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28 March 2026

Wow, this is better than I expected! After the slight disappointment of East Sands, I make my way through the town to find a space in the golf course car park. It’s Saturday afternoon, the sun is shining, music is playing from nearby cafes and picnics, and it’s pretty busy all round. But as I emerge through a gap in the fenced-off dunes, the absolute epic splendour of West Sands reveals itself. The sheer scale of this beach completely dwarfs the human activity (there are actually fewer people on the beach than I expected) and the hustle and bustle of the town behind me is completely forgotten. Of course this is a very famous Scottish beach – Chariots of Fire and all that – but it totally deserves the accolades. It’s cinematic. It’s possible to walk for miles but I reluctantly have a five hour drive ahead and I still want to pop up to Tentsmuir before I leave. Still, I have a good bracing walk before returning to the car, past the Old Course and out of town. Special.