Largo East Beach

Largo East is a sandy beach, just to the east of the ancient fishing village of Lower Largo.  On 1676 this was the birthplace of Alexander Selkirk, whose sojourn on a desert island, following a shipwreck provided the inspiration for Daniel Defoe’s novel Robinson Crusoe.  A signpost in the village directs visitors to the Juan Fernandez Islands in the South Pacific, where Selkirk spent over 4 years as a castaway.

The nearest parking is in Lower Largo, along Main Street, adjacent to the beach. There are toilets located at the car park and in the village there are shops, restaurants and pubs. The car park has direct access to Lower Largo Beach, which leads to Largo East Beach by turning left from the car park.

Largo East Beach is located along the Fife Coastal Path, which is 117 miles long. The beach is popular for sailing and is also used by bathers although there is no lifeguard present. There is a sailing club located in the village.

From the shore there are views out over the Firth of Forth. As well as sandy areas, there are some rocks and at low tide some rock pools are exposed.  Dogs are banned from the beach during the summer months.

At the eastern end of the beach, Dumbarnie Links Nature Reserve, a scenic, quiet reserve, popular with walkers and cyclists might be worth a visit. The lime-rich dunes of the reserve provide a habitat for over 2,000 plant and animal species, including a variety of rare plants.