Walk of the week
NICK DRAINEY
Cambo Sands and Gardens, Fife
WALKERS often view golfers with the same suspicion as anglers and cyclists. While the latter two are accused of cluttering canal-sides or eroding footpaths, the lush green fairways can be a complete no-go area to non-members, giving golf the capacity to ruin a day out in the country.
This is perhaps an unfair view, as many courses allow paths on their fringes - and golfers often complain that the tramp of muddy boots and noisy chatter ruin their enjoyment of a game as well. So we put up with each other - politely, of course.
My opinion is that seaside links courses are perfectly situated to enjoy the view and should be accessible to walkers as well as players. This seems to work pretty well, except in certain places on the south side of the Firth of the Forth, where the tall fences and stern warnings are not really in the spirit of open access.
Happily, on the other side of the water, in Fife, the home of golf is often much more accommodating. Just down from the Old Course in St Andrews is Kingsbarns - a links course for more than 200 years.
The beautiful Cambo Sands on its eastern side is a lovely place for a stroll or picnic - and it is often a little quieter than other beaches in the area. At the southern end a path takes you up a beautiful wooded glen to the Cambo estate, privately owned by the Erskine family since 1688. It is best known for its snowdrops, but it is beautiful all year round, and the contrast with the stunning, windswept coast is fantastic. Pay the £3.50 entrance fee for the gardens - it is well worth it (and children go free).
Distance 3 miles.
Height climbed Undulating but about 80ft in total.
Time 11/2 to 21/2 hours.
Map OS Landranger 59.
Park Turn off the A917 at the southern edge of Kingsbarns and drive a short distance to the end of a narrow road and a car park next to the sea.
Walk Drop down to the beach and look to the left at the remains of the old Kingsbarns harbour before going right, along the sands. (Even at high tide you can walk along the shoreline, although you may have to clamber over some rocks to avoid getting your feet wet. If the waves are high, follow the path above the dunes with Kingsbarns golf links to your right.)
At the far end of the beach go up to the top of the dunes and carry on in the same direction. As a track goes away to the right, go left and follow a Fife Coastal Path waymarker. The path leads to a green and then a broad, well-built track going right. Ignore another track, going right, and continue down to reach the Cambo burn. Go right here and after about 20 yards cross a footbridge - the third bridge up from the sea.
Go up some steps and follow the path up the wooded glen, above the burn. After about half a mile you reach a sign indicating the way, right, to the gardens. Drop down and then go up to the entrance to the walled garden. You have to go a little further to pay the entrance fee in an honesty box next to the potting shed.
After enjoying the walled garden, follow the signs through the rest of the gardens to the back of Cambo House, where you can make yourself a cup of tea and enjoy a home-made cake (again, use an honesty box to pay). You can also buy plants here.
Go back to the front of the house and turn left, following the path out of the gardens and back down the wooded glen - on the other side of the burn you came up.
Once at the bottom, retrace your steps around the edge of the golf course and along Cambo Sands back to the car park.
Refreshments At the back of Cambo House (the halfway point), there is a lovely 'make your own' tearoom with tea bags, cafetières and home-made cakes as well as sandwiches at lunchtime.
Otherwise, try the Barns pub in the centre of Kingsbarns - it has a highly rated restaurant.
While you are in the area If you need more golf, head north to St Andrews and admire the Old Course and the British Golf Museum behind the R&A Clubhouse. Otherwise, go south to the picturesque village of Crail with its pottery and harbour (where you can often buy crab and lobster, cooked while you wait).
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