Maid of the Forth

Name: Maid of the Forth
Address: Hawes Pier, Newhalls Rd, Queensferry, South Queensferry, EH30 9TB, GB
Telephone: +44 (0)131 331 5000
Price range: From £10.50

South Queensferry

Courtesy of Maid of the Forth

ENTRY

from £10.50

WHERE

South Queensferry

What it’s like

Boat trips out from South Queensferry, under all three Forth Bridges and, if you pick the longer one, onto Inchcolm Island's ruined abbey.

The basic sightseeing cruise is an hour and a half, takes you under all three bridges, and gives you a proper look at them from the water rather than craning your neck from the shore. If you've got longer, the three hour Inchcolm trip lands you on the island itself, where there's a ruined abbey to poke around and enough space for the kids to properly explore. There's also a high speed RIB trip if you've got an older child who fancies something faster and wetter, and evening cruises with live folk or jazz for when you fancy leaving the kids at home instead.

Prices climb fast if you go for the fancier trips. The standard cruise is £18 for an adult and £10.50 for a child aged 5 to 15, but under-fives go free on both the sightseeing and Inchcolm trips, which is a decent saving if you've got a toddler in tow. The RIB is £35 for an adult and only takes children aged 8 and up, so it's not one for the whole crew. Worth knowing that Inchcolm Island charges its own admission on top of the boat fare, so factor that in before you commit to the longer trip.

On board there's a bar doing hot and cold drinks, and Inchcolm has a small visitor centre with a hot drinks machine, but the site itself suggests bringing a picnic, which tells you the food options are more of a backup than a plan. The pier is tidal, roughly 300 metres of it disappears at low tide, and getting onto Inchcolm involves a metal staircase or stone steps. There's a short ramp with handrails for those with mobility issues, and a free carer ticket per paying passenger, but it's not step-free.

Dogs are welcome free on the daytime trips, which is a nice touch if you're bringing the whole household including the four-legged one, though evening cruises are support dogs only. Parking's free at the seafront car park and a few other spots nearby, and if you're coming by train it's a twenty minute ride from Edinburgh Waverley to Dalmeny then a ten minute walk down to the pier.

Facilities

Accessible toilet

Baby change

Café

Dog friendly

Gift shop

Sensory friendly

Toilets

Need to know

Best for: School-age kids; under-fives go free but the RIB needs an 8-year-old
Parking: Free car park at seafront, free on-street parking up Hawes Brae, plus free parking at Forth Bridges View Point
Wheelchairs: Not wheelchair accessible on ramp, but can accommodate mobility issues with assistance
Dogs: Welcome on daytime trips free of charge
Getting there by bus or train: Train from Edinburgh Waverley to Dalmeny Station (20 mins, every 30 mins or less), then 10 min walk down to Hawes Pier

The pier is tidal, around 300 metres of it goes under at low tide, so timings shift the accessibility
Inchcolm Island access means a metal staircase or stone stairs, not a gentle stroll off the boat
Bring a picnic rather than counting on the onboard bar or the island's small visitor centre
Under-fives are free on the sightseeing and Inchcolm trips, but the RIB starts at age 8

Plan your visit

How much does it cost?

The standard sightseeing cruise is £18 for an adult and £10.50 for a child aged 5 to 15. The longer Inchcolm Island trip is £21 and £12, and under-fives go free on both.

Do we need to book?

There's a booking option on the site and given the range of trips on offer it's the sensible way to lock in a slot.

Is there parking?

Free parking at the seafront car park, plus free on-street spots up Hawes Brae and at a couple of other nearby spots.

Can we get there by train?

Yes, it's about 20 minutes from Edinburgh Waverley to Dalmeny Station, then a 10 minute walk down to Hawes Pier.

Is Inchcolm Island included in the boat price?

Admission to the island is charged on top of the cruise fare.

What about food?

There's a bar on board and a small visitor centre with hot drinks on Inchcolm, but they suggest bringing a picnic rather than relying on either.

Are dogs allowed?

Well behaved dogs go free on the daytime trips. Evening cruises are support dogs only.

Is it wheelchair accessible?

Not fully, there's a short ramp with handrails you'd need assistance on, and folding wheelchairs and walkers are allowed. A free carer ticket comes with each paying passenger's ticket.