Cramond Island: How to Visit as a Day Trip from Edinburgh

Last Updated on 22nd August 2024 by Sophie Nadeau

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Hidden beaches with gorgeous sparkling clear water, an emerald green forest and littered with concrete bunkers that were once used for the war. Cramond Island is Edinburgh’s hidden gem, a tidal island nestled on the Firth of Forth that you can walk to when the tide is low!

If you’re looking to spend some time by the sea and escape the hustle and bustle of the city, then Cramond Island makes the perfect day trip from Edinburgh. Read our ultimate guide on how to visit the island and make a perfect day out of it.

Is Cramond worth a visit?

Tucked away in the north-west of Edinburgh, the village of Cramond lies sleepily by the sea at the mouth of the River Almond. Offering stunning views over the Firth the Forth, with an island that was once inhabited by the Romans in the nearby distance, this quaint little neighbourhood is worth a visit!

The area is packed with history and few tourists. In fact, one of the most important Roman relics ever found in the UK, the ‘Cramond Lioness‘ was accidentally found by a ferryman and is now exhibited in the. National Museum of Scotland.

In the village itself, there’s a small café by the waterfront, as well as a quaint pub in the village centre, with excellent food! There’s lots to explore around the area, with Cramond Falls just around the corner offering a spot of tranquility among nature.

Cramond Island

Known as Eilean Chathair Amain in Gaelic, this Scottish gem lies just a miles walk away from the shore, and covers just 1/3 of a mile, making it easy to explore its entirety in a couple of hours.

Completely uninhabited, though the traces of the human hand remain in the form of concrete bunkers (used to guard the river during WW2), ruins of a farmstead and remnants of it being used as a fishing outpost. In fact it’s thought that the island may have been inhabited as early as prehistoric times!

When can you cross to Cramond Island?

At low tide! Fairly flat to walk along and scattered with shells, you can follow a pathway to the island that is lined with anti-submarine pylons used to fortify the area in WW2, stretching 3 meters high.

It’s fairly easy to see when it’s possible to walk to the island, however do not be fooled as the tide can change quicker than you think. So, be sure to always keep an eye on tide times! Edinburgh’s coast guard is all too used to popping over to stragglers who have left it too late to cross. You can find the tide times here.

At high tide, the tidal island is cut off from the rest of the world by the sea. It is one of just under fifty such islands in the UK. Other notable examples include Saint Michael’s Mount in Cornwall and Bigbury-on-Sea in Devon. In total, there are 43 tidal islands in the UK.

A brief history…

Throughout the majority of its history, Cramond Island has been used for farming, especially that of sheep-farming. Traces of its farming history can be seen in the ruins of farmstead buildings left on the island. It was also once known for its oysters, but sadly the oyster population has been destroyed due to overfishing.

At the outbreak of World War Two it was decided that Cramond Island (as well as other islands in the Forth) would be fortified and armed in case of invasion. Hence the abandoned bunkers that remain scattered across the island, as well as the concrete pylons along the path which were used as defences against submarines.

While on the island you can explore the inside of these abandoned bunkers and see the marks of grafiti, left by new visitors to the island.

Top tips for your visit & what to bring

• A picnic! – the perfect spot to settle down for a btie to eat, on the peak of the island or on the sandy beach below
• Warm clothes – you are in Scotland after all, so it’s always best to be prepared for cooler weather
• Swimming stuff – because of the location of the beach, the water is calm and perfect for swimming
• Good shoes – the island paths are pretty easy going, but they are more dirt and rocks than a road so it would be wise to bring comfy shoes that are good for walking off the beaten path

Can you wild camp on Scottish islands?

Yes absolutely! Thanks to the Scottish Access Code, it it encouraged to wild camp in Scotland as long as you do so responsibly. Everyone has the right to enjoy and camp in Scotland’s green spaces, and it is a beautiful destination to do so.

Best time of year to visit Cramond Island?

Generally speaking the best time of year (as for most beach destinations in the UK) is during the months of June to August, where the climate will be at peak heat and the days are longest.

That being said, a lot of the images shown in this article are from late September. It really depends on what you want from your trip, just be sure to check the weather beforehand as Scottish weather can be quite temperamental!

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