Explore Scotland – what has changed? St Andrews Newsletter 2012 Twelve months have passed since we last communicated through our Start of Season Newsletters and much has changed.
We now have 11 Explore area Guides, covering the following areas:-
April 2012
Explore Scotland Ltd 01796 473335 Good luck to us all in the 2009 Tourist Season. In the year of The Homecoming
The newsletter • Gives you the latest Inverness tourist business news • Written by the businesses themselves
Inside this issue:
Aberdeen
Article
page
Explore Scotland
1
Explore Scotland What has Changed?
2
Ayrshire & Arran
Glasgow
Highland Perthshire
St Andrews Aquarium 3 Cairney Fruit Farm
3
The Cocoa Tree Cafe
4
Crail Harbour Gallery
4
Drumoig Golf Hotel
5
Cambo Gardens
5
Fisher Studio Gallery
6
The Scottish Shop
6
Inverness
Inverurie
Loch Lomond & Trossachs Oban and Mull
Watch this space!! Dumfries & Galloway to follow
Sea Eagle Adventures 7 Griselda Hill Pottery 7 The Jerdan Gallery
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Facebook to be ……
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Outer Hebrides
St Andrews & East Fife 1
Stirling & Falkirk
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St Andrews Tourism Newsletter 2012
Explore Scotland — Website has changed! to your www.Explore-St-Andrews.com web site? With e.mail bookings One accommodation provider told us her average stay was over 4 nights, when the area average was just under 2 nights. She attributed this to providing them our Explore Guides with the confirmation of booking. She also said “Quite often people do not realise how much there is to do and see here, and often wished they had allowed more time in their schedule.” What’s On section – you can add events to this section there is no charge.
Explore web sites.
New features on Explore area web We have just completed the comsites:plete overhaul of the Explore web sites, using the latest technology “Your Trip” planner – we believe is available to maximise the impact quite unique, it allows visitors to and ease of use for visitors. choose things they are interested New features on ExploreScotland.net:in and drop them into their basket. They can then e-mail this or print off and bring it with them when Click on the interactive map to see they visit. the summary information on each area. We know from accommodation providers, that if they can give their Transport section – includes the guests a link to the information on latest ‘Traffic Updates’ from Traffic the website – guests will often exScotland. tend their stay when they realise Also on the Transport section –the how much there is available to see latest Travel information Tweets and do in the area. Our new web from ‘Traffic Scotland’ ‘Travel Line’ sites have been designed to help and ‘Transport Scotland’ so you give visitors information in a user have one page you can check for friendly way to encourage them to all the traffic news. stay longer – so why not send a link
Daily News Sheet – this is designed for accommodation providers to print off each morning – they contain the weather forecast, news headlines, What’s On events for that day etc.
This is the Website to be ‘Seen On’ If you are interested in your business being included, please contact info@ExploreScotland.net Or phone 01796 473335
St Andrews Aquarium St Andrews Aquarium is Well Stocked visitor attraction. Keen to expand on their success as one of Fife’s top tourist for the Summer destinations, St Andrews Aquarium has St Andrews Aquarium in Fife has just invested heavily over the winter period completed a 3 month long refreshment in developing new displays and refreshof their aquatic displays which has reing older displays to ensure a quality sulted in several new fish and animalsbeing brought into this already popular experience for all visitors. 2
March/April 2012
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St Andrews Aquarium cont. The Goliath Bird Eating he can be successfully re-introduced to Spider and a Steely Blue live with the rest of his family. Legged Tarantula. For more information on St Andrews Andrew Whiston, displays Aquarium please visit manager at St Andrews Aquarium, commented www.standrewsaquarium.co.uk “This has been a labour of love over the last few months. Moving around displays of fish are a wee bit more challenging than land based animals, but we have got there in the end and visitors are loving the new adSt Andrews Aquarium has invested ditions to the Aquarium’s family.” heavily over the winter period in developing new displays and One of the most recent “St Andrews refreshing older displays to enadditions is Oliver sure a quality experience for all Aquarium in Fife Twist, an orphaned has just meerkat, who has capvisitors. tured the hearts of fans completed a 3 The new displays include Wolf across Fife and Tayside month long Eels, Mudskippers, Scotland’s since he rose to media largest display of seahorses, two refreshment of fame last month. Now baby African Spurred Tortoises their aquatic making regular outings (which can grow to as much as displays ” around the Aquarium to one foot wide), bearded dragmeet the public, the ons, a carpet python, scorpions team is current working hard to see if and two of the world’s biggest spiders:
