This walk begins in Fife but the destination lies in Clackmannanshire. Kennetpans was the first distillery to produce whisky on an industrial scale but now stands sadly crumbling in a field by the Forth. It is indeed a great shame that such an important part of Scotland's heritage is little known and receives virtually no recognition.
Start in the centre of Kincardine and make your way down Station Road. Cross the railway at the authorised point and head for the river bank. The old station platform can be made out among the vegetation and the line is still used for freight movements and occasional steam specials. Regular passenger traffic was withdrawn as far back as 1930 but the town does have excellent bus connections.
Follow the path along the Forth away from the Kincardine Bridge, still going strong after all these decades. The shoreline isn't too pretty here but a variety of wading birds can often be spotted. Behind the wall to your right is the site of Kincardine power station which closed at the turn of the century. Some fearsome transforming equipment hums away continuously.
Proceed towards the functional Clackmannanshire bridge, opened in 2008. Pass underneath the structure then climb up to the A876. Follow the pavement for 700 yards. If you look left you should see the ruins of Kennentpans in the distance. Branch off at a cycle track which connects to a minor road. Do not cross the dual carriageway but head left instead. Follow this quiet road past a farm and then take a left at a row of cottages. This rough track leads to the old distillery passing more cottages en route.
The remains of Kennetpans are fenced off for safety reasons but it is possible to get reasonably close. You can also walk down to the shore to see where the whisky was dispatched to the rest of the world. If you are feeling adventurous you may wish you scramble up the nearby grassy mound for some better views across the river.
Return to Kincardine is either by the reverse route or across the A876 flyover to approach from a different angle. Please spread word about Kennetpans as Scotch Whisky is now a massive global industry and this is where it all began.
