A church, a ruin, a railway, a moat and a castle - Carnbee Circular - 21st November 2020

In contrast to last week's weather, today was beautiful and I welcomed back that feeling of anticipation I used to get whenever I embarked on one of my long walks. It's a mixture between fear and anticipation. I'm a little apprehensive that all might not go to plan - and it never does 100% of the time - but, at the same time, that's what makes it so exciting. Some people prefer to follow an assigned route and I'm just not one of those people, I like to pore over the map both before and after the walk to make sure I'm not going to miss anything of interest. Even this method is not foolproof.

Anyway, when I walked up Kellie Law in February I had been tempted to extend the walk to Carnbee as there was a church marked on the map. I'd resisted the temptation however and, since then, I have been anxious to return to the area to investigate the church. I'd drawn a route and synced it to my phone - if that's a word! I'd checked google map satellite where you drag the wee yellow man onto the map so you can see a 3D picture of the area you're interested in - and yes, it looked like you could park at the church.

Carnbee Church - NO5306

As usual, it took me ages to get booted up and ready. I had already turned my old phone on and checked the map, but now when I did so again the map was still there, but the route I'd synced had disappeared. I switched my phone off and back on again and tried every trick I knew to make it reappear - and, let's face it, there aren't many! But it wouldn't reappear. I thought there was nothing else for it but to try and remember the route and I was surprised to discover that I could remember it. I wouldn't be able to check the benchmarks of course, but that didn't matter too much. I'd just have to look harder for them whilst walking.

Having had a quick look round the churchyard and not seeing any obvious graves of particular interest and being keen to get started as I'd wasted some time agonising over the 'lost' route, I set off [ast the school and Carnbee Farm where I turned left towards Kellie Law. 

Track to Kellie Law. NO5206

Entering the next gridsquare I felt like this was not new territory, even though I was on a different footpath for nearly half of the square's length. I trod cautiously along the muddy path once I met the path I'd walked last time. "I could very easily slip here," I thought to myself. Picking my way through a ridiculous amount of mud I managed to get to a slightly less muddy part of the field, where I disturbed what I think was a Jack Snipe. t'he bird did not fly until I was virtually on top of it, was silent and made a beeline for a clump of juncus not far from where it had flown. Try as I might I could not see it again. I texted Tim. "Could it be a Jack Snipe?" I asked. "Very likely," was his reply. So there are some rewards for slipping and sliding your way through copious mud.

Looking at my routeless map, I oculd not remember whether I had opted to continue north along the road and turn at Knights Ward or turn left to South Baldutho, then right to head north past North Baldutho. I opted for the latter as I don't really like walking along the road. I didn't take any photos of the squares I had already photographed and walked quite quickly while I could, still conscious of the time I'd lost trying to 'find' my 'lost' route on my phone.

I counted 23 Mallard on Gillingshill Reservoir. I did not pause long here but thought it would have to do better than that to earn the title of Nature Reserve. Perhaps more wildfowl will yet arrive.

I was glad to reach the end of the boarding kennels with only one dog barking at me. This was where I entered new territory. Last time I had headed south; this time I was heading north. I turned right and followed a good track which suddenly petered out in a thicket of gorse bushes. Another track led westwards, but I didn't want to go in that direction. I went for a quick reccie to see if my desired path really was impenetrable. The verdict came back unclear so I erred on the side of caution and plumped for the westwards track.

I had been in this square before. It was the Baldutho Quarry square and I was now in the more northern sector of the square, but I didn't want to go any further west. As soon as I could I climbed a very rickety, held together with pieces of string fence and followed the field edge round to where I hoped I would meet the unobstructed path I'd left earlier.

The westward path I did not wish to follow. NO4906

Looking at the map I was 'joining' two broken pieces of dismantled railway, the old East Fife Central Railway. I had to clamber over a barbed wire fence (there were a few of them on this walk), but I had done it - I'd rejoined the path and was now at a ruined railway bridge and a delightful rippling burn.