Cairnie Fruit Farm and Mega Maze track, trampolines, crazy swings, giant sandbox, zip wires, ride on diggers, XL bouncing pillow and an ATV barrel ride. New for 2012 season the ‘Cairnie Cresta Run’ grass bob sleigh There is something here for everyone at run. to enjoy a fabulous day out in the fresh air and enjoy our beautiful great outdoors. Pick Your Own soft fruit at Come along and Cairnie Fruit Farm Great healthy fun for browse through our all the family as well as ensuring con- lovely spacious Farmsumption of several of your ‘Five a Day’! shop where you can our freshly Come and get lost in our 6 acre Mega find Maze, made of … maize! This year the picked fruit, taste and design will depict the Olympic Games to buy our award winreflect London 2012. The Mega Maze ning ‘Cam’s Jam’, be opens at the beginning of July usually in tempted by Cairnie’s takeaway home time for the school holidays, until the baking as well as a varied selection of end of October and then it is harvested home grown and locally sourced seaand fed to cattle ensuring environ- sonal veg from Fife. We also have a mental efficiency. As well as the Mega great selection of specialty fine foods Maze the kids can have a great time and a fun array of books, cards and playing in the Funyard in the straw bale gifts. . Finally choose from our popular climbing fortress, on the peddle go-cart family friendly menu in our lovely TeaCairnie Fruit Farm & Mega Maze opens for the 2012 season on Friday 30th March just in time for the school holidays and Easter celebrations. We are open 7 days a week from 10am to 5pm (changing to 9.30am to 5.30pm in peak times – July & August).
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room which offers wholesome healthy food. For more details go to www.cairniefruitfarm.co.uk Biz Logan Dairsie Manse Manse Road Fife KY15 4RS Tel: 01334 650562 Mobile: 07764970663 bizlogan@hotmail.com
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St Andrews Tourism Newsletter 2012
The Cocoa Tree Café & Pittenweem Chocolate Co.
The Cocoa Tree Cafe & Pittenweem Chocolate Company is a year-round haven in the heart of the picturesque, East Neuk fishing village. Our independent, artisan and family-run chocolatier sources fine speciality chocolates from Scotland, Belgium and around the world, including single origin chocolates from personally selected plantations. Owner, Sophie Latinis, is passionate about showcasing fair trade, responsibly grown and unusual, exqui-
site flavours. Sophie also ing home-made sweet treats, including recently launched her own chocolate scones and our signature bespoke chocolate range - chocolate cake. In summer sunshine, hand-made in Pittenweem - relax in our sheltered courtyard garden. including her exclusive se- On chilly days, enjoy the warming stove ries of single malt liqueur fire and subtle cinnamon aromas. chocolates, preWhether you're unwinding sented in attraca coastal walk, spend“bespoke after tive, wooden gift ing a day with friends or chocolate boxes. Beyond the escaping for 'time out', The range handchocolate bouCocoa Tree Cafe & Pittentique, discover our weem Chocolate Company made in cafe's inviting, con- Pittenweem” is an idyllic, all-season retinental ambience. treat on Scotland's beautiful Vintage charm and stylish east coast. Open 7 days. chocolat-inspired decor provide the Free WIFI. High Chairs, Baby Changing perfect backdrop for great coffee & Facilities - Child Friendly! Find us on conversation, a relaxed lunch, after- the High Street, Pittenweem, KY10 noon tea or one of our indulgent hot 2LA. We’re between the harbour and chocolates! We offer quality coffee the A917 coastal route. Tel: 01333 and speciality tea infusions, alongside 311495. Find out more about our cafe, our traditional 'a' l'ancienne' dark, chocolate shop, online shop and occawhite, hazelnut, dark soya and intense sional events - including theme dinners "Caliente" chilli chocolate drinks. You'll and chocolate workshops - at also find a delicious menu of soups, www.thecocoatreeshop.com or 'like' our gourmet panini, crepes and tempt- facebook page - The Cocoa Tree Cafe.
