Undiscovered Scotland

 

Rucksack Readers has long represented the gold standard for long distance walking guides. Their guides are always bright, attractive, light, water resistant and comprehensive, containing between their covers pretty much everything you really need to tackle the walk in question: from clear mapping to route descriptions to background features to sources of additional information. They are also large enough for the mapping and other information to be readily usable "in the field".

The Fife Pilgrim Way runs for 56 miles (91 km) from the Firth of Forth via Dunfermline Abbey to the long-established pilgrim destination of St Andrews. The walk is rich in industrial and other heritage as it passes through mining communities, along disused railways and past castles. At its core the walk celebrates Fife’s pilgrim history by visiting many churches and religious sites. If you are looking for a walk that is a little different then the superb coverage of the Kingdom of Fife provided by this route makes it one you really should consider.

Walkers can start from either the historic village of Culross or the pilgrim landing at North Queensferry, before making their way across the heartlands of Fife. The route enjoys excellent scenery and passes through country parks, native woodlands and river valleys rich in wildlife. Most walkers will need 5 or 6 days to complete the journey. Cyclists with mountain or gravel bikes can enjoy most of the route in most conditions, but in some circumstances – where the ground is very wet or the path too narrow – they may need to dismount. Most cyclists will want 2 or 3 days to complete the route.

The guidebook begins with an introduction to Fife from the perspective of its pilgrim history; its industrial heritage; and its habitats and wildlife. It then sets out step-by-step directions with detailed custom mapping at 1:40,000 on 16 of its pages . It also covers side-trips, refreshments and accommodation along the way. It is, as you would expect from a book published by Rucksack Readers, lavishly illustrated, with 108 colour photos.