Welcome to the Kingdom of Fife & St Andrews by Kingfisher Visitor Guides

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DISCOVER THE KINGDOM ON THE FIFE 191 ROUTE

Come on a journey and explore this wonderful region of Scotland.

Along the way you’ll find picture-postcard villages, Scotland’s newest city, magnificent castles and landmarks, beautiful countryside, a spectacular coastline, wonderful wildlife, worldfamous golf courses, delicious food and drink, great places to stay, friendly locals and much much more.

Start your journey here www.fife191.com

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Welcome, visitor!

Welcome to the Kingdom of Fife and St Andrews – and may we congratulate you on your choice of destination! This stunning region is the essence of lowland Scotland, featuring fascinating villages, historic sites with ancient stories to tell, rolling hills and barley fields, small villages and wellmanicured golf courses, plus a glorious coastline.

The Kingdom of Fife needs no introduction when it comes to the game of golf. This area holds a unique position in the annals of the game with St Andrews, the Old Course and the Royal and Ancient clubhouse at its symbolic heart.

St Andrews is also a place of history, learning and culture, a wonderful coastal resort, and the home of world golf, not to

mention its Royal connection as the meeting place of the future king, Prince William and his now-wife Katherine.

For the adventurer inside you, Fife’s way-marked coastal path runs for 117 miles from the Forth Estuary in the south to the Tay Estuary in the north. Tackle it as a longdistance challenge or choose a smaller chunk to explore. Alternatively head for Fife’s highest point – the Lomond Hills.

Over in the west of the region and steeped in history, Dunfermline is well worth a visit. Home of the spectacular palace and abbey and the Andrew Carnegie Birthplace Museum, it’s a must for any culture vulture.

So please enjoy yourselves in our wonderful region, soak it all in, and come back and visit us again soon! ■

The Cathedral of St Andrew was built in 1158 and fell into disuse and ruin after Catholic mass was outlawed during the 16thcentury Scottish Reformation

Scotland – the home of the modern whisky experience

From peaty and smoky, to fruity, floral, and tropical flavours, Scotland’s rich whisky landscape ensures there is a whisky for every flavour preference, just waiting to be discovered. Whether you are just starting out on your whisky journey, or are a lifelong fan seeking rare releases and exceptional experiences, this guide showcases some of the best distilleries in Scotland to enjoy.

Discover Scotland’s leading distilleries, unique experiences, top whiskies, and expert tips at malts.com

Glenkinchie Distillery

Nestled in stunning East Lothian countryside, just 40 minutes from Edinburgh and an hour from Glasgow, Glenkinchie offers the perfect escape for those looking for an easily accessible whisky experience while visiting Scotland’s largest cities.

Recently recognised as one of the top 10% of things to do worldwide by Tripadvisor, guests can enjoy both the signature Flavour Journey tour and premium tastings for a deeper exploration. Glenkinchie’s Lowland Bar offers visitors a great range of locally sourced Scottish cuisine, limited edition whiskies, delicious cocktails, as well as a wide selection of alcohol free options, including mocktails for drivers. GlenkinchieDistillery.com

Royal Lochnagar Distillery

Set near Balmoral Castle in Royal Deeside, Royal

Lochnagar Distillery boasts a royal heritage, having been named by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1848. Known for its iconic pagoda roof, the distillery offers visitors the chance to learn about its rich history and production methods through various tours and tastings. Guests can enjoy cocktails and food at the Bothy Bar, with exclusive bottlings available at the retail area.

royallochnagardistillery.com

The Singleton of Glen Ord Distillery

The Singleton of Glen Ord Distillery, situated along the famous North Coast 500 route near Inverness, is an essential addition to any Highland itinerary.

Named Scotland’s Leading Distillery Tour 2024 at the prestigious World Travel Awards, guests can choose from a wide selection of experiences which celebrate the luxurious liquid, exquisite flavours, and captivating history, plus regular live music from local talent.

singletondistillery.com

Blair Athol Distillery

Located in Pitlochry, Blair Athol Distillery, known for its historic single malt, dates back to 1798. Blending tradition with modern charm, this distillery is a favourite stop at the gateway to the Scottish Highlands. With 225 years of history, Blair Athol offers immersive tours that guide guests through the whiskymaking process from grain to glass. blairatholdistillery.com

Fife and St Andrews offers an abundance of things to do with days out and top attractions for the whole family to enjoy

Great days out

Fife is full of fabulous attractions and activities throughout the year, whether you want to get stuck into a challenging hike or take in some historic sights. At the heart of this fascinating county is vibrant and cosmopolitan St Andrews, home to an ancient university, medieval ruins, golden sands and, of course, some of the best golf courses the world has to offer.

This is an area that’s rich in history and culture and there are plenty of chances to dig deeper. Explore ancient castles and charming villages, go deep underground at wartime bunkers and get acquainted with the region’s maritime past. There’s no chance of being bored.

The closest church to the shore in the country lies next to Fife Coastal Path

If you see the brown tourist signs for Scotland’s Secret Bunker, it is exactly that. Built in the early 1950s, during the Cold War, under a seemingly innocuous farmhouse at Troywood near St Andrews, this was the command centre to be used in the event of a nuclear attack. The scale of the bunker is incredible, with the command centre, dormitories, a broadcasting studio and a chapel. Open to the public from February 1st until October 31st, Scotland’s Secret Bunker provides an insight into the fear of the time.

If it’s the delights of the famous East Neuk of Fife and its landmarks you want to get to know, don’t miss St Monans’ beautiful ‘Auld Kirk’. Said to be the closest church to the shore

The Fife Coastal Path is a long distance footpath that runs from Kincardine to Newburgh

in the country – and one of the most visited –it lies next to Fife Coastal Path.

Crail is a village steeped in history with a beautiful harbour that’s a must-see on any visit. Local boats land shellfish, including lobster, which can be bought fresh at the pier, and there are several small shops, including the family-run Crail Pottery, where you can pick up something special to take home.

Make sure to visit Crail Museum & Heritage Centre to learn more about the history of the village through a number of fascinating exhibitions – but do check opening times before visiting.

Pittenweem is another charming fishing village. Stroll streets sloping to the harbour or browse around galleries and shops. The name Pittenweem means ‘place of the cave’, and St Fillan’s cave, once a refuge for a saint and later a smugglers hideaway, is now a recognised place of worship. If you feel peckish after all that walking, treat yourself to one of the area’s best-kept secrets – a Pittenweem fish supper.

If you’re an Outlander fan, head to the perfectly preserved burgh of Culross, which was transformed into the 18th-century village of Cranesmuir for the hit TV series, while Falkland has made many appearances as 1940s Inverness.

Fife has a wonderful array of palaces,

castles and great houses to visit, many of which have wonderfully planted grounds. Kellie Castle, which dates to the 14th-century, has acres of woodland walks, an Arts & Crafts garden and an adventure playground.

Other fabulous Fife castles include Aberdour Castle (another Outlander location) and majestic Falkland Palace. Lochleven Castle is an atmospheric ruin on a small island in Loch Leven, where Mary, Queen of Scots was held prisoner from 1567-8. It’s currently closed for essential maintenance works, but you can still admire it from afar.

Take time to explore North Queensferry, which younger visitors may recognise as the home of CBeebies favourites, Molly & Mack It’s particularly famous for the Harbour Light Tower, a fascinating piece of maritime history. The world’s smallest working light tower, it was built in 1817 by Robert Stevenson, a relative of Robert Louis Stevenson, as part of the Queensferry Passage across the River Forth. It was carefully restored to full working order after being out of use for 120 years.

Under the mighty Forth Bridge, there’s underwater fun to be had at Deep Sea World, Scotland’s National Aquarium. Come face to face with the most exotic creatures from the deep and take the opportunity to dive with sharks! l

Crail is a coastal village steeped in history

Escape to Fife on Scotland’s stunning east coast and discover a diverse region full of character and charm. Whether you’re looking for a relaxing break in one of the picturesque fishing villages, a holiday to discover fascinating history, or a fun family theatre break in Scotland’s newest city, Fife has it all.

Land yacht on a beach, quad bike through a forest, walk the stunning Fife Coastal Path, tee-off at one of the region’s 50 golf courses, explore an ancient capital, enjoy wonderful local food and drink or rest and unwind at a seaside sauna, luxury spa or eco-retreat; Fife is full of new adventures.

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Anstruther Pleasure Cruises operate the May Princess, licensed by Scottish Natural Heritage to land passengers at the Isle of May. We can carry 100 passengers and sail almost every day from the beginning of April to the end of September.