North Baldutho Railway Bridge. NO5007

With blue skies overhead and the sound of the burn I decided to pause here for a well earned cup of tea. I was actually in the same gridsquare as Knights Ward, which had formed part of my aforementioned Largoward walk back in February. I revelled in the sunshine and in my achievement so far (yes, I know I'm bragging about very little) and hoped I'd be able to get past North Baldutho without any further trouble.

North Baldutho from the south. NO5007

Fortunately, I had no further trouble with disappearing tracks. North Baldutho farmstead is now a ruin (second from left) with various farm buildings on the site and a new build visible on the above photo (extreme left). I love ruins and thought I might investigate this one with the curious eye of a benchmark hunter (by the way I'd also looked at the railway bridge - to no avail - and was glad I didn't spend longer on that search as I discovered later there wasn't one there or at North Baldutho).

North Baldutho farmstead. NO4907

For all my delight in the new territory I'd walked through, my last 'new' gridsquare was five gridsquares ago and I was eager to enter a new one. A Stonechat flew close to say hello and hung around for a while to keep me company.

Stonechat

I passed the crossroads which had caused me some confusion on my Largoward walk in February. I had now walked down each trajectory, including the northern end of the one which had caused me a problem earlier in the day between North and South Baldutho. I was keen to see if this was indeed passable but that would have to wait for another day.

As I approached the B940 I entered new territory and took a photo of the farm sign for North Baldutho, a poignant pointer to days gone by when no doubt the farmhouse had been inhabited by those who farmed the land.

North Baldutho farm sign. NO4908

Later, when I checked my original intended route, I realised I planned to turn right at the B940 and then left to follow the Lingo Burn eastwards and then free range to South Kinaldy. The route I took involved turning left on the B940 and then right at West Lingo. Either route gained me just one new gridsquare. The route I ended up taking, though, did pass one of those attractive Fife milestones which I've inadvertently started collecting.

West Lingo Milestone with benchmark. NO4908

West Lingo milestone. West face. I love seeing the distances measured in eighths. Pitt'wm  5⅞

Context photo of West Lingo milestone. Looking west. NO4908

Sometimes B roads are surprisingly busy, but only a few cars passed in both directions in the short distance I walked to the Lingo House turn off.

Track to Lingo House. I liked the home made speed restriction sign. NO4908

I anticipated the sight of the homestead moat marked in Old English font on my map and turned into a field entrance to gain a view just before an imposing sign saying Lingo House Only across a closed gate. "I'll deal with that in a minute," I thought. First to investigate the moat.

Surveyors have concluded that this is probably a medieval homestead moat. I have to confess I thought moats were things associated with castle, usually with a drawbridge across which is whipped up to stop the enemy entering the castle. What does a medieval homestead want with a moat? I still don't really get it. Canmore has this to say about this particular moat.

Medieval homestead moat at Lingo. NO4908

Ruin near Lingo House. NO4908

NO4908 had been an interesting gridsquare, but I had spent long enough in it. I now climbed the locked gate to Lingo House in fear and trepidation. Was I going to be accosted?

Lingo House. NO5008

I was still a little fearful as I crossed the field towards South Kinaldy, especially as I saw a tractor working away in the distance, but in my direction of travel.

Field towards South Kinaldy. NO5009

I arrived at South Kinaldy farmstead ruin where I had thought I might eat my lunch, but it was very windy and cold with nowhere appealing to sit, so I decided I would continue after having a nosey at the ruin.

South Kinaldy. NO5109

I was delighted to discover a very worn benchmark on this ruin.

South Kinaldy benchmark. NO5109

I had made a very slight detour to visit this building and realised afterwards if I had wanted to cut my walk short I could have continued along that track towards Chesters and turned south to Pittarthie Castle. This would be an option for a shorter walk. For now, I retraced my steps 50 yards or so and turned right through another gate along a good track towards Kinaldy Den where my hopes were high for a decent lunch spot.

I was to be disappointed, for not only was there no decent lunch spot, there seemed to be no easy access into the den so the waterfall marked on the map remained tantalisingly close, but out of reach, as did the burn and my photograph for this gridsquare was a boring one of a field of haystacks.

