DUNFERMLINE Heritage Guides are preparing to celebrate the city’s 30th free New Year Heritage Walk.

A fixture in the civic calendar for three decades, the 2015 event will begin at 1.30pm on Friday 2nd January, when the guides will lead walkers on a one-hour conducted tour of Scotland’s other Royal Mile.

From the Mercat Cross in Dunfermline’s High Street, walkers will be led through parts of the ancient capital’s heritage quarter, which encompasses within its square mile 900 years of Scottish history, on a pilgrimage to the cottage birthplace of the US steel king whose strategic philanthropy saw him give away the world’s greatest fortune.

Carnegie’s rags to riches story is celebrated in the Moodie Street museum where – courtesy of the Carnegie Dunfermline Trustees – walkers will be served free seasonal refreshments with which to start 2015 by raising a toast to Dunfermline and Scotland.

Down the decades many expatriates returning home for the Hogmanay festivities have joined local relatives in ‘first-footing’ the New Year on the heritage walk.

“Everyone is welcome – especially visitors from abroad,” stressed organiser Jack Pryde, who will cut a commemorative cake with fellow guide Bert McEwan, the only other founder member of the guide corps still on active service 30 years on.

In advising walkers to wear footwear and clothing suitable for the time of year, Jack explained, “The walk will take place as advertised but if weather conditions are such as to deter walkers, the Birthplace Museum will be open from 2.15pm. Walkers on the tour can expect to arrive around 2.30pm.”