The Island is a national nature reserve with over 200,000 sea birds at the height of the season, (including the largest puffin colony on the East Coast), wildlife, historic buildings and lighthouses. Facilities on the boat include a snack bar, toilets, upper viewing deck and saloon. The trip includes around 2½ to 3 hours on the Island.

Boat departs from the Middle Pier, Shore Street, Anstruther KY10 3AB 07957 585 200 info@isleofmayferry.com

www.anstrutherpleasurecruises.co.uk

There’s more marine fun at St Andrews Aquarium, home to penguins, seals, octopus and crocodiles – as well as marmosets, giant spiders and frogs. It’s located on The Scores, looking out to sea, and puts on both indoor and outdoor activities, including some hilarious feeding times.

If your kids are mini transport enthusiasts then check out the Scottish Vintage Bus Museum, near Dunfermline. It houses more than 100 vehicles in various stages of restoration on a 49-acre site at Lathalmond.

Leisure facilities

If the kids still aren’t satisfied, head to Elie Holiday Park’s Robinson Crusoe Adventure Playground where they can really let loose and run wild. Located close to the Fife Coastal Path at Shell Bay, thousands of child castaways have enjoyed reliving the Robinson Crusoe story in this corner of Fife.

It’s impossible to come to Fife and ignore golf. The courses around St Andrews are legendary, and people flock here from around the world, clubs in hand. If it’s not your thing, there are plenty of other outdoor pursuits to get stuck into, from archery to shooting to fishing.

It’s easy to play a round or two in St Andrews, thanks to an impressive seven

courses, all administered by St Andrews Links Trust. The Old Course is the most iconic in the world, so called because golf was first played here more than 600 years ago.

In addition, there are the New, Jubilee and Eden links courses to keep you on your toes. Strathtyrum is less demanding but a delight to play as the summer shadows start to lengthen, while the Castle course is a scenic wonder thanks to dramatic views over St Andrews.

If you’re a beginner or you’re taking the kids, the best bet is the nine-hole Balgove, though it’s still challenging enough for casual players.

For the ultimate golfing break, you could stay at the Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort and Spa, a high-end hideaway that sits alongside the famous Old Course and is managed by the Links Trust.

In all, Fife has more than 40 courses, both links and parkland to choose from. Cupar, some 10 miles inland from St Andrews, is said to be the oldest continuous nine-hole club in the world, while Crail’s Tom Morrisdesigned Balcomie Links is also rich in history and is complemented by the newer Craighead course. Morris also created Kirkcaldy Golf Club’s challenging parkland course at Balwearie.

Saline Golf Club is a nine-hole course l

Robinson Crusoe Adventure Park at Elie Holiday Park

with stunning views over to the Forth Bridges, rolling hills of the Lothians, Stirling and the Ochil Hills. Built on a true links site set along the Firth of Forth, Dumbarnie Links has quickly become a must-play since opening in 2020.

Designed and developed by Clive Clark, the course provides a world-class, prestigious links golf experience with a modern twist. Anstruther’s golf course boasts what has been described as the toughest par three in the UK, ‘The Rockies’ at the 5th.

To try the game as our forefathers enjoyed it, book a tee time at Kingarrock Hickory Golf Course in the grounds of Hill of Tarvit Mansion House, near Cupar. You’ll be issued with hickory clubs, a golf bag, balls and tees, representing the early 20th-century golfing experience.

Even if you don’t want to play golf, you should learn about the game that makes St Andrews famous the world over. Head to R&A World Golf Museum across the road from the 18th hole of the Old Course and you’ll discover the history of the sport from medieval times to the present.

In addition to the obvious golfing delights, Fife is fabulous if you’re into country sports. Cluny Activities in Kirkcaldy is the place to go for clay-pigeon shooting, Segways, shooting,

Try a game at Kingarrock Hickory Golf Course in the grounds of Hill of Tarvit Mansion House

golf and footgolf. Craigluscar Activities, near Dunfermline, offers rifle shooting, archery, mini-Highland games and hovercrafting. Craigie Farm at Leuchars, meanwhile, is home to the Scottish Clay Shooting Centre, a great place to spend a morning or afternoon.

For anglers, Lomond Hills Fishery, near Glenrothes, and Goldenloch, near Newburgh, are open to the public, while St Andrews Angling Club offers day permits for angling at Cameron Reservoir, close to St Andrews. If you have your own 4x4 vehicle, The Scottish Off-Road Driving Centre at Strathmiglo will let you test your driving skills on their challenging course.

Walking is one of the best ways to explore St Andrews, and there are several tours and trails providing unique views of this historic town. Find out about St Andrews’ other-worldly residents on the St Andrews Ghost Tour, l

Kingarrock Hickory Golf Course

With just-caught seafood; freshly-picked vegetables; organic beef, lamb and pork; juicy berries; award-winning cheeses; indulgent sweet treats; whisky and gin distilled from barley grown in neighbouring fields; beers and ales crafted in tiny artisan breweries.

Harbourside huts cooking lobsters to order, steaks barbecued to perfection in a barn, five-star restaurants showcasing Fife produce with a Michelin twist.

It’s no wonder Fife’s one of Scotland’s most exciting foodie destinations!

SUMMER

FACILITIES INCLUDE:

The Cairnwell Chairlift will run from May to September/October (weather permitting) and has hooks for mountain bikes. You can ride down the mountain on the land rover track.

Please note this is not a beginners ride. FACILITIES

Opening times are 8.30am – 5pm (7 days a week during

go on a foodie walking tour with Eat Walk St Andrews or find out more about days gone by signing up for a history tour.

To make the most of St Andrews’ beautiful natural setting, pack a picnic, enjoy one of the traditional beach kiosks and cafés and take a stroll along the sand. During the summer months, St Andrews Beach Wheelchairs’ ensures the West Sands is accessible to all.

Horticultural paradise

Rather immerse yourself in greenery? St Andrews Botanic Garden offers 18.5 acres of green space in the heart of the town, while Craigtoun Country Park, on the outskirts of the town, is a wide, open space where children can really let off steam, including having fun at the adventure playground.

Along the coast from St Andrews, Cambo Gardens is a horticultural paradise of flowers, plants and woodlands, along with a stunning beach and the magical Lost Elf Village play area.

Tentsmuir National Nature Reserve and the adjoining Eden Estuary Local Nature Reserve are a haven for wildlife, with waymarked paths and cycle routes for you to explore. Excavations of the western area of Tentsmuir Reserve revealed that people lived

here more than 8,000 years ago, making this one of the oldest occupied sites in the whole of Scotland.

If you head west along the A91 from St Andrews, through Cupar, you’ll arrive at The Scottish Deer Centre. Here, you’ll find 12 species of deer, Scottish wildcats, otters and animals that once roamed Scotland, including lynx and European wild bears.

The May Isle, as it’s known locally, lies only five miles off the Fife coast, close to Pittenweem, and lays claim to having Scotland’s oldest bird observatory. Get on board an Anstruther Pleasure Cruise and set sail on the May Princess (from May to September) to enjoy the spectacular scenery and wildlife from the sea with onboard commentary.

Aberdour is the Fife base for Dun Eideann Sea Kayaking. Paddle along the Fife coastline and take in the islands and wildlife of the River Forth from a different perspective. There are several full or half-day options, with instruction.

There is something for everyone in this beautiful part of the world, whether you want to delve into Scottish history, hit stunning walking trails or try a round of golf at one of the world’s best (and most beautiful) courses. ■

The May Princess, The May Isle

DON’T MISS

Our top things to see and do when visiting this picturesque region

1

Ancient monuments

Fife has palaces, castles, mansion houses, abbeys and a cathedral, all with fascinating histories. Within those walls life may be peaceful now, but in years gone by, some have witnessed dark deeds and evil plots. Many, like the palace in the picturesque village of Culross, the clifftop Wemyss Castle near Kirkcaldy and Cambo House in the beautiful East Neuk of Fife, have stunning grounds.

Spot the Wildlife k

Fife is an excellent place to watch wildlife. Its forestry plantations and coastal and inland waters attract some of our rarer native birds and overseas visitors. You can see puffins and gannets on the islands in the Firth of Forth. Seals are a common sight there and around the coast, and you might see dolphins in St Andrews Bay or the Firth of Tay. Tentsmuir National Nature Reserve has the

full spectrum of coastal habitats from constantly moving sand at the edge of the sea to the colourful dune heathland.

Parks & gardens

St Andrews Botanic Garden offers 18.5 acres of green space in the heart of the town, while Craigtoun Country Park, on the outskirts of the town, is a wide, open space where children can really let off steam, including having

fun at the adventure playground. In Dunfermline, Pittencrieff Park covers 76 acres and offers recreational facilities for children’s play, greenhouses and woodland walks.

