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Milestones on the road from St Andrews to Guardbridge, Dairsie and Cupar
There are eight milestones on the road from St Andrews to Cupar. I thought there was a ninth in Cupar beside the war memorial, but I didn't find it and it isn't on the map.
These photographs were taken on Thursday 20 October 2011. It was sunny when I left St Andrews, but grew cloudier as time went on, and when I reached Cupar it was drizzling.
Here is an account of the walk. (PDF file)
The first mile
The sign indicates that a passenger ferry operates from Rosyth, but the service was withdrawn at the end of 2010. The service might be revived, so the sign might become true again in time.
The first milestone.
The second mile
The cycle track goes along beside the golf course as we approach the second mile.
The second milestone proved elusive, but the cycle track has its own wooden mile post.
After some searching I eventually spied the second milestone through the hedge between the cycle track and the roadside verge. It is almost opposite the turning to Easter Kincaple.
Even from the verge it was barely visible, almost completely hidden by grass, weeds and nettles.
I cleared away enough of the weeds to get some pictures.
The third mile
The cycle track comes to an end shortly before the third milestone. From now on there is just a footpath beside the road.
Some other signs along the way to the third milestone.
The three-mile milestone.
A view across the field to the Eden estuary from the third milestone.
The fourth mile
A view from the bridge at Guardbridge.
Someone kindly pointed out an egret on the river bank.
On the way up out of Guardbridge there are road-works with a massive road-planing machine. It was at rest as I passed it.
The fourth milestone.
The fifth mile
The fifth milestone has the wrong plate; it gives the same distances as the 2-mile milestone.
Views across the harvested potato field beside the fifth milestone.
Looking back towards the brighter weather beside the sea.
The sixth mile
Shortly before the sixth milestone the railway goes under the road.
The path leads down to the field beside the railway.
The approach to the sixth milestone, which is just before the Dairsie roundabout.
The sixth milestone.
Views from beside the sixth milestone.
The seventh milestone
The seventh milestone is a different style. It and the next stone are on the other side of the road from the earlier ones, and they don't give the distance to St Andrews.
The top of the plate shows the number 1824, possibly the date.
Side views of the seventh milestone.
Views from the footpath opposite the seventh milestone.
The eighth milestone
This is the same style as the seventh stone, and like the seventh is on the opposite side of the road from the earlier ones. There was very little verge on that side, and the traffic was heavy, so it wasn't easy to take pictures of it.
The way into Cupar.