Tayport to Wormit (5 miles)
Start at the harbour in Tayport. Broughty Ferry Castle can be seen across the water. A rail ferry once ran from here across the Tay but became obsolete when the first Tay Bridge was opened in 1878. The signs direct us towards the trackbed of the line which linked Tayport up to the new bridge. The embankment is quite high in places and there are good views across to Dundee on the other side.
We reach the Tay Road Bridge (opened 1966) which sounded the death knell for the railway you have just walked upon. Pass under the concrete construction and head into the town of Newport. The Silvery Tay fish & chips shop is a good place to fill up. Further along the road is the Newport Restaurant which also has a public bar dispensing real ale. The path basically follows the B946 towards Wormit. Along the way are information boards telling the story of the ferry services across the Tay, which naturally bit the dust once the road bridge was in service.
In the middle of Wormit, our route diverges to the right down Bay Road. This takes us under the Tay Bridge. It's a well-known fact that the original bridge collapsed in a storm in 1879 as a train was crossing, killing everyone aboard. The stumps of the piers can still be seen at low tide alongside the new construction. Head back up to the main road and take a bus back to Tayport. The service is approximately hourly.
