Wormit Bay Coastal Walk

The path along Wormit Bay demands proper shoes and a bit of patience with the Scottish wind, but the reward is a stretch of Fife coastline that feels genuinely removed from the St Andrews tourist trail. You're walking along the Tay estuary here, with views across to Dundee and the Tay Bridge - industrial enough to be interesting, not so built-up that it feels neglected.

It's a nature reserve, so you're here for birds mainly. Waders, gulls, the occasional oystercatcher if you time it right. The walk itself is straightforward - muddy at high tide, exposed at low tide - and takes somewhere between forty minutes and ninety minutes depending on how far you venture and whether you stop to watch things through binoculars.

Families with younger kids might find it a bit samey after half an hour. It's not dramatically scenic - no dramatic cliffs or golden sand - but if you're into ornithology or just want a proper walk that's quiet, this does the job. Bring your camera for the estuary light. Bring a waterproof because it's exposed.

If you're staying at Tayport Links or Larick Campsite - both about five miles away - this is the sort of walk that fills a morning before heading elsewhere. Free to access, no facilities on the bay itself, so sort yourself out in St Andrews first. Winter and early spring are best for birdwatching. Summer's quieter but greener.