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© Crown Copyright 2017

For information on public transport services contact: Traveline Scotland 0871 2002233 or www.travelinescotland.com

Forestry Commission Scotland InverparkInver, Dunkeld PH8 0JRTel: 0300 067 6380E-mail: enquiries.east@forestryansland.gov.scot

Explore | Discover | Enjoy

TentsmuirFife’s Forest by the Beach

TayportTayport Heath

TentsmuirForest

Kinshaldy

Leuchars

GuardbridgeEden Centre

Tents Muir

Eden Estuary

Out Head

R e r e s W o o d

(Restricted access)RAF LEUCHARS

Morton Lochs

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B945

A91

Tentsmuir Point

Abertay Sands

To Dundee

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Lundin Bridge

To St Andrews

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If you require this publication in an alternative format, for example large print please contact us on:Tel: 0300 067 5000Email: diversity@forestry.gsi.gov.uk

Spot a squirrel from the hide at Morton Lochs.

Become a wildlife photographer and take pictures of butterflies and wildflowers.

Explore the reserve for evidence of World War II. (look for concrete hidden in the sand.)

Look out for white-tailed eagles along the shore or flying overhead

Spot the blue splash of a kingfisher from the Eden Estuary Centre.

Take cover behind a tree in Tentsmuir Forest as you play hide-and-seek.

Cycle along the forest tracks for great views of the forest and the beach.

Look for seals hauled out on the sandbars near the Ice House.

Search for shells along the shore.

Have a relaxing picnic on the beach.

The western area of Tentsmuir, around Morton Lochs, is one of the oldest occupied sites in the whole of Scotland.

The first people arrived, probably in dug-out canoes

or skin-covered boats., around 8,000 years ago when the coastline stretched far inland, Excavations tell of a people who lived on

the land, gathering roots, seeds, nuts and

fruit, hunting animals and fishing.

In the centuries that followed, Bronze Age people settled leaving behind traces of their smelting furnaces and tools. The Iron Age tribes who came later grazed their animals at Tentsmuir.

Around AD 80, the Romans arrived in Tentsmuir. Under Agricola, the Roman Governor of Britannia, they conquered southern Scotland and pushed forward into Fife and the north-east. At Tentsmuir, they established camps on the moorland.

But the Romans were not the only invaders: 800 years later the Vikings arrived, navigating their boats up the River Tay. Some settled in the area, farming the land.

In the 1780s Tentsmuir got the name we know it by

today. A Danish fleet was shipwrecked off the coast. They landed in the area and set up tents on the moor, giving us the name

‘Tents Moor’.

You can still see evidence of Tentsmuir’s later history.

The Ice House, was built in the 1800s to keep locally-caught salmon fresh. The disused railway line once carried passengers between Burntisland and Tayport. During World War II, a series of coastal defences were constructed at Tentsmuir by Polish soldiers who were garrisoned here. Look for the observation post, pill boxes, gun emplacement and anti-tank blocks running along the coast.

The trails throughout Tentsmuir Forest are a great way to explore. Use the map overleaf to plan your route.

The combination of woodland, wetland, heathland, dunes and shoreline combine to make Tentsmuir a great place for wildlife.

Tayport Heath which skirts the northern edge of the forest is wonderful forwildflowers, as well as the fantastic view across the River Tay.

To the east of Tayport Heath, the path through the forest leads to Morton Lochs - a great place to watch wildlife from the hides. Slightly further south, but

well worth the trip, is the Eden Estuary Centre. Overlooking the estuary, a Local Nature

Reserve, it is a fantastic place to watch the many thousands of

birds which feed in the rich mud of the estuary.

To make sure that Tentsmuir stays beautiful and its wildlife stays safe, we ask that you follow some simple guidelines when you visit:

We’re sure you will find lots of things to enjoy at Tentsmuir. Here are our top 10 ideas to get you started.

Follow in the footsteps of Tentsmuir’s past visitors.

Towering trees, rolling dunes, shifting sand and amazing wildlife all combine to make Tentsmuir a magical place to visit.

Welcome to Tentsmuir

Making the most of your visit

Barbecues and fires can cause

serious damage. Fires are not

permitted anywhere on site.

Please keep barbecues within

the picnic area.

Don’t mess with fire

Please take your rubbish home -

litter always ruins a good view and

can harm or kill wildlife.

Goodbye to all that rubbish

Please dispose of your dog’s mess

responsibly. Don’t leave bags of

waste for others to clear.

Bag it and grab it

Photography: FCS Picture Library, Laurie Campbell, Mark Cargill & SNH & northeastwildlife.co.uk

The trees also provide a home for some of our most vulnerable species, including a large

population of red squirrels.

Tread quietly and you might spot a squirrel, or the shy roe deer which roam

the forest. And if you visit

at twilight you’ll see pipistrelle and Natterer’s bats silently swooping through

the forest on their nightly hunt for insects.

The wonderful woodland at Tentsmuir provides us all with useful timber.

Parts of Tentsmuir are a National Nature Reserve (NNR) because of their important habitats and wildlife here. The NNR is managed by Scottish Natural Heritage.

Just five miles south of Tentsmuir lies the aptly named Eden Estuary. This area is home to an internationally important population of birds.

Working woods A safe haven Paradise found?

One hundred years ago there was no forest here, only a wide, wet moorland. In 1924, we bought the moorland and began planting Scots and Corsican pine trees.

