Wormit Newport loop (4.2 miles)
This circuit is situated between the two bridges over the River Tay. The upper half of the walk follows the railway line which closed in 1969. The two towns run into each other and we start in Wormit at the junction of Bay Road with the main drag (B946). Walk past a restaurant called The View and turn left up Hillpark Road. If you look down into the restaurant car park you will see the fenced portal of Wormit Tunnel which is 150 yards long and channelled trains towards the approach to the Tay Bridge.
Branch on to Birkhill Avenue and continue for 400 yards. The old railway trackbed has been incorporated into the gardens of the houses but a flight of steps presents itself at a kink in the road and we climb up to the part of the line that has been converted to a public footpath. Follow this gravel-surfaced route until we reach a car park. Pick up the old railway at the other end and keep going. Eventually we reach a grassy area where Newport West station once stood. The railway footpath runs out here and we have to follow the route through the wooded estate to connect with the B995. If you peer through the trees upon entering the wood you can make out the piers of an old viaduct.
Another 200 yards of railway path along an embankment exists on the other side of the B995. Proceed on to Victoria Street and join the B995 (Cupar Road) which runs down to the centre of Newport. If you want to have a look at the stationmaster's house for Newport East, take Lindon Avenue after coming off the railway path. The old building can be seen at the junction with Station Brae. Again, walk downhill to the town centre. Either way, we reach the shore where the Silvery Tay serves excellent fish and chips. It's takeaway only but there are benches across the road with views over the river towards Dundee. Follow the main road back to the starting point. The Newport Restaurant has a public bar serving real ale.
A nice extension is to go down Bay Road and under the Tay Bridge. Continue along to Wormit Bay which has a memorial dedicated to those who lost their lives in the Tay Bridge disaster of 1879 when the original structure collapsed in a storm as a train was crossing. This route is part of the Fife Coastal Path and adds around a mile and a half in total.
