East Sands beach
East Sands is the sandy beach on the south side of the St Andrews harbour, a short walk from the cathedral. It has seasonal RNLI lifeguards, toilets, parking, a play area and a café, and it is the town's base for sailing and paddle sports.
Photos
oot and aboot Dundee
A working-harbour beach
Where the West Sands is long and open, East Sands is compact and busy with boats. The harbour and sailing club next door make it the place in town for water sports, and the path along the back of the beach links into the Fife Coastal Path heading south towards Kingsbarns and Crail. It holds a Keep Scotland Beautiful Scotland's Beach Award for 2026.
Who it suits
Families do well here: the play area, café, toilets and parking are all close to the sand, and the lifeguards cover the summer season. Open-water swimmers use the bay too; Fife Coast and Countryside Trust asks swimmers to watch its safety video first and make an informed decision. The sand on the beach and offshore can shift suddenly, so the beach may look different from one visit to the next.
Making a day of it
Walk up from the beach past the harbour to the cathedral ruins and St Rule's Tower, ten minutes away. The Cheesy Toast Shack is a few minutes along the shore for a hot snack, and in the other direction the coastal path gives a cliff-top walk out of town.
Highlights
- Seasonal RNLI lifeguards
- Next to St Andrews harbour and sailing club
- Scotland's Beach Award 2026
- On the Fife Coastal Path
Good to know
- Toilets, a children's play area, a café and car parking are on site.
- Lifeguard cover is seasonal.
- Sandbanks shift, so check conditions before swimming.
- Fife Coast and Countryside Trust: 01592 656080.
Frequently asked questions
Nearby
Sources: visitscotland.com · fifecoastandcountrysidetrust.co.uk