Harvest time at Kinaldy. NO5010

I walked through Kinaldy farmyard with no trouble, anticipating a barking collie at every step, but it seemed deserted. An old dovecot made an interesting subject for this gridsquare, as well as adding to my Fife doocot collection. This one is not marked on the map, but is described here.

Kinaldy Doocot, late 17th/early 18th century. NO5110

My thoughts were now turning desperately to lunch. Looking at the map, I realised if I didn't stop soon, I'd be on the road again with nowhere suitable to stop. But I did not want to stop by Kinaldy House, where someone had a bonfire in the 'garden'. I walked purposefully along the extensive driveway and decided I'd stop at the entrance where a veteran Oak provided a good back rest for my picnic stop.

Driveway to Kinaldy House. NO5110

I enjoyed the company of tits and finches whilst I munched on my cheese roll and then, feeling rested and refreshed I braved the next section of the walk. Again, I was pleased to discover the road was largely free of traffic, allowing me to photograph the next gridsquare at my leisure. It was one of those that I could easily have missed had I been having one of my less observant moments, as I was only in the square for a matter of yards.

Bannafield. NO5211

Turn off to Tosh. NO5211

The road stretched on and on and made for easy walking. I could see another worker ahead near Tosh. He was in one of those tiny diggers. We waved to each other as I passed and then I paused at a bridge.

The road stretched on and on. Looking towards The Brake. NO5210

Bridge over Kinaldy Burn and Wakefield Burn. NO5210

Kinaldy Burn. NO5210

Would there be a rivet on this bridge? Even if there wasn't, it was a very attractive bridge. I ran my hand over the stonework and found a little hole. The cut mark was very worn but I took a photo just in case and was delighted to discover later that it was indeed a rivet benchmark.

Rivet on bridge over Kinaldy Burn. NO5210

I was in the next gridsquare for less than 1000 feet, so took a photo at the first opportunity.

Limelands Crossroads. NO5310

I turned right at these crossroads and walked towards Chesters along an avenue of trees.

Near Chesters. NO5309

I resisted the temptation to take any photos before I reached what I anticipated would be the highlight of my walk today - Pittarthie Castle. It wasn't really visible until I entered the field it was in; it is much more visible if you approach from the south. The Castle dates from the late 16th Century but is now a ruin. It is described on the historical portal here. I was its only visitor today and I sat on a wall with my final cup of tea of the day and decided to try a self-timer. It's not often I get a ready made tripod like a wall to put my camera on.

Self-timer at Pittarthie Castle. NO5309

Pittarthie Castle from the south. NO5309    

I was nearing the end of my walk and could see my track stretching ahead of me towards Lochty Farm. I headed south across the Dunino Burn to join the track.

Lochty Farm track. NO5208

I met the farmer walking through the farmyard. I'm always a little apprehensive on these occasions lest they think I'm trespassing, but he greeted me warmly and commented on the weather. It just meant I couldn't snoop around looking for a benchmark!

I turned left onto the B940 and inspected another milestone for a benchmark. There was no benchmark, but it was still an attractive milestone. I wonder how many I have now in my 'collection'.

Milestone on B940 near Lochty. NO5208

I was glad when I saw the turn off to Carnbee and a sign that read 'Carnbee 1'. My estimate had been correct; I was getting good at guessing, or rather, estimating the miles I had left to walk. I was now in my final gridsquare of the day and took a photograph of the road in the beautiful late afternoon light.

Approaching Carnbee. NO5207

Even closer to the end of the walk, I caught more than a glimpse of Carnbee Reservoir (Private Fishing). For a moment I thought I heard a Water Rail squealing here, but, as it was unlikely and probably due to tiredness, I'm not going to count it. There was no other life visible on the reservoir, which, although in a different gridsquare, it was one I had photographed at the beginning of the day, so it wasn't a new one for me. I took a photograph anyway - it looked attractive in the warm late afternoon lighting. 

Carnbee Reservoir. NO5206

I was back where I'd started. I'd done it without a drawn route. I felt quite proud of myself and I felt tired, but, more than anything, I felt elated as I always do on one of these low-key adventurous walks.

