THE FIFE COASTAL PATH

PART 4

limekilns to ROSYTH

The last mooring before Rosyth is Bruce Haven, the last stop before the Coastal Path hits what was the Royal Naval Dockyard Rosyth.

This is another a yacht basin and also the home of a Sea Scout Group, the 81st Fife (1st Broomhall Sea Scouts). I have a soft spot for scouting, having been a scout leader in various incarnations over the years. It was part of a long trail, involving the outdoors and of course walking. Scouting when it is good is usually very good and often life changing.

The Naval Dockyard is the child of the pre-WW1 race to build battleships, the bitter rivallry of two proud nations desperate to broadcast their power. The Forth is lined by munitions dumps, like Bandeath to the east of Stirling with the armanents huts spaced out to minimise damage so clearly visible from Ben Cleuch, the highest spot in the Ochils.

The FCP route runs past the hall heading along the Forth shore towards the Forth Bridges and the Rosyth Dockyard. Progress along the Forth is inhibited by the Dockyard whose importance has diminished since the heady days of Dreadnoughts and the arms race that led up to the catgaclysm of the First World War.

The Navy is still represented and Rosyth is an operational base, to be walked around butpassing on the way the remains of Rosyth Kirk

Land at Rosyth Kirkyard was “generously donated by Hon Thomas Bruce to the people of Limekilns and Charlestown (who are called to record their gratitude)”. All things bright and beautiful. The kirkyard is now maintained by Fife Council and is worth a closer look with its various headstones and the recognition that death is the great equaliser.

A good spot for Naval gazing: the path turns inland.

The route turns uphill, with metal fencing suggesting the old bounds of the Naval Base in its heyday. The path looks like the equivalent of a coimmuter route, with the path following the bounds to the main road.

The cranes over the the construction docks themselves are prominent.

Crane used in the building of HMS Queen Elizabeth (I not 2) and HMS Prince of Wales

The walk along the main road (again) is hardly the most exhilarating piece of walking, a necessary price as is the trek round Rosyth itself, with the base barrack blocks and the sportsground. The township demonstrates standard build utility housing formerly for the folk based and working at the dockyard and naval port. A small concrete guard post, partly hidden in overgrowth marks a forgotten check point.

The route winds its way through a forlorn enterprise park with large empty buildings underlining failed enterprise.

The walk to North Queensferry, close to the hodling area used, when the Queensferry Crossing was being built, is a walk on a path that leads to North Queensferry. Nuff said.