Cramond Island Causeway

The Cramond Island causeway is a tidal concrete path of about 1.5 km from the Cramond foreshore in north-west Edinburgh, Scotland, out to an island in the Firth of Forth. The round trip is around 3 km, and with time on the island the outing takes two to three hours; each crossing is about 20 to 30 minutes. The causeway starts at the end of the foreshore car park off Cramond Glebe Road (EH4), a pay-and-display car park. Lothian Buses service 41 runs to Cramond in about 30 minutes from Princes Street. No permit or fee is needed. The surface is flat concrete but slippery with seaweed in places, and the island rises to about 40 m. There is no shade and little shelter from the wind. Landmarks include the concrete tidal markers, the Second World War gun batteries and observation posts on the island, and wide views of the Forth, the Forth Bridges and the Fife coast. The island's far end or the battery ruins are the natural turn-around point. Tide safety is the central concern: the causeway is covered at high tide and the water rises faster than most people can walk. Visitors should cross only within the safe window shown on the tide board at the causeway start, and should plan to be back on the mainland well before it closes. The RNLI has run a text-message service for same-day crossing times, so the sign should be checked for the current number, and it has repeatedly warned about people being cut off. No crossing should begin if any of the causeway is under water, and walkers should never wade through rising water. There are no huts, shops or water points on the island, so food and water must be carried. If cut off, visitors should stay on the island, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.