Back at Carnbee. NO5306

Number of miles walked: 12.2

Number of new gridsquares: 15

Number of milestones seen: 2

Number of Castles visited: 1

Walk worth repeating: yes, with option of going from South Kinaldy straight to Pittarthie Castle and then turning right before Lochty to get NO51 and (by short deviation) NO5107 and of retrying the North Baldutho track.

Highlights: North Baldutho ruin, Pittarthie Castle, ruined railway bridge near North Baldutho, Jack Snipe, Stonechat, South Kinaldy ruin.

First post lockdown walk - Anstruther and Kilrenny - 1st November 2020

 I have finally got round to/been allowed to/felt like walking again after several months spent walking much more locally, mostly due to lockdown, but then also through a combination of a kind of lethargy of not feeling like it and having taken on other projects. Those projects are still ongoing and added to my never ending list of ongoing projects, but today I felt like a blustery walk, especially when I considered this might be both my first post lockdown walk and my last pre lockdown walk if things continue as predicted.

Not wanting to set myself too high a target I drew a 5 mile route around Anstruther and Kilrenny, which would take in a new churchyard (or two) and so give me the opportunity to study lichens as well (one of my lockdown projects).

Harbour, Anstruther Wester, NO5603

My first square was not a new one, but it was definitely more stormy than my last visit here. Though you can't see from the picture, the waves were coming over the sea wall and I was glad I hadn't parked any closer to the sea lest  my 'new' car get a salty wash.

Since last writing I have not only acquired a different car, but also a laptop and for some bizarre reason I cannot  seem to download tracks from my GPS onto Memory Map on my laptop, so have to rely on memory for tagging my photos - and that's not very reliable!

A larger than life Puffin welcomed me to Cellardyke. Apparently he went missing in 2017  for a few days but returned to his nest after only a few days. 

Puffin sculpture on James St, Cellardyke, NO5703

I have driven through Cellardyke's narrow streets a few times and not enjoyed it. It is much easier and more pleasant on foot. There is so much to see; lots of quaint cottages with delightful names which I've now forgotten. I thoroughly enjoyed ambling along, resisting the temptation to stare at every cottage I passed lest anyone thought I was peering through their window.

Cellardyke Town Hall is situated on the erstwhile site of the tollbooth and the Mercat Cross. A portion of a 'new' cross is bracketed to the wall of the Town Hall and is dated 1642. 

Cellardyke Town Hall - NO5703

Part of the replaced Mercat Cross, Cellardyke, dated 1642. NO5703

Today the streets were virtually empty, compared to this wonderful image of the declaration of the accession of George V to the throne in 1910. The same mercat cross can be clearly seen on the right 110 years later. Picture from Cellardyke Interpretation Boards

The Fun Box on the opposite side of the road, next to the interpretation board, is an example of the many uses to which redundant phone kiosks have been put.

Fun Box, Cellardykes, NO5703

George Street is one of the most attractive streets in the village and, at the end of it, there is a benchmark.

George Street, Cellardyke. NO5703

Benchmark on George Street, Cellardyke. NO5703

As I left Cellardyke behind, I looked for the Cardinal Steps marked on the map, but could not find any, only what is left of an outdoor swimming pool.

Outdoor swimming pool, Cellardyke. NO5704

Looking again at the map now, I wish I had carried on a bit into the next gridsquare as there seems to be a footpath up to Kilrenny further along the coastal path. As it was, I turned to go up towards the war monument, past a deserted caravan park and along a cycle route to Kilrenny. Two wind blown cyclists cycled down the hill as I struggled uphill against the wind.

I decided to have my first break at Kilrenny church and this proved to be the sunniest part of the walk.

Kilrenny Parish Church. NO5704

Flaxdresser's gravestone, Kilrenny. NO5704

Kilrenny graveyard. NO5704

Modest grave, Kilrenny. NO5704

Moss on wall at Kilrenny. NO5704

I sat on a bench in the graveyard enjoying the sunshine, a cup of tea and a bakewell tart and watching tiny spiders through my hand lens, crawling through the moss on the wall. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't manage to photograph them. They were just too small.

