Visit North Queensferry

Visit North Queensferry and you’ll discover a little village with a big history. The village has many points of historical interest, and you can easily cover it all on foot or cycle. You can also explore one of the world’s largest underwater tunnels in Deep Sea World, Scotland’s National Aquarium.

The three bridges converge here. You can catch glimpses everywhere - over the roofs, between the houses and through the trees. Trains rumble overhead pretty cottages and narrow cobbled streets.

Much of this old village is now a conservation area and the North Queensferry Heritage Trust works hard to preserve and promote local history.

The village of North Queensferry was named along with South Queensferry by Queen Margaret back in 1068. This was the shortest crossing of the Forth that the Queen – who was later sainted – used between Dunfermline and Edinburgh Castle. The crossing became known as the Queensferry Passage, and Queen Margaret bequeathed free passage to pilgrims. It was this act of benevolence that generated the traffic we see today crossing the Forth. To this day, North Queensferry remains a popular start of the Pilgrim Way to St Andrews.

If you enjoy walking, there are some nice routes around the village and the peninsula. There’s also the Forth Bridge Trail which takes you around some great points of interest.

Boat trips sometimes depart from the Town Pier or, if you prefer to sit and gaze, there is a nice picnic area at the end of Battery Road, up close to the Fife Cantilever for the Forth Bridge. The Shore restaurant (in the DoubleTree by Hilton) also offers fabulous panoramic views of the bridges.

For nature lovers, the shoreline of the Firth of Forth boasts a variety of coastal habitats and the Carlingnose Point Nature Reserve is a great place to observe sea birds. It’s even been known for Orca (Killer Whales) to come this far upriver.

North Queensferry is an interesting wee visit. The village is a nice size for an easy stroll, there’s plenty to see and, importantly, a couple of great places to grab a coffee and cake.

If you’re visiting by bike, you can cycle over the Forth Road Bridge, and if you’re visiting by car, the wider area has plenty of castles, museums, beaches, gardens - and even a racing circuit - to explore.