I had every intention today of diving in with a castle post, but the gorgeous weather inspired me instead to take and then write about one of my favourite walks for when it is sunny but time, transportation or inclination prevent me from wandering further afield.
The walk is about a 1 1/2 miles if you do it straight out and back, or a bit longer if it is turned into a loop. It starts across the road from the Guardbridge Inn, though one must be careful in darting across the busy A91. If you are coming from Guardbridge, I recommend crossing at the roundabout before the bridge, it will be a bit easier.
One more caveat about this walk is that if it has been the least bit wet, it will be muddy and squidgy in places, so be warned and wear proper footwear!
The path heads off along the Eden Estuary, with lovely views through the trees towards the water. It takes only minutes to pass out of the trees and onto the wider path, where the ground can be very spongey and wet depending on how high the tide and water are. This is an excellent spot to find ducks, heron, swans, and many other birds that a proper birdwatcher would glory in I am sure.
On days like today in the spring there are glorious white blossoms everywhere, and even a small bench you can sit on if you wish to enjoy the view. One advantage of this walk is that it is almost impossible to go the wrong way or get lost, instead you just follow the path along the edge of the field until it curves around and leads you through a tunnel of lovely bushes.
Once you have emerged from the tunnel, follow the path for another five or ten minutes along a small burn – sometimes dry in the summer – between two fields. A large planting of gorse is bright yellow in the spring, and I am relieved to see that some work was put in recently to improve the path, which could prove a bit treacherous.
Eventually you will come to this farm gate, and immediately across the road you will see the path disappearing into the trees. Again it is very well marked and quite muddy as it climbs up the hill – a relatively gentle incline but enough to get your heart rate up a bit. Down below on the left there is a small burn, and there are a few points along the way where you can cut over to the edge of the field for a view back towards Guardbridge and Balmullo Law.
Eventually the path levels out, and provides a bench – though with no view – and you will start to see the raised ground that surrounds the Kincaple fishing ‘loch’, a private fishing pond. You can either cut off to the right to walk around the water, or continue on to where the path meets the road. Below are several pictures I have taken over the year of the loch, with today’s boasting the flowering yellow gorse.
The fishing loch is essentially your goal for this walk. At this point you can turn left along the farm track and eventually meet the main road that runs from the A91 up to Strathkinness. At that point, however, you must walk along that road back down the hill, and I have never felt a desire to do so as I know it is busy with fast cars and busses. Or, you can re-trace your steps back towards the Guardbridge Inn, which is an excellent place to stop for a snack, meal, or drink. In the colder months they often have a fire burning, and in summer their beer garden stretches out behind the inn along the estuary and is a very pleasant place for a coffee or a few pints.
The Wandering Medievalist 