4 Islands of the Forth I Inchcolm Island, with its historic abbey, is described as ‘The Iona of the East’. A boat trip under the iconic Forth Rail Bridge will take you there. Watch out for the seals basking on the rocks!

Fife Coastal Path I

Fife’s way-marked coastal path runs for 117 miles from the Forth Estuary in the south to the Tay Estuary in the north. Tackle it as a long-distance challenge or choose a smaller chunk to explore. Alternatively head for the Lomond Hills, Fife’s highest point and an extinct volcano.

Festival fever

Fife offers a fantastic feast of festivals throughout the year. From the Fife Jazz Festival to the StAnza poetry festival in St Andrews; from food to historical re-enactments, there are always events happening throughout the year. If you’re a foodie, you will absolutely love the Crail Food Festival bringing together local and regional exhibitors, chefs and musicians in a celebration of

Fife’s finest food and drink. One of Fife’s oldest festivals, the Pittenweem Arts Festival brings together a mixture of local and invited artists and attracts around 20,000 visitors each year.

TV & film locations

Fife’s historic harbours and architecture make it a dream location for film and TV. The West Sands beach in St Andrews was made famous in the

Oscar-winning 1981 film Chariots of Fire and featured in the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics when Rowan Atkinson hilariously reprised the scene. In recent years, scenes from Outlander have been filmed in beautifully preserved villages in the region such as Falkland.

The Home of golf

It’s easy to play a round or two in St Andrews, thanks to an impressive seven courses, all administered by St Andrews Links Trust. The Old Course is the most iconic in the world, so called because golf was first played here over 600 years ago.

well as comedy and music, modern arts centres showcasing superb visual art, and live music in bars and hotels.

Shopping haven

Fife’s way-marked coastal path runs for 117 miles from the Forth Estuary in the south to the Tay Estuary in the north

Be entertained

Live entertainment is flourishing in Fife with historic theatres offering touring productions as

Whether you want to rummage around charity shops for a vintage outfit, pick up some arts and crafts or grab a bargain in a big-name chain, Fife is a shopper’s paradise. Towns and villages have independent shops offering quality items while studios and workshops offer everything from acclaimed designer knitwear to pottery. ■

SHOPPING

Shopaholics will love Fife and St Andrews for its eclectic mix of boho-chic boutiques, high-street staples and quirky independents

Artists, food specialists, an enviable sporting legacy and an abundance of craftspeople make shopping in Fife and St Andrews both fun and fruitful. You’ll find an abundance of imaginative independent shops, from the bigger towns to the coastal villages, so it’s easy to find a quirky gift souvenir to take home.

If it’s the big brands you’re craving, you can get your high street fix in Kirkcaldy, Glenrothes and Dunfermline.

If you are in the market for an edible souvenir, don’t just go for the first thing you see that’s covered in tartan. If it’s a genuine

Doughnut lovers should try Fisher & Donaldson’s bakery

taste of the area you’re after, there are plenty of foodie goodies on offer, from local whiskies to delicious chocolate and cheeses.

If you want to browse a range of delicious products in one setting, make for one of the region’s fantastic markets. Kirkcaldy High Street becomes a bustling marketplace with delicious hot and cold food for sale every Friday when Artisan Fridays Market comes to town. Every second Saturday is Leven Artisan Market, with crafts, homewares, gifts, treats and speciality food and drink set up between Leven High Street and the promenade.

Fife Farmers’ Markets are held most weekends, with St Andrews Farmers’ Market held on the first Saturday of every month, Dalgety Bay Farmers’ Market on the second Saturday of the month and Cupar Farmers’ Market held on the third Saturday in the month. All run from 9am to 1pm. Even if you’re not in town, it’s worth a drive, as the local producers’ stalls give a literal flavour of the whole area in one place, along with stalls selling artisan crafts and gifts. A top tip is to get there early and have breakfast grazing from the stalls.

A quaint cottage overlooking the golf course at Kingsbarns is the home of Darnley’s Gin Distillery, Scottish Gin Distillery of the Year 2020. Producing small-batch Darnley’s London Dry Gin, Spiced Gin and Navy Strength Spiced Gin (extra juniper and extra punch), this distillery offers visitors the chance to go to gin school! Learn how to choose the botanicals that give gin its distinctive taste, take charge of a copper still and bottle, and label your own gin creation.

If you’re self-catering, you’ll find a brilliant destination on the outskirts of Falkland. The Pillars of Hercules Organic Farm Shop & Café is a haven for the organic foodie. Come here to source organic fruit and veg, wholefoods, free-range eggs, gluten-free foods, vegetarian products, freshly baked bread, eco-friendly toiletries and cleaning products, beer and wine.

For an indulgent treat, make your way to Cupar. There are Fisher & Donaldson bakeries in other towns, but this is the headquarters –for lovers of their indulgent fudge doughnut, it’s a place of patisserie pilgrimage. The traditional service and interior are the perfect backdrop to lush cream cakes, sponges, biscuits, fresh bread and rolls and hot pastry treats. If that’s not enough of a calorie hit for you, they also do a nice line in hand-made Belgian chocolates.

For a taste of the land, visit Cairnie Fruit Farm, by Cupar, where it’s possible to pick your own seasonal produce. Depending on the time of year, you can pick your own berries, fruit or even pumpkins. Afterwards, try to negotiate the tricky maze – and reward yourself for finding the way out by stopping off at Cairnie Café for some home baking.

Over at Luvians Bottle Shop in Cupar’s Bonnygate, the owners have an encyclopaedic knowledge of the fine wines, malt whiskies and spirits they sell, along with their awardwinning ice cream and a mouthwatering choice of deli goodies. There’s also a Luvians Bottle Shop in St Andrews, which sells wines, whiskies and other spirits, with ice cream

available at Luvians Ice Cream Parlour.

Talking of ice cream, it would be a crime to go to St Andrews without visiting Jannettas Gelateria, a traditional ice cream shop with café. You might have to queue for a while, but it’s worth it. People usually take some time to choose from the wide range of traditional and not-so-traditional flavours. How about marmalade? Or Scottish tablet? Or perhaps an Irn Bru sorbet?

Enjoy your choice while browsing the independent shops along South Street. St Andrews has chocolatiers, bakeries and excellent delis, including the excellent Mitchell’s, which specialises in Scottish produce and works with more than a dozen local suppliers.

On the outskirts of St Andrews, buy awardwinning, hand-made, fruit and herb vinegars at The Little Herb Farm. Who knew that vinegar could be so versatile, or so sweet?

Also a short drive from the town is St Andrews Farmhouse Cheese Company, based at Falsies Farm. The farmer’s wife, l

L Cairnie Fruit Farm, Cupar j Fisher & Donaldson, Cupar

Jane Stewart, is an expert cheesemaker, using unpasteurised milk from her husband’s herd of Holstein Friesians to make awardwinning cheeses. Take home some ‘Anster’ cheese from the cheese counter, which is open from Monday to Friday between 10am and 2pm, selling cheese, chutney, oatcakes and local honey.

Balgove Larder has become a hub for top-notch, locally reared, grown, stalked, caught, handmade, and prepared foods, just outside St Andrews. With so many irresistible products to choose from at Balgove, you will undoubtedly leave this place with bags full of tasty treats and local delights. They also have a café and offer butchery masterclasses and night markets.

Ardross Farm Shop, near Elie, promotes the best of Scottish agriculture. Here, you can buy beef traditionally reared on Ardross Farm, fresh vegetables picked that day, freerange eggs, rare-breed bacon and local pork, venison, organic lamb and mutton, wild game, free-range chickens and British wines and beers, among other artisan goods.

Crail is renowned for its freshly caught seafood, but it also has an excellent traditional, family-run butcher – JB Penman. Further along the High Street, you’ll find Green’s Greengrocers and GH Barnett

Bakery. There’s no need for supermarket shopping in Crail!

Bowhouse, near St Monans, celebrates Fife’s fabulous fresh produce with regular market weekends, where local growers, producers, makers and street food vendors sell their wares.

When it comes to buying a souvenir, food can’t always be taken home. Thankfully, Fife and St Andrews have a tempting choice of independent galleries and studios, one-off boutiques and even chain stores, should you feel the need for mainstream shopping.

Ceres is the location of Griselda Hill’s Wemyss Ware pottery. Situated on Kirk Brae, Griselda and her team make and hand paint beautiful, unique and highly collectable Scottish pottery. This four-star visitor attraction has a shop and visitor centre where you can watch work in progress on the famous pottery.

