such a bridge are awe-inspiring. The math and physics to conceive such a structure are mind-boggling.

The Forth Road Bridge is the only bridge people can walk over. The newer bridges are for vehicles only; the railway bridge is just for trains. The Forth Road Bridge is now open only to pedestrians and cyclists; the only motor vehicles allowed are emergency vehicles, buses and taxis. A few buses passed us, and when they did, the bridge shook and rattled! For such a big structure compared to the size of a bus, it’s remarkable how much effect they have in it!

At the main pillars, the wind was whipping so strongly that standing still was all but impossible. I wanted to take some photos for you, so the only way (and safest) was to get on all fours and look up—even that was a challenge. I had to hang onto my phone as tightly as possible, and it was still being blown almost out of my hands!

As we approached the end of the bridge, I got a phone call from Sarah. She could see us walking over the bridge. Sarah was parked in North Queensferry, waving at us. It took us a while to find her, but we did. I even took a short video of her waving. Eve was super excited and refused to walk on until we had spotted Sarah. Sarah’s arms were nearly falling off, having waved for so long due to our incompetence at spotting her among the houses!

Eventually we walked on, reaching the opposite side and entering the county of Fife.

Walking down the steps into North Queensferry, I kept telling Eve to slow down, fearful she would stumble and as I couldn’t keep up with her! We walked hoping to find a Fife Coastal Path sign—which we did, at the spot where Sarah was waiting for us in the car.

It was so nice to see her and to have completed today’s section in daylight. Walking the Forth Road Bridge in the dark would have been an altogether different experience—in fact, we might have to try crossing it in the dark one day… watch this space!

Today we walked 10 miles. It feels like such an achievement to have completed the Edinburgh section of coast, linking up the John Muir Way with the Fife Coastal Path.

The only problem is, we didn’t want to stop! I do wonder if the energy and enthusiasm for long distance hiking—for Eve and me—will ever cease… I don’t believe it will, and I hope it doesn’t!

Thank you for reading, folks, I really do appreciate it!

Ian, Eve & Sarah

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