Fab Fife

Jonathan Manning enjoys a peaceful ride on largely traffic-free roads through picturesque countryside

Balbirnie Park Club Campsite offers easy day trips to Edinburgh and St Andrews, but this ride explores the quiet Fife countryside right on its doorstep. These are head-clearing roads and the perfect antidote to a busy day’s sightseeing, with distant hills, dazzling gorse, and attractive stretches of woodland.

There are some long, steady climbs to raise the pulse, but happily the one stretch of road with a 25% gradient is downhill, so enjoy the free speed (and watch you don’t overshoot the turn).

The traffic is likely to be very quiet throughout, leaving you free to enjoy the peace, and a cuppa at Caramel and Crumbs in Markinch on the way back.

Directions

1. From the gates of Balbirnie Park Club Campsite turn left on the access road and then left again along the B9130. Pass through the traffic lights, and continue to a crossroads. Turn left up Commercial Street, proceed to another crossroads, and turn left along Stobcross Road signposted to Star. Continue to reach a road on the right.

2. 1.5km – Take the road on the right, signposted to Star, Freuchie and St Andrews, and continue for 5.5km into Kennoway.

3. 7.1km – Immediately after entering Kennoway turn left along Langside Road, signposted to Burnturk, Cults and Freuchie. The road climbs steadily. At the corner where the road bends almost 90º to the left, turn right, signposted to Cults and Coupar. Stay on the road as it starts to descend, eventually passing a sign that warns of a 25% gradient, and keep your hands on your brakes as you look out for a turn on the left, about halfway down the hill, opposite a stone cottage.

4. 13.9km – Take this left turn, signposted to Burnturk and Kettle, along Cycle Route 1, initially heading through woodland. Stay on this road for about 5.5km to reach a T-junction.

5. 19.5km – Turn left at the junction to Kennoway, then in 200m turn right to Star of Markinch. Continue for 2km to reach a T-junction on the edge of Star.

6. 21.5km – Turn right at the junction, signposted to Star, and at the next T-junction turn right to Markinch, rejoining the outward route. Continue to a T-junction.

7. 24.9km – Turn left at the junction, signposted to Markinch, and continue to Markinch, then turn right down Commercial Street, right at the crossroads along the B9130 (Balbirnie Street), and into the Club campsite on the right hand side.

You can download this route from our dedicated Strava page here.

About the route

• Start/finish: Balbirnie Park Club Campsite, Balbirnie, Markinch, Glenrothes KY7 6NP.
• Distance: 16.4m/26.4km.
• Time: 2hrs.
• Level: Suitable for all.
• Terrain: Asphalt all the way.
• Landscape: Gently rolling hills, farmland and woods.
• Refreshments: Caramel and Crumbs; The Curator, both Markinch; Kennoway Cafe, Kennoway. 

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The Caravan and Motorhome Club make no warranties concerning the accuracy or completeness of the routes published, which to the best of our knowledge were correct at the time of publication. Your use of the routes is at your own risk and we accept no responsibility for the suitability or safety of any routes published. Routes may be out of date or affected by changes to the physical environment and, to the extent permitted by law, we accept no responsibility for personal injury or property damage caused by your use of the routes.