Crail Harbour Gallery and Tearoom Well not so much snow this year, which has helped our numbers in low season, and I can put the car chains away for another year ! The Crail Food Festival was a great success and brought in visitors from far and away that would not normally have come to Crail….and hopefully will be back ! We plan to run another food festival this year. Having been open 7 days for 10 months last year....we are looking at ways of keeping our business open through December, which should be a good month to trade for gifts and Hot Chocolates ! I am pleased to report that the new LED lighting system has proved and great investment, not only do the bulbs never get hot and seldom need replacing our reduced electricity bill is very welcome, given that energy prices only ever seem to go up ! Thanks to James for some very useful pointers on Facebook and Twitter, we
are planning to setup the business on these social networking sites….ever more important to keep connected in these challenging times ! We are looking at ways of getting soup onto our menu for the colder periods …. certainly is requested on a regular basis, our challenge is to find the space in our kitchen so that we can offer a few varieties….some clever DIY may be needed ! Above the Gallery we have a luxury cottage for rent (MayView), this has been We are also looking around for addi- restored with the same care as the Galtional local fish and shell fish suppliers, lery and accommodates up to two given our location and the increasing adults and one small child. Full inforwell known benefits of fish to the diet ! mation on MayView is at www.crailholidaycottages.co.uk I am also very please to advise that the Gallery/Tearoom is now listed in Peter Irvine’s Scotland the Best directory. 4
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St Andrews Tourism Newsletter 2012
The Drumoig Golf Hotel and Course still large enough to handle weddings and parties of up to 80 people. A fully equipped meeting room on the upper floor is also available for business activities. All areas are easily accessible for the disabled.
Conveniently situated between Dundee to the north and just 20 minutes from St Andrews the Drumoig Golf Hotel, now under new ownership, has been extensively re-furbished in the last 18 months. The hotel has 29 spacious rooms all en-suite which have been upgraded. The golf bar has been tastefully extended and is no longer part of the south-facing function room which is
able at the pay and play resort including the popular one night, two rounds offer in which golfers have the opportunity to play, stay and play again the following day.
For further details about the The golf course. opened in hotel and golf course con1996 has been dramatically “Drumoig Golf tact Alex Wilson, the sales Hotel, now and marketing director who improved, too, not least at the 18th. where the former is available on 07780 under new par 3 is being replaced by a ownership” 551372. Lynne Smith is the hotel manageress and inforchallenging dog-leg par 4 . mation regarding room bookThis will provide a grandstand finish to a green protected by water on ings and functions can be obtained two sides and overlooked by the hotel. from her on 01382 . or by accessing This alteration, along with a reshaped reception@drumoiggolfhotel.com. Fuller 12th. hole will stretch the course to over details on the hotel and golf course are 6450 yards. Built largely on sand the available on the website course is seldom closed during the winter. Several package deals are avail- www.drumoiggolfhotel.com
Cambo Gardens Horticultural highlights attract visitors the thousands of seeds planted by the Cambo gardeners are ready to be throughout the year. planted in whatever artistic spectacle Head Gardener, Elliott Forsyth, has created for the current year. Tubs of tulips also brighten up other corners of the gardens and house and Bloms create an additional magnificent display of hundreds of cut blooms.
also a prolific garden writer/journalist.