Distinctive pottery can be found throughout Fife, including Culross Pottery & Gallery, a working pottery and gallery located in a 17th-century granary in the heart of the village; St Andrews Pottery, which also offers pottery classes; and Crail Pottery. Based around an idyllic courtyard, Crail Pottery is a family business that offers a wide range of stoneware, including small items if you’re l

Topping & Company Booksellers, St Andrews

travelling far and larger pieces, such as earthenware planters, for those who don’t need to worry about flying home!

For eye-catching homeware, gifts and furniture with an exotic twist, Thai Teak stocks hand-crafted masterpieces from Thailand. Located on a farm near Dairsie, it also has a coffee shop where you can try some home baking, soup or the authentic Thai dish of the day.

Lindores Abbey Distillery offers distillery tours as well as a lovely gift shop. Look out for Lindores Abbey Distillery Aqua Vitae, inspired by the spirit made by the monks who lived here more than 500 years ago. Or how about a hand-crafted wooden quaich to drink the monks’ ancient tipple from?

Cupar, once the county town of Fife, has a growing number of independent gift and craft outlets, and there are several traditional independent shops in the town’s historic Crossgate and Bonnygate. Maisie & Mac on St Catherine Street offers a mix of quirky gifts and contemporary art and crafts, with work from more than 70 artists.

From galleries to confectioners and boutiques to bookshops, there’s little that you can’t get your hands on in St Andrews. The main shopping thoroughfare is Market Street, but it’s an easy stroll to South Street and North

Street, as well as the characterful connecting streets that make this such a magnet for tourists. Many shopkeepers have stories of the day that Prince William popped in or the then Kate Middleton browsed there.

If you’re a booklover you can pass a few happy hours in Topping & Company. Stretching well back off the road, it has a huge selection of Scottish and international literature, as well as notebooks, postcards and literary gifts. If you still can’t get enough, drop in for one of their regular author events.

Looking for that unusual gift? Check out Bonkers Gift Shop, which has been solving Fifers’ present problems since 1983. For a special treat, pay a visit to Kartel Scotland on Church Street. You can have a watch designed to your specifications from Kartel’s simply designed watch faces and straps.

And, for a real slice of town history, make for J&G Innes and its historic storefront on the corner of Church and South Streets. Founded in 1879 by brothers John and George, it’s a treasure trove of gifts and books, stationery and art materials.

You might well have come here to play golf; in which case you can go that extra mile and kit yourself out with all the necessary golf equipment. Auchterlonies of St Andrews is the place to go for all kinds of golfing gear, l

Maisie & Mac,

St Catherine Street

AJW Jewellers will help with your jewellery and watch requirements giving you the best advice.

From helping you choose that special gift to looking after your jewellery and watches when they need repaired. All under guarantee. We offer other services, engraving, pearl restringing and many more.

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NUMBER FIVE

features leading Jewellery Designers & Goldsmiths

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The leading Contemporary Jewellers in Scotland

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Number Five offers a broad and diverse range designers / makers using materials from silver to platinum, stainless steel, titanium, acrylic

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Number Five, 56 Bonnygate, Cupar, Fife, KY15 4LD Tel / Fax 01334 657784 www.clairedonald.com

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as well as clubs and accessories, while The Hickory Golf Shop, formerly known as St Andrews Golf Company, has been making clubs since 1881.

In the market for some cosy winter clothing? Di Gilpin’s Scottish hand-knitting design studio near Pittenweem is at the cutting edge of hand-knitting. At her studio, Di creates highly sought-after yarns, makes beautiful one-off pieces and designs knitting patterns. Di’s studio is open by appointment, although she also holds workshops and has occasional open days. Her yarns and knitting books are available worldwide, and, in Fife, can be found at J&G Innes in St Andrews.

Cashmere is the star of the show at Cashmere at Lochleven – look out for upmarket clothes and sweaters at very reasonable prices, as well as cheaper knitted goods. If you’re into pre-loved gear, take a trip back to a different era at Vintage Quine in Falkland. You’ll find a whole host of vintage fashion and accessories, including a range of outfits inspired by Claire from Outlander’s 1940s look. The Secret Door in Dunfermline sells collectables, antiques and curios, while West Vintage in St Andrews has a great selection of 80s and 90s casualwear – pop along and pick up something new but old!

For large shopping centres and

chain stores, Kirkcaldy, Glenrothes and Dunfermline the place to go. St Andrews has the main supermarkets and some chain clothes shops, but the mega malls are in the bigger towns.

The Mercat Shopping Centre is Kirkcaldy’s principal shopping mall, featuring shops including Peacocks, Boots and TK Maxx. There’s also Fife Central Retail Park, just outside of town, with stores including Next and Argos and fast-food outlets KFC and McDonalds.

In Dunfermline you’ll meet all your chain shopping needs along the pedestrianised High Street and in Kingsgate shopping centre, where you’ll find River Island, Marks & Spencer, Mountain Warehouse and New Look, among other brands. It’s a pretty town to wander around, with historic buildings popping up at regular intervals.

In Glenrothes, it’s the Kingdom Shopping Centre that pulls in the punters, thanks to a wide range of shops including Trespass, JD Sports, Superdrug and WH Smith.

Shopping in Fife & St Andrews is all about independents. So, make sure you bring some sturdy shoes and plenty of shopping bags. After a day out pounding the pavements, you’re sure to end your day laden down with brilliant food, gifts and craftware. ■

Market Street, St Andrews

EATING OUT

This region is a foodie’s paradise with a host of fantastic restaurants, cafés and pubs –so make sure you bring a healthy appetite

With its long tradition of fishing, Fife prizes its fresh and locally sourced food – and so will you. Join the high rollers in St Andrews and dine on lobster and game in fine dining style. Or head along the coast and find an unpretentious café where you can grab a takeaway and eat with your toes in the sand.

If the weather’s too chilly, you could hunker down in an ancient country pub and soak up centuries

of atmosphere. When it comes to eating out, this bountiful region is the gift that keeps on giving. St Andrews has long been a magnet for wealthy international travellers, and it has a dining scene to match.

You can find cuisine from around the world here as well as plenty of upscale choices. Rather relax on the beach with some simple fish and chips? You can do that too.

The Road Hole Restaurant is a

favourite fine dining choice. It has three AA Rosettes for its approach to modern Scottish cuisine, while its sister bar offers more than 300 whiskies – a dram offering the perfect end to the day.

For rooftop dining with suitably stunning views over the Old Course, head to 18 at the Rusacks Hotel. The dining room is all understated, wood-panelled elegance and the menu, designed by head chef Derek

Jigger Inn at the Old Course Hotel

Johnstone, a previous winner of MasterChef: The Professionals showcases beautiful European food made from the best of local, seasonal ingredients.

With 2018 MasterChef: The Professionals finalist, Dean Banks, at the helm, Haar Restaurant on Golf Place is one of the UK’s top sustainable restaurants and works closely with local suppliers to provide unforgettable meals in a beautiful, relaxed environment.

The Seafood Ristorante is a unique glass restaurant is located over the beach at St Andrews Bay and sits just behind the worldfamous Royal and Ancient Golf Club. As you dine on spectacular, locally sourced cuisine, savour the truly incredible North Sea coastline which stretches out to the breathtaking West Sands Beach and beyond.

Top-notch restaurants

The luxurious Fairmont St Andrews offers an eclectic selection of topnotch restaurants. Channel the Mediterranean at La Cucina, or dig into on excellent steaks and seafood, accompanied by views along the coast, at St Andrews Bar & Grill. There’s also a taste of the high life with the Fairmont Afternoon Tea, served with or without champagne, at the elegant Atrium Lounge.

Elsewhere, Hatch on South Street is a stylish new restaurant with an emphasis on modern, seasonal food and clean flavours – the regularly changing menu includes treats such as miso aubergine with pomegranate, crayfish with creme fraiche and dill or Atlantic sole with shrimps and burnt butter.

Hams Hame Pub & Grill celebrates the best of fresh, local ingredients, and has much more of a bar atmosphere, where a great steak or burger can be enjoyed with one of Scotland’s many excellent craft beers.

Few people will visit the Old Course Hotel without taking a seat in the atmospheric Jigger Inn, a step back in time to what was the station master’s house. Bring a hearty appetite – you’ll need it to enjoy the large portions of fish and chips and

burgers. Take time to savour a pint of Jigger Ale, an exclusively brewed Scottish beer, which is only available at the Jigger Inn and The American Club Resort in Wisconsin, USA.