Today we actively manage the forest, cutting some of the trees each year. You might not notice as we carefully thin the trees rather than clear large areas of woodland. This helps conserve important wildlife habitats.

The trees are normally around 60 years old when we cut them, although some of the original trees

planted over 80 years ago still grow in the forest. You never know where you

might come across Tentsmuir timber - as joists for

buildings, wooden pallets or as chipboard for your next DIY project.

The Eden Estuary Local Nature Reserve attracts thousands of wildfowl and waders in the winter. The birds come to feed on the food-rich mud and sandflats here. Fife Coast and Countryside Trust manage the nature reserve.

These rare and special habitats support nationally important numbers of bar-tailed godwits, grey plovers and shelducks.

But birds are not the only wildlife you can see here. Look out for porpoises and

bottlenose dolphins playing just offshore and hundreds of

common seals warming themselves on the sand

banks.

Tentsmuir Point and Abertay Sands provide a haven for grey and common seals as well as a large population of wintering wildfowl. Each autumn thousands of birds flock to Tentsmuir Point to rest and feed during

their migration.

Look for eider ducks between October and March – it’s the largest population in the UK. You can see the seals resting on the sandbars off the coast at Tentsmuir Point.

On the edge of the forest at Morton Lochs, you can watch wildlife close up from the wildlife hides.

Tayport Heath, on the northern edge of the forest, is a wonderful place for wildflowers and insects.

Did you know that over 100 lorry-loads of timber are harvested from Tentsmuir Forest each year?

Tentsmuir is one of few

places on the east coast of Scotland

where both grey and common seals can be

found together.

Visit the Eden Estuary Centre in thesummer to see ospreys fishing

Look fordiscarded

chewed pinecone ‘cores’ on the forest

floor - evidence of red squirrels living in

the woodland.

A rich historyTop 10 things to do at Tentsmuir

Tentsmuir Forest is 1.5 miles east of the A92 between Leuchars and Tayport in northeast Fife. Follow signs for Tentsmuir Forest, which lead to the main Tentsmuir car park at Kinshaldy.

Visit www.tentsmuir.org to find out more.

TentsmuirCar Park

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10The main car park is at Kinshaldy. The car park is locked

overnight and closure times vary throughout the year -

check on entry. There is an automatic pay barrier: parking

is currently £2 for the day (£1 coins needed).

The children’s play area, toilets and picnic areas

are all close to the car park.

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Walking & Cycling

Tentsmuir Car Park

Ice House

Salmon Stone

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Waymarked Forest Trail

Fife Coastal PathSustrans NCN1NNR Boundary

NNR Entrance

Junction Marker

Pay Barrier

Car Park

Toilet

Information

Viewpoint

Picnic Area

Play Area

Bird Hide

Foot Bridge

Ice House

WWII Pillbox

Non FC Toilet

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Non FC Caravan Park

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The wide flat tracks throughout Tentsmuir Forest make it an ideal place for cycling for all the family.

Part of the National Cycle Network and the Fife Coastal Path follows the eastern edge of Tentsmuir Forest from here to Tayport, the northernmost town in Fife.

Cycling and Long Distance Routes

Welcome to Tentsmuir Fife’s forest by the beach.

Visit www.tentsmuir.org to find out more.

Head to the dunes for sea, sand and seals, or explore deeper into the forest where roe deer and red squirrels hide.

Wind your way west to reach tranquil Morton Lochs, or follow the path south to the Eden Estuary, one of Europe’s richest feeding grounds for migrating birds.

First visit? We recommend the Ice House trail from our main car park at Kinshaldy. But you can walk, cycle or ride your horse on any of the tracks. Tentsmuir is a big forest, so take this leaflet with you: the main junctions are marked on the map and in the forest.

From Tentsmuir it’s a short journey to the Eden Estuary Centre at Guardbridge. The centre provides outstanding views across the estuary, home to thousands of birds.

By car, follow the main road through Leuchars and onto Guardbridge. There is a small car park at the Eden Estuary. By foot, follow the Fife Coastal Path which leads from Tentsmuir Forest (turn left at Junction 16) to Guardbridge.

Eden Estuary Nature Reserve

Morton LochsMorton Lochs is a haven for wildlife. There are 4 bird hides and a red squirrel viewing hide here.

In the summer, look out for ospreys fishing here and for dragonflies buzzing past on the warmer days. In the winter, Morton Lochs fills up with wildfowl like the colourful teal.

The North Feather Walk is an all ability trail which leads to an accessible hide. This circular walk is 1 mile (1.4km) long and will take approximately 25 minutes. The shorter South Feather Walk (½ mile; 0.7km) follows the old railway line before turning right into the forest where there is another hide.

Morton Lochs is around 3 miles through the forest from Tentsmuir car park. There is a car park there, accessible from the B945.

Always follow the Forest Cycle Code

Always wear a cycle helmet Only cycle within your abilities Expect the unexpected – watch out for other visitors If a vehicle is loading timber stop and wait for the driver to let you pass safely

Ice House Trail

Wind through sand dunes and pine forest to discover the 19th century ice house and some World War II pillboxes.

Largely firm, uneven sandy surface. Several short steep ramps. Includes a short rougher section, exposed tree roots and parts that may be wet.

3¾ miles / 6.2 kmAllow2 hours

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TayportTayport Heath

TentsmuirForest

Leuchars

St. Andrews

Eden Estuary

Morton Lochs

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Visit www.tentsmuir.org to find out more

Look out for our newFinger Posts - They are all numbered so you will know where you are