The gardens are also home to an often overlooked collection of historic roses and a magnificent collection of over 100 ramblers and climbers which scramble Now in its third year, the Tulip Festival through and over mature trees, decosponsored by suppliers Bloms Bulbs is rate pergolas, ropes and looking set to follow on the and bring a wonsuccess of the Snowdrop “Now in its third bridges derful scent to the garFestival at Cambo Gardens year, the Tulip den. near Kingsbarns. In former
Garden events, arts and environmental workshops, an Octoberfest and Christmas Fair also punctuate the year, creating opportunities for visitors both to the
years the annual beds and Festival sponsored Elliott will be holding two renowned potager beds had by suppliers Bloms workshops during the little, if nothing, to show in Bulbs is looking set summer, one an inlate April early May when the depth look at the key to follow on the rest of the garden was elements of designing a ablaze with spring bulbs and success of the small garden, including colour. Now, however, the Snowdrop Festival“ ideas on planning the thousands of bulbs supplied layout, advice on plant by Bloms Bulbs are planted selection and arrangement. His second in these areas, providing brilliant talk will be in the company of renowned splashes of colour and a stunning vari- garden/planting designer and horticultural consultant, Noel Kingsbury who is ety of tulips. As these go over, 5
During August and September his flamboyant ornamental potager flourishes, incorporating a bold new design each year, and Cambo’s new American Prairie is also at its height. Colour lingers in the garden until the end of the year when the maturing winter garden creates a link with the forthcoming snowdrops.
gardens and to accommodation in the local area.
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St Andrews Tourism Newsletter 2012
Fisher Studio & Gallery, High St Pittenweem
The Fisher Gallery is dedicated to showing a variety of original work by mainly Scottish artists and crafts persons. We exhibit both established artists and promising young graduates.
enabling us to “Regulars to the show l a r g e r Pittenweem Arts works by some Festival please of our regular note that the artists. The Exhidates of the bition will include new work Festival have by Anna Fisher, been moved James Fraser, forward one week George Gilbert, this year to July Bella Green, George Birrell, 28 – August 5”. Claudia Massie, Elaine Allison, Maralyn Reed-Wood and resident artist, week after the Festival until August 12, when we will close Fisher 2 and re-hang a condensed show in the usual gallery.
The season of exhibitions begins on 31 March with our Easter Exhibition showing paintings by Jan Fisher, James Fraser, Bella Green, Jean Hall and Claudia Massie. Also a wide range of pottery, studio glass, wood-work and enamelwork by mainly Scottish craft-workers, plus a large portfolio of limited edition prints of Fife landscapes by Anna & Jan Fisher. The exhibition will continue with a change of artists, until 25 July.
For more information about current exhibitions, please refer to our website www.fishergallery.co.uk or call 01333 312255. If you would like to receive invitations and news via email please get in touch at enquiry@fishergallery.co.uk
The Fisher Studio & Gallery is open 10The Fisher Gallery Festival Exhibition 5 every day (closed Tuesdays). Winter will again be housed in the usual gallery Jan Fisher. opening times will be posted on the and across the road at Fisher Gallery 2, The exhibition will continue for another website in September.
The Scottish Shop, South Street, St Andrews The Scottish Shop, located on South Street offers a wide collection of souvenirs, clothing and accessories, all with that essential Scottish flair. The family run business has been trading in St Andrews for 10 years and takes pride in its trained staff, who really know their products and are always happy to help.
very close working relationship with their supplier’s, The Scottish Shop can arrange to have your new kilt outfit made-to-measure, in your clan tartan. Please do not hesitate to ask for anything you are looking for.
A range of kilts, sporrans and sashes The business also has 2 are available in stock, and thanks to a shops in Pitlochry, which means that if you cannot find what you are looking for, it is worthwhile asking, as there is a strong possibility that the perfect item is nearby and can be brought to St Andrews within days or posted directly to you.