If you want to immerse yourself in bunker culture, other options include the Ardgowan Hotel’s Playfair’s Restaurant, which serves locally sourced Scottish food, perfect after round of golf or wandering the streets of St Andrews. There’s also the Dunvegan Hotel, whose comfortable lounge bar and restaurant have welcomed many of the world’s top golfers over the years.

Haar Restaurant on Golf Place is one of the UK’s top sustainable restaurants

Whether you’re musing over a scorecard or not Forgan’s is an incredibly stylish bistro on Market Street, set in a former golf club factory. It comes complete with cosy bothies in which to relax and enjoy local artisan produce.

The Adamson on South Street is as famous for its delicious cocktails as its menu, which has plenty to offer for vegetarians. There’s also an excellent kids’ menu and an impressive cocktail list.

As you’ll see from the menu, the only thing the Vic St Andrews on St Mary’s Place takes seriously is the quality of the food and drink.

The atmosphere is laid way back, making it a favourite of students and younger residents, but everyone is welcome. Try the hidden roof garden on a sunny day or settle in for a relaxed weekend brunch. l

Haar Restaurant, Golf Place

cricket matches on the beach with a cold drink in the summer.

The Toft, Elie and Earlsferry, Leven KY9 1DT T. 01333 330246 | E. info@shipinn.scot W. www.shipinn.scot

Rogue is considered one of St Andrews’ hidden gems, showcasing the best sustainable Scottish seafood and dry-aged beef within an intimate and elegant setting. Whether it’s champagne and oysters or burgers and beers you fancy, you’ll find them here.

Based in the heart of St Andrews, Zest is a social enterprise offering employment and training. Enjoy some of the best speciality coffee the area has to offer along with soups, bagels and cakes.

The East Sands is a great place for an appetite-whetting walk – and, once you’re suitably hungry, you’ve got the perfect excuse for a snack stop at The Cheesy Toast Shack, which offers a range of gourmet toasted sandwiches, including their legendary mac and cheese toastie.

If you want something super casual, St Andrews has a great choice of traditional fish and chip shops, including Cromars on Union Street, voted the best fish and chip shop in Scotland in 2016 and 2018.

Tailend has much more than just haddock or cod on the menu. Local lobsters, halibut, hake and salmon make regular appearances, and they even do a gluten-free batter. For more exotic dishes, head to Market Street, where you’ll find the popular Indian restaurant Jahangir.

St Andrews may be Fife’s big tourist draw but it doesn’t have the monopoly on good food. You’ll find delicious things to eat wherever you go, whether you want to get glammed up for some fine dining or keep things low-key at a simple café.

Meat lovers should head to Steak Barn at The Balgove Larder Farm Shop, just outside St Andrews. From Wednesday to Sunday, from midday to 9pm, a hot, smouldering barbecue takes care of steaks hung for at least 28 days, as well as sausages and burgers, all made on site. There are no reservations taken, so just turn up – with an appetite!

Not far from St Andrews is The Peat Inn, a Michelin-starred

restaurant with rooms. Chef proprietor Geoffrey Smeddle, along with wife Katherine, has created one of Scotland’s prime foodie destinations, but still maintains a nice and relaxed atmosphere, showing that fine dining doesn’t have to be stuffy.

Located just two miles from beautiful Tentsmuir Beach, The Rhynd Café used to be a grain store, but now serves locally sourced, home-made food every weekend. Head chef Kenny Gray’s sausage rolls are always popular, and it’s worth trying the cakes and scones, which are served all day. It’s a great place to stop off after a walk on the beach. It welcomes cyclists and dogs and has an enticing logburning stove.

One location close to St Andrews has been hailed as one of the best places in Scotland to enjoy a meal with a view. The Braes Bar & Restaurant at St Andrews Holiday Park, which is open to the public, is one of just 15 locations with a l

The Peat Inn, Cupar

view in Scotland to be recognised by Tennent’s. Perched on the hillside at Kinkell, Braes’ customers can relax with a pint al fresco on the sun terrace and enjoy some of the best views of St Andrews, East Sands and beyond.

Head south from St Andrews and you’ll get to East Neuk’s picturesque fishing villages, including Anstruther, where you can pick up a mean fish and chips thanks to the much-loved Wee Chippy and the multi-award-winning Anstruther Fish Bar. You’ll also find The Cellar, a petite fine dining restaurant with a tasting menu offering innovative dishes made from local ingredients.

The Dreel Tavern is a truly traditional coastal inn, dating from the 1540s. Dine on simple fish dishes, as well as burgers and vegetarian meals, or eat local with an East Neuk Sharing Board.

For another true East Neuk experience, look out for a small brown hut at atmospheric Crail Harbour. Open during the summer months, Reilly Shellfish is neither a restaurant nor a café, but a place that cooks freshly caught lobster and crab just metres from where it was landed by local fishermen. Bring the rest of the ingredients from a local deli for a picnic and sit on the harbour wall or at one of the nearby picnic benches.

You wouldn’t expect a fine

The Courtyard in Cupar serves up a variety of tasty dishes

beach with a cold drink in summer. When a village has a connection to one of literature’s most famous characters, it should let visitors know! The Crusoe in Lower Largo celebrates the fact that this is the birthplace of Alexander Selkirk, the man who inspired Daniel Defoe to write Robinson Crusoe. It’s a contemporary seaside nook to eat and unwind with views across the water. Enjoy cosy nautical interiors and amazing local produce, with lobster, crab and mackerel being picked up from the pier just 20 steps away.

Outlander fans are fond of Falkland – a charming village where parts of the series were filmed. The Bruce Inn dates to the 15th century, and it’s still easy to imagine horses being tied up outside, opposite the Palace. The menu is simple and accessible, with great choices for the meat-free. Also in Falkland, the dog-friendly The Stag Inn on Mill Wynd offers home-made food and a great choice of drinks, either in the atmospheric pub or outside in the lovely garden.

Tasty dishes

dining gem to be hiding in the pretty village of St Monans, but Craig Millar @ 16 West End offers exactly that. The two AA Rosette restaurant has an unassuming exterior, but inside, it reflects its harbour surroundings, with large windows offering panoramic views of the Firth of Forth.

Also on the harbour, the East Pier Smokehouse has a relaxed atmosphere, and offers locally caught seafood, including specialities such as Cullen skink, crab cakes and smoked langoustines. Alternatively, enjoy a cold beer on the pier at one of the Smokehouse’s outdoor tables.

Further along the coast and proudly overlooking Elie beach, the view as you dine at The Ship Inn is hard to beat. Here you can enjoy seasonal and local produce in front of the open fire in winter or watch the iconic cricketers play on the

A firm favourite with both locals and visitors alike, The Courtyard, in Cupar, serves up a variety of tasty dishes. Enjoy seafood, game, vegan specials and more in this small restaurant, or dine al fresco in the attractive courtyard. Thanks to chef/proprietor Hermann Schmid, you can also sample a few Bavarian dishes (and beers).

A short drive from the centre of Dunfermline is the village of Carnock, where the 16th-century Carnock Inn has become a destination restaurant. It’s a proper traditional inn with simple but excellent food and, they claim, the best steak pie in the area! Another pub offering good food is the Red Lion Inn in Culross, which has a great choice of vegetarian dishes. Newport-On-Tay, the last stop in Fife before the Tay Bridge and the city of Dundee, is fast becoming a foodie hub. Colourful local café Kitschnbake has won plenty of awards over the past few years for its imaginative savoury and sweet

The Courtyard, Cupar

dishes. Their giant scones are legendary, with flavours ranging from tomato and basil to blackberry and chocolate, and they do afternoon tea boxes to take away.

The Newport Restaurant is the creation of MasterChef: The Professionals winner Jamie Scott and it specialises in tasting menus. It was voted Scottish Restaurant of the Year in the 2018-19 Hospitality Awards, and as well as outstanding food, it offers breathtaking views across the River Tay.

The View Restaurant is another excellent eatery in Newport and shares a similar outlook across the water to Dundee. Husband and wife Steve and Karen Robertson use seasonal ingredients from local artisan suppliers to create tasty modern Scottish dishes.

Food festivals are an important part of the Fife calendar, particularly in Crail, where June’s Crail Food Festival showcases fresh seafood and produce from across the area. But it’s not just food that

Fifers like to celebrate.

Come to Cupar’s Fife Whisky Festival in March and you can sample the wares of over 30 distilleries and independent bottlers from across Scotland. Not to be missed if you love a dram!

If you prefer eating in to eating out, Fife Farmers’ Market is held on Saturdays, moving between St Andrews, Cupar and Dalgety Bay. You’ll find fresh local fruit, vegetables, meat, poultry, game, seafood, cheese and much, much more from some of Scotland’s finest producers. Take a large shopping bag – you’ll need it!

