This award-winning beach in Scotland is backed by impressive sand dunes and has become a beloved destination for kitesurfing – it also happens to be a stone’s throw away from a celebrated chip shop
Scotland might not be the first destination on your radar when temperatures rise, but it happens to be the home of the best beach you’ve never heard of. This dune-backed bay also happens to be a short jaunt from an award-winning fish and chip shop. St Andrews West Sands can be found on the eastern coastline of Fife.
The beach is surrounded by breath-taking sand dunes and a world-renowned golf course. Even first-time visitors may find the stunning view surprisingly familiar. West Sands is famous for featuring in the opening sequence of the 1981 film Chariots of Fire, in which a group of runners jog across the sand to a now-iconic soundtrack.
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Still today, West Sands is popular for walking and running – stretching for nearly two miles. The beach is also a great swimming spot – and particularly safe thanks to RNLI lifeguard patrol. But keep in mind that lifeguards are only on duty during the busier summer season.
According to the RNLI website, the official lifeguard patrol dates for West Sands in 2025 are: June 21 – August 24 between 10am and 6pm local time. The organisation also warns beach-goers that no flags on the beach means that there are no lifeguards on duty.
St Andrews West Sands is also particularly popular with kite surfers. As noted on online forums, there is a large and well-established “Kite Zone” at the far north-end of the beach – outside of which kitesurfing is not permitted.
In fact, there are quite a few great kitesurfing destinations in Fife. Pettycur Bay, Shell Bay, and Monifieth are also great destinations to check out during your travels. Once you’ve hit the water at West Sands though, you’re only a 15-minute walk to the town centre where there is plenty of parking and you can explore the area’s famous golf courses or grab a bite to eat.
The town centre is famous for its golf heritage, and again, the beach is backed by some of the world’s top courses. West Sands also puts you in close proximity to the award-winning Cromars fish and chip shop.
Here, customers can enjoy a range of classics, including battered haddock, king prawns, fish cakes and smoked sausage. The establishment has been recognised by numerous awards bodies including the Scottish Fish and Chip Awards and the National Fish and Chip Awards.
West Sands also overlooks the Eden Estuary Nature Reserve and is home to a range of seabirds and seals. A dune stabilisation programme is in place and visitors are asked to use the designated access points to access the beach.
St Andrews West Sands are winners of a Keep Scotland Beautiful 2025 Scotland’s Beach Award and are celebrating 33 years of awards. The flat sand beach is also particularly accessible, with beach wheelchairs available for hire from the Hamish Foundation.