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“A range of kilts, sporrans and sashes are available in stock,”
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St Andrews Tourism Newsletter 2012
Sea Eagle Adventures Sea Eagle Adventures are delighted to the gently sloping east of the isbe up and running (or sailing!!) with fast side boat trips out of Anstruther harbour for land. Most of the trips the 2012 summer season. The boat, are non-landing, howSea Eagle, is a 22 foot Rigid Inflatable ever on around 4 days that is already in use during March as- each month, special landing trips sisting Scottish Natural Heriare planned tage with their return to the “Sea Eagle visiIsland of May National Na- Adventures will when tors will ture Reserve, where the SNH be running have a Staff take up residence from April until October each small group fast guided tour boat trips (by Skipper year. Sea Eagle Adventures Neil) of this will be running small group around the historic and fast boat trips around the island ”. fascinating island. Please island for up to six passencheck the website for dates gers at a time, between April and September, starting Easter Sun- and times. Early booking is recommended!! day. These exhilarating 90 minute trips will travel at speed across the 5 miles to the island then cruise at leisure alongside the spectacular cliffs and around
struther, times are varied and can include early evening departures, returning to the harbour into the sunset...... For further details see www.seaeagleadventures.co.uk All trips are weather permitting, though we do provide waterproof suits and of Tel. 07873 269780. course lifejackets. The trips will be departing daily from the RNLI pier at An-
The Griselda Hill ‘Wemyss’ Pottery News for 2012 Griselda Hill Pottery Ltd. This exciting view into the history of Scotland’s most famous and historic Pottery runs from 17th March until 13th May. Griselda and her staff have provided items of pottery, tools, historic pieces from the Ceres Visitor Centre and images to help create this colourful new exhibition . Curated by postgraduate Museum and Gallery Studies students at the University of St Andrews, the exhibition also features beautiful Wemyss Ware® from the collections of Fife Council Museums. Painters from the Ceres ‘Wemyss’® Pottery will be doing a demonstration at the Museum on 7th April from 1pm until 3.30pm. ‘Wemyss Ware’ Exhibition in St Andrews The exhibition’s website is at The Pottery launches into the new sea- http://www-ah.st-andrews.ac.uk/ son in style, with the start of an exciting events/WemyssandOtherWares/ exhibition at the St Andrews Museum in Welcome.html Kinburn Park, St Andrews, entitled ‘Wemyss ® and Other Wares’. This exhibition focuses on the famous We- Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee myss Ware® and other 19th century Kirkcaldy potteries, and how Wemyss Ware® has been revived by the 7
“The Pottery launches into the new season in style, with the start of an exciting exhibition at the St Andrews Museum in Kinburn Park, St Andrews”,
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St Andrews Tourism Newsletter 2012
The Jerdan Gallery Notwithstanding, we have a wonderful series of exhibitions featuring James Harrigan in spring, George Birrell and Tom Allan in May/June, John Bathgate and Illona Morrice in June/July, Muriel Barclay in August and Philip Raskin in the autumn. They are all fabulous artists and “This is our last viewing is highly recommended!
full year in
June will also be the 10th anniversary of the opening of the gallery business as we and we are having a special pre- plan to retire at view on 22 June when the fabuthe end of lous Rich Young will be providing October”. musical entertainment. For those who love our sculpture garden there is an opportunity to see our full garden when we open it once again as part of Crail Small Gardens on 21st and 22nd July.
FaceBook to be bigger than Google! All the pundits, indeed Google itself acknowledges that FaceBook will, in the long term be more important than Google. Google tried to buy FaceBook, having failed, launched Google+, their FaceBook equivalent. Any business not on FaceBook is loosing out! FaceBook does not cost anything, other than a small amount of time and organisation each day. If you want to get started on FaceBook we have a sheet we can e-mail you, taking you through the basic steps to get you started. So what is FaceBook – for those not involved?
How many of you have read the newspaper horror stories (remember newspapers have a vested interested in FaceBook not working, as their sales continue to drop). I say ‘A long time ago there was a thing you bought called a newspaper. The paper was full of stories some you were interested in some you were not. Depending on which paper you bought the stories were skewed to the left or to the right. Well today we have FaceBook, you choose what you are interested in and ‘Like’ that business, football team, your local butcher etc. So when they write something on their FaceBook Wall it comes to you, no one twisting the story. You choose what you are interested in and FaceBook
does the rest. Your customers will be interested in your business too. FaceBook is an easy affordable way of keeping them up to date. Explore FaceBook – keep up to date with your area news. We now have FaceBook and Twitter and are actively communicating and promoting your area of Scotland. So please join us and lets work together and tell as many people as possible what a great area it is.
http://www.facebook.com/ExploreStA ndrews
“Note for 2013! I must remember to submit an entry for the 2013 Newsletter! This is free advertising, getting the message to all local businesses, at the start of the new season”. This space could have been yours!!! 8