As well as traditional and contemporary Scottish food, Fife offers a wide choice of world cuisines, particularly in the larger towns. Many have been run by generations of the same family, with recipes handed down, and loyal customers making regular return visits.

A Kirkcaldy favourite is Pane E Vino on the high street. It has the

feel of an authentic trattoria, right down to the colourful tablecloths and great value. Apart from pasta and pizza, the menu includes many other Italian specialities. Just make sure you leave room for gelato!

Kirkcaldy’s high street can take you on a trip to Nepal and India at Annapurna Gurkhas Restaurant or the Amritsar Tandoori Restaurant, both of which offer a selection of excellent vegetarian dishes.

In the ancient capital of Dunfermline, you’ll find Dhoom Indian Streatery, a restaurant specialising in Indian street food eats and fabulous cocktails. Locals also swear by Lee Garden on Hospital Street. Unpretentious and friendly, it serves up hearty portions that don’t compromise on quality.

If you’re looking for a gourmet break you can’t go far wrong in Fife. You can eat like royalty at the finest of restaurants or enjoy excellent local produce at a picnic by the sea. Whatever you choose you won’t be disappointed! ■

The Ship Inn, Elie

Only here for the weekend? Fear not! Here are some ideas for a memorable short break

WEEKENDER

DAY ONE

From the breathtaking golf links to the medieval harbour, or the castle to the cathedral, attractions in St Andrews are never more than a 20-minute walk away due to its compact size.

Blow away the cobwebs on your first morning with a bracing walk (or run if you’re feeling particularly energetic) on West Sands beach. If golf is more your thing, then you’re in luck as St Andrews offers several courses to choose from.

Those not so keen on spending four hours on the golf links can browse around the shops. From rare books to jewellery, St Andrews has lots to offer. Or you could try one of the spas at the Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa beside the Old Course, or at the clifftop Fairmont which also boasts two of its own golf courses.

St Andrew’s historic castle, projecting into St Andrews Bay, has some of the most important siegeworks anywhere in Europe and its bottle dungeon is a grim reminder of its sometimes-bloody history.

Today, however, it is a tranquil place to walk around and the views from its grounds are spectacular. Another peaceful place to sit and reflect is the university’s St Salvator’s Chapel on North Street which has stunning stained glass windows.

If all that sightseeing has made you hungry, you could sample fine cuisine at The Seafood Ristorante or head to Little Italy which serves delicious pasta in an intimate atmosphere. If you still have room, make a stop at Jannettas Gelateria for a sweet treat.

DAY TWO

Head out into the wider region of Fife on your second day. You can’t stay in the East Neuk of Fife without visiting the fishing villages that line the coast. A short drive or bus trip from St Andrews lies Crail. Its attractions include shops, a harbour, art galleries, a pottery and a museum. Anstruther is another village worth visiting, complete with a harbour and the famous

Anstruther Fish Bar.

Over to the west, The Lomond Hills Regional Park is one of Fife’s most prominent landmarks, offering 25 square miles of beautiful moorland, lochs and farmland for avid adventurers or day trippers.

Dunfermline

Alternatively, take a trip to Dunfermline, home of the spectacular palace and abbey, the Andrew Carnegie Birthplace Museum and Pittencrieff Park to name a few of the attractions on

Crail’s attractions include shops, a harbour, art galleries, a pottery and a museum

offer. For savvy shoppers, Kingsgate is Dunfermline’s main shopping centre where you’ll find a good selection of stores and restaurants. Wrap up your evening in Dunfermline with a meal at one of its many independent restaurants followed by a nightcap at a traditional Scottish pub. ■

Linger a while at Crail’s beautiful Harbour

Culture vultures assemble! This region offers the perfect mix of galleries, museums, exhibitions and festivals

Culture Club

It’s easy to understand why so many artists have been inspired by this region’s coastal villages and historic towns, not just for their beauty but for the quality of the surrounding light. And you can see some of their work in the fantastic galleries, museums and contemporary spaces that call this region home. If it’s live entertainment that gets you going, catch plays, dance and both classical and contemporary music at the area’s theatres, concert halls and festivals.

Across this creative region you’ll find galleries to browse,

studios to visit and a host of events throughout the year. Museums more your thing? There’s no shortage of opportunities to learn about this region’s diverse past.

The multi-award-winning Dunfermline Carnegie Library & Galleries took the honour of the Best Building in Scotland award 2017. With a permanent collection over two floors, three temporary exhibition galleries, a café, a shop, a children’s library and a local history reading room, it’s a brilliant place to learn more about Fife. Also in Dunfermline, the Fire Station

Creative is an arts collective housed in the town’s former Fire and Rescue Service building, with 20 studios let out to painters, graphic designers, jewellers, illustrators, textile designers, upholsterers, printmakers and photographers. You can check out their work at Open Studio Weekends every June and November, and there are always interesting exhibitions on the go. The stylish café is a bonus, staying open late on Friday and Saturday evenings and offering live music, sharing platters, cocktails and mocktails.

The Scottish Chamber Orchestra can often be seen at St Andrews’ Younger Hall

Kirkcaldy Galleries is a museum and gallery space that acts as Kirkcaldy’s cultural hub, and includes more than 6,000 objects, photographs and archives relating to the linoleum industry, dating from its 1840s beginnings to the present day. First opened in 1925, and given a £2.5 million refurbishment in 2013, it also puts on a range of art exhibitions, including a nationally important collection of works by William Taggart, SJ Peploe and Jack Vettriano.

The Pittenweem Arts Festival has grown from its initial 30 local artists to well over 100 artists, from the village and beyond. Over eight days at the beginning of August, they exhibit in studios, galleries, village halls and even private homes, garages and sheds.

Every May, Fife-based artists, designers, jewellery makers and photographers open the doors of their homes and studios for Open Studios North Fife. This annual event offers a fantastic opportunity to speak with artists, explore their workplaces and browse through their work.

Over in Newport-on-Tay, Tatha Gallery specialises in 20th-century and new British art, making it a destination for collectors of the best contemporary artists. If you’re into street art, make sure to visit

Glenrothes, one of Scotland’s 20thcentury ‘New Towns’.

Its carefully planned landscape features more than 170 unique works of public art, sculptures and murals. Look out for giant irises, a family of hippos and Rexie the dinosaur, who had to be reconstructed after he was demolished by a car.

Over in St Andrews, a hugely popular statue is of Hamish McHamish, a cat that had an owner but lived a largely nomadic life on South Street in St Andrews, being fed, watered and housed by various townspeople and businesses. So great was his fame that Hamish McHamish even had a book written about him.

The Andrew Carnegie Birthplace Museum, winner of the 2019 Family Friendly Museum award, offers a fascinating insight into 19thcentury life in Dunfermline, and the journey that he took from bobbin boy to former world’s wealthiest man and ardent philanthropist. His philanthropy lives on with free admission to his birthplace.

After soaking up the tranquillity of St Andrews Cathedral grounds, head into the fascinating museum, which provides a window into this sacred building’s past.

Just along the cliffs, on The Scores, you’ll find Wardlaw Museum, which reopened

in summer 2021 after major redevelopment. Inside is a fabulous selection of artefacts, and there’s also a viewing gallery to admire the beauty of St Andrews Bay.

For the story of the town itself, head over to the St Andrews Museum, within the grounds of Kinburn Park. If time is tight, focus on the St Andrews A-Z, housed in the downstairs gallery, which provides a fantastic overview of the town’s history.

You shouldn’t leave St Andrews without at least a quick spin around the R&A World Golf Museum. For golf fanatics, it could take the same time as a full round (factor in some bunker action), but the range of artefacts on show will fascinate anyone with an interest in social history. It includes the oldestknown set of golf clubs in the world, the first Open Championship Gold Medal and casts of the hands and grips of golfing legends.

If you want to learn more about the area’s fishing heritage, get down to the Scottish Fisheries Museum in Anstruther, where there are regular visiting exhibitions, often tied in with the social history of other ports.

Inland at Ceres, the Fife Folk Museum is set within the original burgh tolbooth and a row of former weavers’ cottages. Open from April until the end of October, it provides a vivid picture of life in rural Fife through the ages, through collections of agricultural and craft tools, costumes, toys, games, domestic equipment, clothing and paintings.

It’s not just artists who are attracted to this beautiful corner of the world. If you want to catch a world-class classical concert, take in a thought-provoking play or attend readings by famous poets you can do so here. And there’s a colourful calendar of festivals to keep you entertained too.

