St Andrews to Leuchars (6 miles)
After some spectacular coastal walking, the route to Leuchars is rather more pedestrian. However, there are a couple of hidden highlights. Pick up the path in St Andrews where you left off and make your way down to the Old Course - scene of many Open Championships. An incredible six golf courses are squeezed into the St Andrews links. We follow the edge of the greensward as we leave town and pick up a cycle path parallel to the A91. A high hedge screens us from the busy traffic but after a while we revert to a standard pavement.
Branch off the A91 at Guardbridge and cross the River Eden. The remains of the former railway bridge can clearly be seen poking out of the water. The Guardbridge Inn is close by, serving real ale and also bottled produce from the nearby Eden Mill Brewery. The path skirts a housing estate before rejoining the main road near the brewery. Pop in to visit the shop or enquire about a tour. Once inside it becomes apparent that it's not just beer that's made here. Whisky and gin are also distilled.
The path swings right towards Leuchars. A short detour is the Eden Estuary Visitors Centre where a bird hide overlooks the mud flats. At a road junction, we bear right and pass alongside the army base. Occupied by the RAF until 2015, tens of thousands of aviation enthusiasts flocked to Leuchars every year for the air show. At Wessex Avenue we leave the official route and follow Main Street towards the church and into the town centre where a few shops are located. Leuchars is on the bus route from Dundee to St Andrews so public transport back to the start is not a problem. The railway station offers onward connections to Dundee and Edinburgh.
