Three Stunning Coastal Walks Near Edinburgh

Spring is the ideal time to escape the city and breathe in some fresh sea air. Edinburgh couldn’t be better placed: within around an hour’s drive, you can discover wild beaches, dramatic cliffs, and charming seaside towns, all perfect for a windswept wander and a big dose of Scotland’s great outdoors. Whether you’re craving a brisk beach walk or a full day of exploring, these coastal walks near Edinburgh offer breathtaking scenery, local colour, and plenty of top foodie stops along the way. And, of course, it wouldn’t be a Dickins blog without sharing a few of our favourite spots to grab a bite, plus some brilliant shops and galleries you won’t want to miss.

1. Fife Coastal Path

Fife Coastal Path (Photo: @thisedinburghcitygirl)

One of the best day trips from Edinburgh, the Fife Coastal Path in the East Neuk is an absolute gem. This scenic route links some of Scotland’s most picturesque fishing villages, including Elie, St Monans, Pittenweem, Anstruther, and Crail.

The path winds along rugged cliffs, across tidal stretches, and through postcard-perfect harbours, making it one of the most rewarding coastal walks in Scotland. It’s easy to follow, so you can tailor your walk to suit your time, whether that’s a short walk between a couple of the villages or a full-day adventure. Along the way, colourful houses hug the shoreline; and if you walk to Crail your adventure finishes in a postcard-perfect harbour town. The route we most often take is the picturesque stretch between St Monans and Anstruther which is around 3.5 miles. From here you can continue to Crail, retrace your steps or hop on a bus back if you’re short of time.

St Monans

St Monans is packed full of charm and has a long history tied to fishing and trade. It became a significant fishing port by the 1200s. Its architecture tells the story: West, Mid and East Shore, which run alongside the harbour, are lined with a beautiful selection of cottages, houses and grander buildings typical of the East Neuk style. You’ll find a mix of natural stone, whitewashed and pastel-coloured buildings, some with red pantile roofs, traditionally made of clay with their distinctive wave-like pattern and imported from the Netherlands. St Monans has three piers: the original central pier, built in 1596; East Pier, added in 1865; and West Pier, built in 1900, when more than 100 fishing boats still sailed from the port.

St Monans (Photo: @thisedinburghcitygirl)

Without fail, when in St Monans, we always stop off at Giddy Gannet to grab some delicious, fresh food. You can sit in, it’s dog-friendly, or sit on the harbour wall watching the boats and world go by with one of their delicious hot smoked salmon toasted bagels and slice of carrot cake. Highly recommended!

Giddy Gannet, St Monans (Photo: @thisedinburghcitygirl)

Giddy Gannet, St Monans (Photo: @thisedinburghcitygirl)

Continue along the harbour and follow the street where you’ll find ‘Windmill’ signposted. Pass along the tidal pool, restored by the local community, and beyond this you come to the prominent windmill and the remains of salt pans. In the 1790s , salt was Scotland’s third largest export after wool and fish. Salt production in St Monans was a major industry where local coal and sea water were used to create what was sometimes called ‘white gold’. The windmill pumped the sea water into the salt pans, which were then heated by coal. The water was boiled until it evaporated, leaving salt. Today East Neuk Salt Co has brought the industry back to St Monans, after 250 years, creating premium quality salt flakes. Continue your walk on the path beside the shore and you’ll see the next fishing village, Pittenweem, ahead.

Pittenweem

Pittenweem is one of the most picturesque villages in the East Neuk, known for its colourful harbour, strong fishing heritage and thriving creative scene. The harbour is dotted with brightly coloured fishing boats, and many of the houses echo the Dutch coastal style, with pantile roofs and colourfully painted window frames.

If you get the chance, make sure to visit in August, when the village comes alive during the renowned, annual Pittenweem Arts Festival when streets, homes, galleries and even garages and sheds transform into exhibition spaces. It’s a wonderful, lively atmosphere. Throughout the year, you’ll find a collection of independent galleries and studios, with a particular focus on ceramics and local art. We always love to pop into The Weem Gallery And Framer to pick up a print or some gorgeous ceramics.

Pittenweem (Photo: @thisedinburghcitygirl)

Anstruther

From Pittenweem, continue along the easy and scenic coastal path towards Anstruther, the largest and busiest of the East Neuk fishing villages. which made its fortune in herring. Once the North Sea herring shoals dwindled, sadly so did much of the fishing industry here. Today, the pretty harbour is lined with foodie spots, many serving fish and local seafood and there are some outstanding independent shops here and in adjoining streets. One of our favourites is Aeble a cider bottle shop and bar offering small-batch and specialist ciders and perries from independent producers. It’s super-friendly and always worth popping in.

