Walking through winter

Greener Kirkcaldy’s walkers are a resilient bunch. Our programme of public walks has continued right through autumn and winter. After all, there’s no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothing!

On a rainy day in December, we explored remarkable memorials and gravestones. We then enjoyed the shelter of the Old Kirk while Rosemary Potter told us all about its wonderful collection of stained glass windows.

We billed January’s walk as one to ‘blow away the cobwebs’ and the route took us beachcombing along the coast from Seafield. It’s amazing what treasures you can find on the sand, including sea glass and fragments of pottery dating from the 19th and early 20th century, when Kirkcaldy had a thriving pottery industry.

We saw enjoyed seeing wildlife on the walk. We spotted cormorants, oystercatchers, sanderlings and godwits on the shore and the sea wall.

There’s fascinating geology to explore too. We spotted evidence of gas bubbles in rock laid down in an ancient volcanic landscape, and lots of ‘crinoid’ fossils. 325 million years ago, this was a tropical ocean near the equator. But it felt anything but tropical as we headed home before Storm Isha arrived. This was a stark reminder of how our climate is now changing due to human activity.

Walking is great for mental and physical health. There’s always something new to learn and enjoy in our local patch. New walkers are very welcome to join us and there are opportunities to get involved as a volunteer Walk Leader too. No experience is needed, we provide full training and support.

You can also look out for our upcoming walks on our events webpage.

Sue Proudlove

Sessional Walk Leader