This walk is approximately 5 miles (8 km) and should take
approximately 3 to 4 hours. There is a regular bus service between Dysart and the
Wemyss.
Leaving Dysart, the path goes past the bings from Frances Colliery, a pit whose working coal seams went underneath the Forth. The material, which goes down to the shore, is already being reclaimed by nature, with Teasel colonising the spoil.
After going through the woodland at Blair Point, the path drops down to sea level and is a good point to watch sea ducks during the winter. Eider are especially common, but Red-Breasted Mergansers and the beautiful Long-tailed Duck are often seen. Ahead we can now see West Wemyss, but before this is the Wemyss family burial ground. This includes an old tower in the gardens - which was a doocot - and St. Mary's Chapel. The high arched walls means that access is limited, but the turreted walls are interesting in themselves. A chapel was first built in 1536, but this was destroyed during the reformation and the building was later used as a house by the Earls of Wemyss.
Beyond the Chapel Garden, look for the blocked off entrance to a tunnel through the red sandstone rock. This 1 km long tunnel was a link to the Hugo Pit at Coaltown of Wemyss. It was blocked off after children got lost in it and had to be rescued. There are other bricked up arches which used to hold the stables for the pit ponies.
Fulmar are usually present on the sandstone cliffs as you enter the village.
West Wemyss harbour dates from 1512 and one of the earliest records is an unfortunate one from 1590 when a ship docked from England. The crew carried the plague which spread throughout Fife devastating the population. In the early years of this century, enormous amounts of coal were exported from the harbour but the expansion of Methil Docks meant that West Wemyss harbour fell into disuse. It is now silted up and parts of it filled in and landscaped.
West Wemyss used to be one of the most important ports in Fife, with sailing ships coming from all over the continent to trade coal and salt. The population of the village has since declined with the mining industry but recently some houses re being restored. In the middle of the village is the early 18th century Tollbooth with it's clock steeple and Dutch styling. On the top is a gold weathervane depicting a swan, the Wemyss family symbol. A badly eroded panel with the family coat of arms states that the tollbooth was built by David who was Earl from 1793-1720. there are two cells below, now blocked, where prisoners were locked up.
St. Adrian's Church stands on the shore and was built in 1890 to save the locals the walk to East Wemyss every Sunday. The kirkyard is older and contains some interesting graves including ones carved with tradesman's marks and several to miners that died in the numerous pit disasters.
Past St Adrian's Church to the east of the village, the Path goes below Wemyss Castle dating from the 14th Century. In the rocks to the west of the castle is Jean's Cave, now bricked up, named after the castle's ghost which appears when there is a death due in the area. To the east of the castle are some recently hewn caves used as extra storage space for the castle and cottages that sit nearer the shore.
The path now climbs towards East Wemyss through some woodland where Wood Anemone, Lesser Celandine and Primrose carpet the ground in Spring. Below is the reclaimed bing of the Michael Colliery, closed in 1967 after a fire killed nine men. Ahead, on the clifftop is Wemyss Castle built in 1421 as one tower and a courtyard and demolished then added to over several centuries. It is still occupied and guests include the present Queen and Queen Mother several times.
To the east of the village the path reaches the famous Wemyss Caves. In most of these caves are found Pictish markings made between 500 and 900 AD. There are more markings in these caves than all the others in Britain put together. The earliest are thought to date from 4000 b.c. but there are also some from Viking, medieval and more modern times. There used to be over a dozen caves but now only 4 of real interest to the amateur remain. These are the Court Cave, Doo Cave, Well Caves and Jonathan's Cave. Please note that some of the caves are unstable and dangerous to enter. A good guide book is available locally and its advice should be followed.
The path now climbs up to MacDuff Castle, built on the site of an earlier one that belonged to the Thane of Fife, slayer of the Scottish King Macbeth. The building that remains today is dated after that time and was burnt on the orders of Edward I in 1306. The remains are of only one tower, originally one of a pair of gate houses. At one point these would have had a joining hall and several other buildings inside high walls. After its destruction, the tower was rebuilt to form part of the main building and was last inhabited in 1666 by Lady Jean Wemyss. She was trying to escape the plague which was threatening to spread to Edinburgh from England.
Growing in this area is Alexanders or chevril, a plant used as a vegetable that is often found in association with castles. Follow the line of an old railway onwards into Buckhaven.
St Adrian's Kirk near West Wemyss
MacDuff Castle - ancient seat of the Thane of Fife - slayer of MacBeth
The famous Wemyss Caves with their prolifically marked walls
Last updated February 07, 1999
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