Aeble (Photo: @thisedinburghcitygirl)

Another one of the shops we always stop at is the snug and super aesthetic Bread & Bottles selling wines, beers, charcuterie and a small selection of homewares. Its wall of wine bottles is absolutely gorgeous and on a sunny day you can take a wee seat at one of the outside tables and enjoy a glass of wine while watching the world go by. Heaven.

Bread & Bottles (Photo: @thisedinburghcitygirl)

If you’re hungry, no visit to Anstruther is complete without sampling some of the best fish and chips in Scotland at the famous Anstruther Fish Bar. Make it a takeaway and enjoy it overlooking the harbour.

Just half a mile east of Anstruther lies the quiet village of Cellardyke. It’s said to have derived its name from ‘sillerdykes’ in Scots meaning silver walls. This refers to the sun glinting off fish scales on herring nets left to dry on the harbour walls. One of the highlights here is the Cellardyke Tidal Pool which fills with fresh seawater at high tide. There’s also a great little set-up here where The Skinfie cook up wood-fired pizzas and some very tasty BBQs and a cool airstream van The Grind offers refreshments too.

2. St Abbs

Another long-time favourite coastal spot of ours is St Abbs in the Scottish Borders, with its harbour, rugged setting and stunning cliff walks. It’s easy to see why it was chosen as the filming location for New Asgard, home to Thor in the Avengers: Endgame. The village comes with its very own story as, according to the myth, it is named after Æbbe, a 7th-century Northumbrian princess who struggled ashore here after being shipwrecked and promptly founded a nunnery here.

St Abbs Head

St Abbs (Photo: @thisedinburghcitygirl)

Park up in the car park at St Abbs Head, which is a National Nature Reserve managed by National Trust for Scotland.  It comprises of 200 acres of wonderfully wild and rugged coastline with sheer cliffs rising dramatically 300ft above the water. Walk the 4 mile circular route of paths bedside the cliffs. You’ll see the colony of 50,000 seabirds which nest on the cliffs including guillemots, razorbills, puffins, kittiwakes, and fulmars feeding their young and hear the unforgettable sound of thousands of seabirds calling. f you’re lucky you may even spot seals on the rocks below. From here you can look back across the sparkling waters and see the village and harbour of St Abbs, it’s just breathtaking on a sunny day.

Along the trail you’ll spot the iconic St Abbs Head Lighthouse which was built in 1862 following the sinking of the ship, “Martello” five years previously. The lighthouse was designed and built by the lighthouse-designing brothers, Thomas and David Stevenson who were the father and uncle of Treasure Island author, Robert Louis Stevenson. The Stevenson family built over 80 lighthouses between them, many of them iconic including Cape Wrath, Dunnet Head, Neist Point, Bass Rock, Rattray Head and Chanonry Point.

St Abbs (Photo: @thisedinburghcitygirl)

St Abbs Harbour

Alongside its cliffside walks, St Abbs is the perfect spot for diving, and you’ll see the lobster and crab fishing boats in the harbour or out at sea. Following the walk, we like to pick up a delicious crayfish baguette from Ebb Carr’s cafe and enjoy it sitting out in the harbour. On a sunny day we then top this off with a cider sitting outside The Anchor pub in the neighbouring village of Coldingham.

St Abbs Harbour (Photo: @thisedinburghcitygirl)

3. Tyninghame Beach

When the East Lothian coast is calling (as it so often does!), one of our favourite spots to head for is Tyninghame Beach with its views out to Bass Rock. It’s a long, sandy stretch framed by dunes and pine woodland paths. There are several paths through the forest winding their way to the beach and the longer walk to reach it makes it feel wonderfully wild and unspoilt. We often find ourselves alone there with our dog and if not, you still feel like you have miles of beach to yourself. We love to follow this with a a bite to eat and insanely stunning views of Bass Rock from Drift just outside North Berwick.

Tyninghame Beach ( Photo: @thisedinburghcitygirl)

Tyninghame Beach & Bass Rock (Photo: @thisedinburghcitygirl)

Stay in Edinburgh

After a day spent exploring some of the best coastal walks near Edinburgh, from the charming villages of the East Neuk to the dramatic cliffs of St Abbs and the wild beauty of East Lothian, there’s nothing better than returning to a relaxing home.

Our Dickins’ homes from home make the perfect base for stays in Edinburgh. If you’re planning a city break in Edinburgh or looking for a corporate let or relocation, explore our handpicked homes and experience the very best of Edinburgh and its coastline, Dickins-style.