Fife scoops highest number of Scotland’s Beach Awards

Publish Date: Thursday June 1, 2023

The beautiful Fife beaches that we manage have once again struck gold in the prestigious Scotland’s Beach Award.

Fife’s ‘Fringe of Gold’ is treasured by locals and visitors alike. And the dedicated Fife Coast and Countryside Trust (FCCT) team, with the support of partners and volunteers, works hard to deliver the high standards that beach-goers have come to expect.

Environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful has announced that 14 of Fife’s favourite beaches have been awarded Scotland’s Beach Award.

The 2023 Fife award winners include St Andrew’s West Sands, celebrating 31 continuous years as an award winner and Aberdour Silver Sands with 30 years of accreditation.

Fringe of Gold

Fife once again boasts the highest number of award-winning beaches including Elie Harbour Beach, Leven, Burntisland, St Andrew’s East Sands, Aberdour Black Sands, Crail Roome Bay, Kingsbarns, Elie Ruby Bay, Billowness in Anstruther, Kinghorn Pettycur Bay, Kirkcaldy Seafield and Kirkcaldy Pathhead Sands.

Scotland’s Beach Award is the only national benchmark for local environmental quality celebrating clean, well-managed and sustainable beaches.

Jeremy Harris, CEO at FCCT said, “Fife’s award-winning beaches are integral to the lives of both residents and visitors to Fife, who play an important part in keeping our ‘Fringe of Gold’ pleasant to visit.

“Our dedicated FCCT team take great pride in delivering the high standard that visitors and locals alike have come to expect. And it’s a privilege to work with partners such as Keep Scotland Beautiful, Fife Council and the RNLI to meet those standards and achieve award-winning beaches.”

Silver Sands

Jeremy added: “I’m delighted that Aberdour Silver Sands has achieved the accolade of 30 years of beach awards. The FCCT team works tirelessly there throughout an extremely busy season and they fully deserve this recognition, as do the valued partners and volunteers we work with.”

Councillor Jan Wincott, Fife Council’s spokesperson for Environment and Climate Change said: “I’m delighted that yet again our Fife coastline has been recognised with so many beach awards. This accolade could not be achieved without the hard work and dedication of Fife Coast and Countryside Trust staff and help from many partner organisations such as Fife Council, SEPA and Keep Scotland Beautiful along with the continued support from the many voluntary groups that contribute in such a positive and dedicated manner.”

Jamie Ormiston, Awards Officer at Keep Scotland Beautiful said, “I’d like to thank all those in Fife who do so much to protect, maintain and enhance our beaches, protecting the sand and sea for us all to enjoy.”

In order to achieve Scotland’s Beach Award, a range of criteria must be met, including beach safety, access and facilities, and cleanliness. Focusing on local environmental quality, the award is designed to complement the work undertaken by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency on bathing water quality. Find your nearest award-winning beach.