Fife Pilgrim Way
The Fife Pilgrim Way follows a medieval pilgrim trail across Fife. Modern day walkers can enjoy this 64 mile route, starting at North Queensferry and Culross and finishing in St Andrews.
ExploreThe Fife Coast and Countryside Trust is an independent charity working with partners for a healthy environment that supports wellbeing and sustains the balance between people and nature.
Spread across more than 70 sites, FCCT maintains the Fife Coastal Path, Fife Pilgrim Way, the Lomond Hills Regional Park, local nature reserves, and award-winning beaches. The organisation has its headquarters at Harbourmaster’s House in Dysart where it manages a coastal visitor centre.
Mission Statement
Connecting Environment and People
Vision
We lead in the care of Fife’s outdoors. Working together with you, we create a healthier environment that supports wellbeing and sustains the balance between people and the natural world.
Friday, September 11 Sep 2026
An ambitious partnership project to restore the Back Burn to its more natural state in..
FCCT offer a range of events, activities, conservation activities, guided walks and family friendly events to encourage the younger generation to develop a love of the environment.
This section includes an extensive range of downloadable resources, including themed walks
and information leaflets, which are sure to enhance any visit to Fife.
In the run-up to #WorldRiversDay on Sunday, we`re celebrating the Back Burn - which you may know by a different name altogether!
This burn earns a new name with almost every mile it travels. In its upper reaches, it`s known as the Conland Burn, a name thought to be derived from the Gaelic for ‘group of enclosed fields’, probably relating to the nearby West Conland farm.
Downstream of the Coul Reservoir it is then known as the Coul Burn, a name which can be seen on maps as far back as 1684. ‘Coul’ is also a name of Gaelic origin, meaning ‘back’, as in, the place at the back. The back of what, we don’t quite know. However, coincidentally, the ‘Back Burn’ is exactly what the burn is called between Markinch and Windygates, but in this instance it’s a Scots derived name meaning ‘burn at the back’.
Confused? Well to add to that, the burn is also known as the Balfarg burn, the Balbirnie burn and the Markinch burn at various points, and eventually joins the Kennoway burn for a short stretch before finally joining up with the River Leven.
This burn clearly goes by many names, and the correct one depends on who you ask! Look out for tomorrow’s post where we’ll discover the long and varied relationship between people and the Back Burn.
You can read about the Back Burn river restoration project here: https://fifecoastandcountrysidetrust.co.uk/back-burn.../
📍Map excerpt from John Adair, The East Part of Fife, 1684. ‘Coul’ can be seen faintly underneath the Lomond Hills, as well as other names the burn has gone by including Balfarg, Balbirnie and Markinch.
#BackBurn #riverrestoration #Glenrothes #Markinch #CoulReservoir #history #heritage #rivers #burns
Are you a Fife Tree Warden, or curious about getting involved in planting, caring and speaking up for Fife`s trees? Please join us at our Fife Tree Wardens Network Day.
This annual gathering is a mix of indoor talks and hands-on outdoor workshops and it`s free to attend. And it`s in the inspirational setting of @standrewsbotanicgarden which you will enjoy walking around in the afternoon. Please visit our events page to book your free place, or email any queries to [email protected]
🌳 Sat 3rd October
🌳 10am - 4pm
🌳 St Andrews Botanic Garden
https://fifecoastandcountrysidetrust.co.uk/.../fife-tree.../
@climateactionfife #FifeTreeWardens #FifeClimateForest #networking #volunteering #trees #communitywoodlands #daysout #outdoors #helpinghands #teamwork #thankyou
🌿As the Back Burn River Restoration project completes, it`s been shortlisted for a prestigious Nature in Scotland Award!
The project has been delivered through a solid partnership with SEPA and Fife Council. SEPA`s River Restoration Specialist, Lynda Gairns, says: “SEPA are delighted with the work completed at the Back Burn to improve the river’s ecology and surrounding area.
"The improvement works have returned the river to a more natural state and it’s great that this has been recognised by being in the running for a Nature of Scotland award. Credit goes to the strong partnership and the local community for making this happen.”
https://fifecoastandcountrysidetrust.co.uk/back-burn.../
@rspb.scotland @scottishepa @fifecouncil @cbec_eco_engineering_uk #NatureofScotlandAwards #awards #riverrestoration #loveFife #rivers
🥾Improvements to the Fife Coastal Path 🥾
The next time you’re walking or wheeling the Fife Coastal Path you may notice changes to waymarkers, fingerposts and interpretation panels. We’re updating signage and destination information as part of our ongoing investment in the 117-mile trail.
Over the next few weeks, the old timber interpretation panels are being removed. The timber posts will be completely removed or cut as low into the ground as possible. Then you’ll see the installation of lectern-shaped structures made from Corten steel.
All of our new signage is made from Corten steel which is low maintenance, durable and matures into an orangey/brown patina that blends well into the landscape. You can see similar examples placed by Limekilns Heritage Trust at Limekilns Harbour.
In time, a panel containing information such as maps, local nature and heritage points will be fitted to each lectern. See the early draft here.
FCCT highly value our partnerships with local communities, volunteers and partners along the Fife coast, so we’re delighted to share that we’ll be asking you for ideas for each of the 23 new interpretation panels. Afterall, you are the local experts!
We’ll let you know in the autumn how you can contribute so please keep an eye on local media, our website and FCCT social media.
The Fife Coastal Path signage project has been supported with development funding from the Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund, and delivery funding from the Scottish Government Nature Restoration Fund and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
#FifeCoastalPath #walks #longdistancetrails #coastalwalks #loveFife #fringeofgold #beaches #heritage #history #nature #wildlife
🙌Thank you @pfizeruk!
Staff from Pfizer braved the wet weather last week to clean-up along the Fife Coastal Path and beaches between St Monans and Pittenweem. Pfizer staff have done this before, and we were delighted to see them back again.
Thousands of people use our coastal path and beaches each year and it`s good to see our corporate volunteers help to keep these outside spaces in good shape for everyone to use.
A big thank you to the Pfizer Team for their continued support.
#Pfizer #FifeCoastalPath #beaches #loveFife #fifebeaches #fringeofgold #takeyourlitterhome #safety #volunteering #teamwork #ambition #thankyou
