St Andrews Links and West Sands, St. Andrews

Stretch your legs on the fine sands made famous in the film, �Chariots of Fire� and then pass through Eden Estuary nature reserve before a track leads between the famous golf courses with good views over fine buildings of St Andrews.

Terrain

Sandy beach, narrow path through dunes, surfaced path between golf courses.

Public Transport

St Andrews bus station is adjacent to the walk start.

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Start

St Andrews. Map and directions.

grade
Grade (key)

Bog Factor (key)

Walk Statistics

Distance: 7.25km/4.5 miles
Time: 2 - 2.5 hours
Ascent: 17m (Profile)
Grid Ref: NO501168

Maps / GPS

View / Print route map
Buy Explorer 371 - St Andrews
GPS Waypoints - QUO 2
GPS Waypoints - GPX
View in 3D
Download walk to Google Earth (KMZ file)

Accommodation

Walk Description

Stage 1

Start from the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, an impressive building overlooking the first tee of the Old Course. There is free long-stay parking (marked as Park & Ride on recent OS maps) just off the A917 near university buildings on the way into St Andrews from the north. From here walk down to the main road, cross over and head right. After passing a junction look out for Grannie Clark's Wynd on the left and follow this to reach the road at the edge of the Old Course. Turn right and then left at the top of the road to follow a walkway between the course and the home of the Royal and Ancient, where the rules of golf are still decided.

Stage 2

From here follow the pavement to the left, crossing the road to reach the sea wall. After a bridge take the ramp to the right to reach the sands and follow the edge of the dunes north. The West Sands are a large expanse of shore, popular with walkers, joggers, metal detectors and hardy sunbathers. The beach featured as a training run in the 1981 film, �Chariots of Fire�, about Olympic athletes Eric Liddell and Harald Abrahams.

Stage 3

Keep following the beach almost until the dunes start to turn slightly inland. Here there is a yellow warning sign and a track leading up to the car park at the far end of West Sands Road. Take great care not to venture out over the sands at low tide as many visitors have become trapped. Continue northwards to the far end of the car park, either on the tarmac road or at the edge of the dunes. Eventually a turning area and sign for Eden Estuary nature reserve is reached. Go through the gap in the fence and follow the path, keeping left to curve inland at the edge of the golf course.

Stage 4

Bear left when a narrower path joins from the right and continue until a green arrow points down to the sand. Either continue along the sand and then climb up the stone-filled wire boxes which reinforce the sand dunes here or follow a faint path along the top of the dunes marked by the white posts of the golf course boundary. Continue to follow the boundary posts, taking care not to disturb the play of golfers and to stay out of the way of any stray balls. Soon the narrow path reaches a surfaced track.

Stage 5

Follow this road for a short distance next to the water and then continue on it as it curves left to head inland. The road separates the Eden Course and the Old Course. When the pink toilet block is reached continue ahead and soon a junction is reached. Continue to the left heading for the large, more modern building which is the Old Course Hotel.

Stage 6

Pass driving ranges on the right and then follow the path directly in front of the Old Course Hotel, which has a fine view over the most difficult hole on the course. Turn left after the hotel to follow the road alongside the last tee and the famous stone bridge. Continue around the edge of the golf course to reach the start of the walk.

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Route Profile

Walking can be dangerous and is done entirely at your own risk. Information is provided free of charge; it is each walkers' responsibility to check it and navigate using a map and compass.