From here I headed north to a picnic spot by a burn and a pair of historic doocots. 

East Doocot, Kilrenny NO5704

West Doocot, Kilrenny. NO5704

I nipped quickly into the next square north and took a photo of Innergellie House.

Innergellie House. NO5705

As I headed west, the full brunt of the westerly wind hit hard. It was a very flat and uninteresting part of the walk and I picked up speed to get to the main road quicker. I still had to photograph the gridsquare though!

Path towards Cauldcots. NO5605

Before reaching the B9131, I saw a jogger approaching from the south. Perhaps I could take that turn? I checked the phone map and discovered that I could, and it would make my already short walk a lot shorter. I was tempted, but decided against it. "Stick with your original plan, Becky," I told myself. It's often the best course of action." I'm glad I did as I found a lovely woodland, even if I did have to 'trespass' a tiny wee bit to access it.

Before that, however, I photographed yet another of Fife's many doocots, a two storey octagonal tower at Pitkierie. I'd like to take a closer look at this one sometime as, though it was in the same gridsquare I was in when I photographed it, it was some distance away.

Pitkierie Doocot. NO5505

I now had to walk down the busier than usual B9131. I didn't realise it at the time, but this was now a diversion due to a road closure in Anstruther - hence more traffic than usual. Later I would drive down the same road and look at the places I had walked along only an hour or so before. Fortunately I didn't have to walk down the road for long and there was a raised verge so I felt quite safe, but I did miss the opportunity to photograph a different gridsquare as I didn't realise I was in a new one.

Never mind - another reason to come back. I always come up with them - reasons to return, I mean. I crossed now to the wide entrance to Cauldcots and walked a little apprehensively towards some modern buildings. Which way did I go now? My 2004 map showed the path running in front of the houses, so I trod bravely onwards along a solar lit path which looked worryingly like a communal garden - and that's because it WAS  a communal garden. Expecting someone to come out at any minute and accost me, I stared down at my phone map to show that I was intently following a map - at least that's the impression I hoped I was giving and then sneaked through a tiny door in the wall (marked PRIVATE) on the other side and back into non-trespassing land.

Relaxed now, I wandered into what I shall call Cauldcots Den which welcomed me with its warm fiery colours and an instant drop in the wind. This was only temporary however, as gusts of nearly storm force winds howled intermittently through the mature woodland. I hoped there were no fickle trees just waiting to be blown over!

Cauldcots Den. NO5504

I then had to brave a wobbly looking footbridge over Cauldcots Burn (I'm giving it that name as I can't find a name for it on the map).

Bridge over Cauldcots Burn. NO5504

I scared a Grey Wagtail and it flew downstream - the best bird of my walk today.

Autumn by Cauldcots Burn. NO5504

Autumn by Cauldcots Burn. NO5504

I enjoyed listening to the wind and feeling it on my face. I could feel rain threatening though and hoped I would make it back to the car before it fell heavily.

Another wobbly bridge crosses the burn at the south end of the Den and then I was no longer in new territory. I had walked this way before, funnily enough almost exactly a year ago.

South bridge over Cauldcots Burn. NO5504

Milton Mill. NO5503

Back in Anstruther I sat on a bench at the churchyard at Dreel Halls and admired a myriad things - the sea crashing over the wall, the plethora of lichen on the bench and the gulls defying the elements at the Dreel Mouth (perhapS the burn I've called Cauldcots is just a tributary of the Dreel?)

My lichen covered bench at Dreel Halls - NO5603

I was cold and could do with another cup of tea, but, boy was I glad I'd gone out that day instead of sitting inside looking out; better to be out by far. After all, who knows what the next few weeks will bring? 

Number of new gridsquares: 5

Number of potential new gridsquares: 7

Number of miles walked: 5

Number of doocots visited/seen: 3

Walk worth repeating: yes, with amendments

Highlights: Kilrenny doocots, Cellardykes, Cauldcots Burn, lichen bench at Dreel Hall