North Queensferry is an ideal base for a visit to Scotland. Although only ten minutes from Edinburgh International Airport, 20 minutes from Edinburgh City and adjacent to the A90 for exploring Fife or heading north, it is a quiet, secluded village with a fascinating history of its own. The name of the village comes from Margaret, the English Queen of the Scots King Malcolm III (1031 – 1093) who founded a church in Dunfermline, five miles from North Queensferry, which became a place of pilgrimage. Dunfermline was the ancient capital of Scotland and is of course well known as the birthplace of philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. A visit to Dunfermline Abbey is recommended. The area of the River Forth at its most narrow became a natural crossing place for people moving between Edinburgh and Dunfermline. The ferry carrying this traffic became the Queen's Ferry and its landing points became known as North and South Ferry. 

The village is dominated by the outstanding Forth Rail Bridge, the worlds first major steel bridge and still to this day one of its most distinctive constructions. A massive and remarkably imposing cantilever structure, the Forth Bridge has a sculptural quality which dramatically changes mood. A weather front from the east will often provide a dark backdrop to a sunset from the west which can turn the cantilevers a glowing terracotta; the moon or the sun rising through the superstructure will give a scintillating contrast between the beauty of nature and the glories of engineering at its most creative.

North Queensferry is situated on the shores of the Forth and fishing was once essential to the economy. Many of the villagers have boats and fish for cod, mackerel and other fish and lay creels for crab and lobster. It is a delight to get out on the water and in particular a trip to the idyllic Inchcolm island should be a priority; there are regular trips during the season from the village pier or South Queensferry.

The village is a great place if you are interested in birdwatching. Peregrine falcons are regularly seen from the Shoreland Studio garden, as they hunt the pigeons roosting on the Forth Bridge. The studio garden is planted to encourage birds and is visited by goldfinches, blackcaps, treecreepers, bullfinches, linnets and siskins as well as the more common varieties of garden birds. A small wildlife pond is home to many frogs and, after dark, foxes, hedgehogs and bats have been seen. On the mud flats at the end of the garden, a variety of waders can be spotted. It is very pleasant to sit in the garden with a glass of wine and listen to their evocative calls as the tide goes out and the sun sets over the river.

The beginning of the Fife Coastal Path and the Carlingnose reserve is a two-minute walk from the studio from which an even wider range of birdlife can be seen, changing with the seasons and the weather; it is a good spot for watching the passage of migrant birds. For those interested in plant life, the reserve is an SSSI on account of its herb-rich calcareous grassland, a scarce and declining habitat in Fife, supporting some rare plant species.

From the village, a variety of day trips are available. In season, a local ferry will take you to the charming town of South Queensferry; alternatively it is a 5-minute drive by car or you can walk across the Forth Road bridge and take the bus or train back to North Queensferry.

Edinburgh is easily accessible by car, train or bus, as is Dunfermline, Perth, Pitlochry, Dundee and St Andrews. The charming, coastal “East Neuk” villages of North West Fife are highly recommended but best visited by car.