Fife has always been a haven for musicians. Barbara Dickson starred her career in the folk clubs of Dunfermline in the 1960s, while Auchtermuchty gave us that unique music duo, The Proclaimers. Nazareth, The Skids and Big l

Dunfermline Carnegie Library & Galleries

Country all hail from Dunfermline, while singer-songwriter KT Tunstall is a St Andrews girl.

Younger Hall, where generations of St Andrews’ students have graduated, is a leading venue for classical concerts, often featuring the University’s Orchestra in Residence, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. The building is also home to the St Andrews Music Centre, which holds lunchtime concerts and jazz nights by visiting and local professionals during university term times.

Come October, singers are celebrated in all forms at St Andrews Voices. From acappella to opera, venues throughout the town are filled with voices of all ranges and tones.

If you’re a theatre buff there’s plenty to choose from in Fife and St Andrews, including Dunfermline’s Alhambra Theatre and Carnegie Hall, the Adam Smith Theatre in Kirkcaldy (currently undergoing refurbishment), the Lochgelly Centre in Lochgelly and Rothes Halls in Glenrothes. As well as plays and pantomimes, they offer music, dance, comedy and children’s shows.

The Byre Theatre in St Andrews was saved from closure following an agreement to hand over its operations to the town’s university. This has been a tremendous

success, with The Byre now offering a wide cinema programme, exhibitions, talks and lectures, as well as theatrical presentations. If you like your drama to take place outdoors, you’re in luck! You’ll find historical re-enactments held in ancient castles, abbeys and Dunfermline’s 76-acre Pittencrieff Park, which is also known as the Glen.

Scotland’s two top crime writers, Ian Rankin and Val McDermid, both hail from Fife, as did the late Iain Banks. Every March, St Andrews hosts StAnza, Scotland’s poetry festival. Some of the world’s best poets gather in the town from across the globe to showcase their work. Expect poetry recitals, workshops and music events inspired by the grandeur of the festival’s surroundings.

Fife has seen an explosion of festivals over the past few years, including Anstruther Harbour Festival, a weekend of food, craft and music each June; and the East Neuk Festival in July, which brings music, films, exhibitions, art and literature to the many beautiful fishing villages along the Fife coast.

If you’re looking for a fun festival for all the family, head to the pretty seaside village of Elie in spring for the annual Elie Scarecrow Festival. If it’s street events you’re after, St Andrews is the place to be.

In April there’s the Kate Kennedy Procession, a colourful spectacle in honour of Lady Katherine Kennedy, the legendary niece of Bishop Kennedy, who founded the university’s St Salvator’s College. It includes historical figures of note, including past rectors, such as JM Barrie and John Cleese. The identity of the student playing Kate is kept secret until the end.

Students at St Andrews are busy types, also running Scotland’s largest student-run arts festival every April. Called On The Rocks, it offers visual arts, including photography, film, theatre, dance, fashion, music and comedy. If you’re in St Andrews in August you could also visit the Lammas Market, one of Europe’s oldest surviving street fairs.

Entertainment in Kirkcaldy stretches back a long way. The Links Market, which takes place over six days every April, is thought to date from the beginning of the 14th century. It’s Europe’s longest fair, stretching along the seafront –Kirkcaldy being known as the ‘lang toun’, of course.

The beautiful Cambo Gardens near Kingsbarns celebrates the link between natural surroundings and culture. Events take place throughout the year, including Cambo Estate Snowdrop Festival, which runs through January and into March, and features over 350 different species of snowdrop.

Ever fancied watching people race up and down with coal on their backs? Head to Kelty and you can. The men who made a living in the Fife mines are celebrated each August at the Scottish Coal Carrying Championships. It’s one of only two coal races in the world, with male participants carrying a 50kg bag of coal, ladies carrying a 25kg bag of coal, and children racing to the finish line with a 15kg bag of coal.

Creativity runs deep in Fife and St Andrews so it’s easy to get your art and culture fix. In fact, there are so many galleries, museums, theatres and festivals to visit, that if you tried to see them all you’d be here all year! ■

StAnza, Scotland’s Poetry Festival

The night-time economy in Fife & St Andrews is thriving, packed with clubs, pubs, bars and live music venues

After dark

Fifers have always worked hard and played hard, and they welcome all those who’d like to join them. Live music – especially folk nights – are a real highlight, but there’s plenty going on besides. You can go out dancing until the early hours, take things easy at a quiet pub or sip cocktails alongside bright young things at a chic bar.

Then there are the boisterous student nights, lively sporting events and highbrow festivals… in short, there’s always something going on here after dark.

If you love to stay out late, there’s

plenty to keep you going in Fife and St Andrews. This area has a thriving live music scene, and venues put on everything from local folk nights to hardcore rock. Dancing more your thing? You can throw some shapes at late night bars and clubs across the region.

From the stirrings of traditional dance music played by Jimmy Shand and his Band from Auchtermuchty to the heavy rock of Dunfermline’s Nazareth and the modern-day lyrical music of King Creosote, music has always been a huge part of Fife. Artists such as Barbara Dickson and

Rab Noakes, who worked alongside Gerry Rafferty and Billy Connolly, began in the folk clubs of Fife, and all genres of music are still celebrated.

There are still thriving folk clubs across the area, including in Dunfermline and Crail, all welcoming talented players and singers, or those who just want to listen. In fact, between the Firths of Forth and Tay, and all around the East Neuk, there are live music venues for listening, dancing or maybe a bit of both. Head to venues such as O’Connell’s Bar & Diner in Kirkcaldy, The Stag Inn in Falkland and The Forester’s Arms in Aberdour.

In Dunfermline, PJ Molloy & Sons has live music six nights a week, as well as karaoke and open-mic events. PJ Molloys works hard to launch new bands on the music scene and has been rewarded with a place on the touring circuit of hot new acts, heritage bands and some of the country’s best tribute acts. It’s also a regular venue for members of two of Dunfermline’s most successful and long-lasting bands, The Skids and Big Country.

With such a large population of students, it’s perhaps no surprise that St Andrews has an impressive live music offering. Aikman’s Bar-Bistro brings in bands from around the area, who offer the regular crowd something to get up out of their seats for. If you prefer a seat, there’s occasional live music at one of St Andrews’ favourite eating places, Forgan’s, which also hosts very popular ceilidhs.

One of the most respected live music venues in Scotland can be found at The Green Hotel in the pretty, small town of Kinross. Local music expert David Mundell brings

The Criterion, St Andrews

some of the best legacy acts in blues, rock and Americana to Backstage @ Green, a venue festooned with the memorabilia that Mundell has collected over decades.

In the town of Leven, Truth nightclub has established itself as one of the area’s best live music venues and dance clubs, with huge club nights, DJs and gigs on Fridays and Saturdays. They even put on regular live wrestling events!

If you want to move seamlessly from drinking to dancing, head to Vic St Andrews, where the Vic Social Club keep the decks moving as the DJ keeps the dancefloor heaving, and tipples are served in jam jars and teacups.

As darkness falls, The Rule transforms from a family-friendly pub to a hip-and-happening nightclub with a contagious party atmosphere. On Friday and Saturday nights the party keeps going until 2am.

To keep things traditional (and low key), head to The Criterion, a small family-run Scottish pub in the heart of St Andrews serving a wide range of locally sourced food and drink, including cask ale, whisky, Scottish gins and the famous Cri Pies.

For true beer lovers, there are few better places than St Andrews Brewing Co. It serves a huge range of bottled craft beers from across Scotland and the globe and has an impressive 18 beers and ciders on tap. There’s also a wide selection of gin and malt whisky as well as hearty pub food to soak it all up.

To sip cocktails in plush surroundings, the bar at St Andrews’ Hotel du Vin is an excellent choice. There’s also a world-class wine list, a selection of tempting bar snacks, and you can even accessorise with a cigar.

If you feel the need to go clubbing in Dunfermline, 1703 on Bruce Street is a hotel, grill, café bar and beer hall. It’s also an excellent live music venue on Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons. For more clubbing action, head to Kirkgate and the stylish Life, which has four bars and two dance floors. The party here goes on until 4am.

For a night out with a difference,

head to the Creepy Wee Pub, also on Kirkgate. As well as Hallowe’eninspired décor, this lively spot puts on regular open-mic nights, student events and even invites the occasional psychic.

Over in Kirkcaldy, Society offers good food, live music, a resident DJ and club nights. In addition, on balmy summer evenings, their beer garden is the perfect place to enjoy an ice-cold cocktail or two.

If you love nothing more than a festival or live event, you’ll be spoilt for choice in Fife and St Andrews. You can party on to tribute acts at a late summer festival, listen to talks by literary luminaries and even watch professional hockey or stockcar racing. For something more sedate, there are plenty of places to catch a film.

