Travel: Cramond Island

After what seemed like weeks of staying indoors through interminable ice and snow, one fine but cold weekend we decided to embrace the chill on a trip to Cramond Island.

Lying about a mile from shore in the Firth of Forth, Cramond Island offers fun, adventure, lovely views and bracing wind; everything one might want for an inter-generational trip for ages five to 80.

Linked to the mainland by a causeway at low tide, it is technically a tidal island. The disappointment that we weren't taking a boat turned to whoops from the younger members of our group as it dawned that, subject to the tide, we could walk there ourselves.

After finding a spot in the large free car park by Cramond Kirk just a couple of minutes' walk from where the causeway starts, we carefully read the tide times on the notice board. It clearly outlines the window when it is safe to cross and return. Last year the RNLI was called out 70 times, rescuing 118 people who had misjudged, ignored or been unaware of how quickly the tide comes in.

With the tide out, the mudflats stretched far and wide revealing shells, wooden posts and other detritus of the sea as we clambered down the stone steps to get to the causeway. Some agility is required, and the walking surface is uneven, so this trip isn't for everyone.

With the island ahead and the promise of being able to explore it and receive a treat on arrival it didn't take too long to get there, walking in the shadow of the large concrete pylons – constructed as part of the submarine defences during the Second World War – that stretch along the route.

Like something from a Famous Five adventure – or counting the number in our group, perhaps the Secret Seven – we had a good walk round the gun emplacements that were also built as part of the coastal defences.

As the grown-ups paused to take in the fantastic views, feeling the wind whip through our coats, the children ran around playing until our youngest decided he was cold and not having so much fun anymore. With the first signs of the tide now coming in, it was our cue to retrace our steps to dry land and, as Enid Blyton would no doubt have approved, we were back in time for tea.

Cramond is about five miles from central Edinburgh. The walk to Cramond Island is subject to the tide. See the notice board by the causeway for when it is safe to cross and return.

This article was originally published in The Scotsman on 27 February 2010