The Binn

Hills: The Binn (193m)

The Binn is the small (193m according to the viewpoint indicator on the summit) hill at the back of Burntisland. It is said that it shelters the seaside town of Burntisland from the cold north winds! From the summit there are panoramic views across the Forth.

The routes described here can be mixed and matched to create your own circular walk. Distances and ascents are given for one way only.

Route Map

From Burntisland

If doing an east to west (or vice versa) walk across the hill you start and finish at opposite ends of the town. The primary school acts as a good central reference point and there is on street parking nearby. There is also verge parking available at the path start close to the golf club.

Distances and ascents are calculated from the primary school.

Via Grange Road and the Reservoir

Distance: 2.3 km / 1.5 miles

Ascent: 185 m / 540 feet

The path up the hill starts at NT 22630 86695 on the A909 Cowdenbeath Road. To avoid walking up the main road you can use a path along the edge of the playing fields to reach Church Street, Dollar Road and Grange Road. Pass Distillery House and Distillery Cottage (don’t go into the new houses) to reach Cowdenbeath Road.

The hill path is signposted and takes you up through woods with the aid of steps. A stile needs to be crossed into a field on the opposite side of which you will find a green signpost. Beyond the signpost is the reservoir. From here go through a gate and up the western slope on a grassy track. Pass through a pedestrian gate after which the path heads directly to the summit.

Via Kilmundy Drive and the Binn Pond

Distance: 3.1 km / 2 miles

Ascent: 185 m / 540 feet

The path up the hill starts at NT 22182 86653 on the A909 Cowdenbeath Road. To reach this point it is probably best to head to Grange Road (as described above) and then turn left into Kilmundy Drive. At the end of this road is a footpath. Follow this path up through woods and along a field edge to reach the main road.

Immediately opposite is the start of the hil path. Follow it along a field edge and into woods heading uphill into you reach a green signpost and the small reservoir to your left. From here go through a gate and up the western slope on a grassy track. Pass through a pedestrian gate after which the path heads directly to the summit.

Via the Golf Club and Binnend

Distance: 1.8 km / 1.2 miles

Ascent: 180 m / 510 feet

From the school head to the golf club either directly or using the cycle track at the back of the school. Just beyond the golf club is a verge where people park and a path going uphill through the woods. The path climbs steeply up the hill with the aid of steps in places to bring you to a path junction close to the old Binnend village. An alternative path to your left provides a steep approach cutting off the Binnend corner.

From the path junction at Binnend there is a stone stile in the wall to the left (south) of the village ruins. A well trodden path leads from the stile uphill along the cliff edge to the summit view point.

From Kinghorn Loch

There are a number of car parks around Kinghorn Loch which can be used as your start / finish. If you would prefer to start from Kinghorn there is a path over Grangehill via Kinghorn Golf Club that can be used to reach the start of the Binnend Path.

Distances and ascents are calculated from the lochside car park.

Via the Binnend Path

Distance: 2.5 km / 1.6 miles

Ascent: 130 m / 370 feet

The Binnend path starts from the B923 road close to a track that leads round Kinghorn Loch and opposite the Grangehill track that goes over the hill to Kinghorn (grid reference NT 251 872). Although it goes uphill, it is a relatively gentle ascent and there is a picnic area mid-way for a rest! After the picnic area, a cycle track goes off to your left but continue straight on to meet the path junction at the old Binnend village.

From the path junction at Binnend there is a stone stile in the wall to the left (south) of the village ruins. A well trodden path leads from the stile uphill along the cliff edge (not too close to the edge) to the summit view point.

Via the Roddanbraes Path and Binnend

Distance: 2.8 km / 1.8 miles

Ascent: 170 m / 460 feet

From the north side of Kinghorn Loch walk west past the Earthship building using the woodland paths around the lochside. When you join a surfaced track turn left heading down towards the main road. On your right hand side you will see a footpath signed for Roddanbraes. Take this path which leads to ruin at Roddanbraes via the Troll Bridge. After Roddanbraes the path continues along the edge of an agricultural field (stick the path don’t walk across the crops) and then across a grassy field to join the Common Road path. Turn left and go slightly downhill to reach the path junction just after the ruins of Binnend village.

From Standing Stane Road

The Standing Stane Road is over 150m above sea level so not much lower than the summit of the Binn. These routes therefore do not include any significant ascent. It is a quiet road ideal for walking or cycling so the routes can easily be combined into a circuit. There is a small layby on the A909 at NT 20872 87093 for parking or it may be possible for one car to park at the end of the Craigkelly access road.

Distances and ascents are calculated from the star of each path. You will need to add on extra distance from your parking point.

Via the Common Road and Binnend

Distance: 1.7 km / 1 mile

Ascent: 70 m / 200 feet

The Common Road starts from Standing Stane Road at grid reference NT 239 881. It is marked with a green sign for Burntisland and a notice about being unsuitable for cycling. It is a pleasant walk across fields gently downhill to reach the path junction at the old Binnend village.

Gale Slap Plantation and the Binn Pond

Distance: 1.5 km / 1 mile

Ascent: 90 m / 240 feet

This route starts at a stile on the Standing Stane Road located at grid reference NT 224 875. The start of the path is marked with a green sign for Burntisland. The path is initially “pathless” across the grassy field left of the stile to reach a gate into the woodland on the opposite side. Here you join a track for a short very muddy descent through the trees to a rough field. Once into the field a wall is initially to your right but at a wide gap cross over so that the wall is now to your left. The wall leads to a junction of fences where there is a small pedestrian gate. Go through the gate and a grassy/muddy path now follows a wall with the reservoir to your left.

From here go left and up the western slope on a grassy track. Pass through a pedestrian gate after which the path heads directly to the summit.

Craigkelly

Distance: 1.6 km / 1 mile

Ascent: 35 m / 130 feet

This route uses the surfaced access road to Craigkelly House and TV mast. The road starts from the Standing Stane Road at NT 228 876. Follow the road until you reach the mast. After the mast and before the house turn right onto a grassy track to reach a field gate. From the gate you can either go left directly up the grassy slope alongside a fence to reach a pedestrian gate, or for a more gentle ascent keep straight on under the power lines and then bear left across the grass with Burntisland to your right to reach the gate. After the pedestrian gate a footpath leads directly to the summit.

Combining Routes

The Burntisland routes can be combined with the Kinghorn or Standing Stane routes for circular walks.

To link Burntisland and Kinghorn use the Pettycur Sands low tide coastal path and then the Grangehill path between Kinghorn and the loch.

Burntisland and the Standing Stane Road are linked via a path north east of the A909. It starts from a stile close to the end of the road and can be followed all the way down to where the Kilmundy Drive route crosses over the main road.