St Andrews (West Sands)

BeachFife Council🐾 Dogs allowed — with rules

A 1.8km beach north of St Andrews backed by dunes forming the boundary of the Jubilee golf course; famous as the opening scene location of Chariots of Fire.

📍 View on the map

Beach & safety

Water quality: Good

Lifeguard: none

Hazards: Short-term pollution risk after heavy rain (sewer overflows).

Amenities: car-park

Dogs

Secondary sources report a seasonal restriction: dogs not allowed on the part of the beach nearest the town between 1 May and 30 September. Fife Council's own page could not be directly verified.

Unofficial source: View the supporting source →Not an authority; check current signage.

Family

Long, wide beach popular for walking and running; golf course backs the dunes.

Fishing

Clean or mixed sand can support flounder and dab, seasonal bass, winter codling and whiting, and dogfish after dark.

Species reported: Flounder, Dab, Bass, Codling, Whiting, Lesser-spotted dogfish

Crabbing

not recommended

Access & parking

West Sands car park at the western end near the Old Course. Sat-nav: KY16 9XA. Get directions →

Researched 2026-07-24 — sources & disclaimer

https://bathingwaters.sepa.org.uk/profiles/profile?location=9316

https://www.thebeachguide.co.uk/south-scotland/fife/west-sands-st-andrews.htm

Rules and conditions change, so always check current signage and tides before you go. We do our best to keep this accurate but can't promise it's error-free.