For many years Scotland's cities and towns have been twinning with like communities around the world, but now it is the turn of long distance walking routes.
Fife Coast and Countryside Trust (FCCT) has announced the twinning of the Fife Coastal Path with Skaneleden Coastal Trail in Sweden.
Stretching for 117 miles from the Forth Estuary in the south, to the Tay Estuary in the north, the Fife Coastal Path offers local residents and tourists the opportunity to explore what is claimed to be "the most visited outdoor region in the country." It boasts the history and cosmopolitan atmosphere of St. Andrews, to the fishing villages of the East Neuk and the 14 award winning beaches.
The Skåneleden Trail is seen as one of Swedens' best long distance footpath trails which stretches 620 miles through the countryside of Skåne, the country's southernmost province. It features coastal meadows, sea views, a two-hundred-year old lighthouse, the Falsterbo peninsula and the realm of the Viking. The peninsula is a springboard for over 500 million birds every Autumn.
With many connections already in place between the two coastal paths, including the presence of long-haired Highland cattle in Sweden to help maintain the heathland along the path, Fife Coast and Countryside Trust now hopes to "explore new cultures and foster the links between Fife and Sweden through the twinning."
Valerie Telfer, the trust's Business Support Manager, said: “We are delighted to have developed such a good relationship with the team in Sweden and look forward to welcoming Swedish visitors to Fife.
"The Fife Coastal Path is one of the most frequently visited sites we look after, and after seeing and hearing more about the Skaneleden Trail it is clear that, while there are many differences between the two, there are even more similarities."
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