Festivals

In September, Silverburn Park in Leven rocks to the sound of local musicians, alongside many of the UK’s greatest tribute acts, imitating everyone from The Killers to Fleetwood Mac. Who needs the real thing when you can fake it with the best? The East Neuk Festival prides itself on offering superb art, literature and music in some of the most intimate and beautiful venues in Fife. The idea is that the venue is a huge part of the enjoyment at any event. Whatever you’re watching you can be sure that it won’t have been seen anywhere else – these are events created specifically for this festival.

The Outwith Festival takes place in and around Dunfermline over six days in September and features all kinds of intriguing performers. You can take in spoken word acts, listen to music from up-and-coming bands, watch thought-provoking cinema and laugh yourself silly at live comedy shows. This relatively new festival is growing in size and reputation every year.

This place is a hive of creativity and theatres and concert halls across the area put on innovative plays, music, comedy and dance productions throughout the year. Try The Byre Theatre in St Andrews, the Alhambra Theatre and the Carnegie Hall in

Dunfermline, the Adam Smith Theatre in Kirkcaldy (currently under refurbishment), the Rothes Halls in Glenrothes and the Lochgelly Centre. Look out for productions in hotels and pubs too – you’ll uncover all sorts of intriguing gems.

If catching the latest blockbuster or an independent film is your ideal night out, there’s no shortage of cinemas in Fife. The Odeon at Fife Leisure Park in Dunfermline has 10 screens and the Lochgelly Centre has a cinema, while The Byre Theatre in St Andrews also puts on film screenings. Kirkcaldy’s Adam Smith Theatre operates as a cinema when there are no live performances scheduled – check the listings for new, classic and arthouse films.

There are great independent cinemas, too, such as The Kino Cinemas in Glenrothes and Leven, and the New Picture House in St Andrews. These offer a more intimate experience, with all the latest digital technology.

If you prefer to chill in a different way, the UK’s oldest professional ice-hockey team, Fife Flyers, is based at Fife Ice Arena in Kirkcaldy. Join a crowd of enthusiastic local supporters at one of their home games. Regular fixtures take place in the evenings from September to April.

Other sporting events include some evening games at football clubs, including Dunfermline Athletic FC, Raith Rovers in Kirkcaldy, and Cowdenbeath FC. For faster action, Knockhill Racing Circuit at Dunfermline has occasional evening meetings, as well as track nights for cars and bikes.

At Cowdenbeath Racewall, there are stock-car races most Saturday evenings from March to October, with a number of two-day speed weekends throughout the year, while Lochgelly Raceway hosts motorracing events throughout the year, with stock cars, bangers and hot-rod events from March to November.

Whether you choose to spend your evening sinking cocktails at a chic bar or soaking up some live music, the welcome will always be warm from the friendly Fifers. ■

Although Fife & St Andrews has more than enough to keep you busy, a journey further afield can make for an exciting new adventure

Time to explore

Once you have arrived in Fife, you may want to spend all of your time getting to know the Kingdom better, which is hardly surprising, given the number of things to see and do.

However, one of the reasons the area is such a popular place to visit is its accessibility, within easy reach of central Scotland, Highland Perthshire and the Angus glens. Rail and bus links to towns and cities like Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Stirling, Perth and Aberdeen, mean you can leave the car behind and relax.

Heading north, you’ll cross either the Tay Rail Bridge or the Tay Road Bridge into Dundee. The city has undergone a dramatic transformation and in 2018 Dundee’s £80.1m V&A Museum, the centrepiece of its £1bn waterfront redevelopment, opened to the public. It is also the first V&A anywhere in the world outside London.

The Scottish design galleries are the heart of the museum, with more than 300 pieces brought north from the V&A in London as well as borrowed from other collections across Scotland.

Also in the city, Dundee Contemporary Arts is a worldclass centre with beautiful, bright gallery spaces as well as a twoscreen cinema, fascinating print workshops and the buzzy Jute Café Bar.

With galleries, museums and a vibrant shopping centre, you could easily spend a day in Dundee, but should you want to explore further, the scenic coast road leads to Carnoustie, and a championship golf course. The busy harbour town of Arbroath a short drive further on is famous for its ‘smokies’ (smoked haddock).

Travelling west from St Andrews

on the A91 through Cupar with its Georgian and Victorian buildings, you will come to Kinross on the shore of Loch Leven. Take a boat trip to the island where Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned or enjoy a spot of bird watching at the RSPB visitor centre on Loch Leven Nature Reserve before continuing west into Clackmannanshire.

In the 19th century, this area was scattered with textile mills, coal mines, ironworks and brickworks. Affinity Sterling Mills Outlet Shopping in Tillicoultry, at the foot of the Ochil Hills, is on the site of a former paper mill.

Continuing towards the university town of Stirling, stop in Bridge of Allan with its monument to William Wallace. The view from the top is worth climbing its 247 steps. If you need reviving, there’s a coffee and gift shop. Stirling Castle, overlooking the River Forth, has a long, turbulent history and is an international visitor attraction. It’s one of Scotland’s grandest castles due to its imposing position and

impressive architecture.

Driving north east on the A9 out of Stirling towards Perth, you’ll travel through tennis star Andy Murray’s home town of Dunblane. Close to the town is the historic hotel he owns, Cromlix. If you take a detour via Crieff, you will pass the remains of Roman camps, castles, burial grounds and standing stones. Huntingtower Castle, on the outskirts of Perth, dates back to the 1400s and is open to the public.

Perth, nicknamed ‘The Fair City’, is a delightful mix of the old and new. There are excellent eating places from fine dining to fast food outlets and plenty of independent shops and big-name chains, while farmers’ markets and international markets are a regular feature.

Finally, pack your walking shoes to head to Angus and enjoy the beauty of Glenisla, Glen Prosen, Glen Clova and Glen Doll. The Angus Glens are crisscrossed with walking trails and cycling tracks with ample opportunities to spot wildlife along the way. ■

Stirling Castle, Stirlingshire

“Simply

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Dating

Just

South face of Rosslyn Chapel

THE HOME OF COUNTRY CLOTHING

Scotland’s Most Prestigious Independent Store

No trip to Scotland is complete without a visit to The House of Bruar, situated in majestic Highland Perthshire just off the A9 ten miles north of Pitlochry. Established in 1995, we are proud to be celebrating 30 years experience as purveyors of luxury country clothing, gifts and food in Great Britain.

UNIQUE LADIESWEAR

Our ladieswear halls showcase a covetable range of ladieswear courtesy of our own design team, as well as a select range of leading brands, including Holland Cooper, Crew Clothing, Joules, Marble and Barbour, along with accessories from Dubarry, Ariat, Brics and Gianni Conti. With so much to choose from there is always our fireside sofas where patient partners can relax with the papers while you shop! Stunning natural fibre knitwear is showcased in our Pure Cashmere and Knitwear Hall.

MENSWEAR & COUNTRY PURSUITS

ladieswear courtesy of our own design team, as well as a of Cooper, Crew Clothing, Joules, Marble and Barbour, along with Conti. much from and MENSWEAR &

Men are well catered for, with our exclusive British tweeds sitting alongside top brands including Levi’s, Barbour and Schoffel. Extensive ranges in shirts and shoes can found alongside impressive designs in leather, pure cashmere tailoring and luxurious knitwear. Our dedicated Technical Department brings you the best sporting equipment including Harkila, Croots and Deerhunter, whilst our Fishing Department is a haven for anglers, providing equipment, accessories and even expert advice.

tweeds sitting alongside top brands including Levi’s, Schoffel. in shoes can found alongside impressive designs in leather, you the for advice.

LIVING THE BRUAR LIFE

Hall

dog! Find an inspired memento of your visit to Perthshire, legacy Gallery

Our glorious Gift Hall is a treasury of unique items for the home, children, garden and kitchen - even the family dog! Find an inspired memento of your visit to Perthshire, with gifts made in Scotland and featuring elements of wool, leather or hand-woven Harris Tweed. To secure a legacy piece, our Rural Art Gallery offers art and sculpture celebrating Scotland’s natural beauty.

‘SCOTLAND’S BEST FOOD HALL’

Our celebrated Food Hall was declared Scotland’s best by The Guild of Fine Foods. The Smithfield Award winning butchery offers locally-sourced meats, homemade sausages and pies under the watchful eye of our Master Butcher. You’ll also discover Scotland’s finest smoked salmon, trout, shellfish and lobster, and fully-laden counters with artisan cheeses and moreish mezze items.

Our celebrated Food Hall was declared Scotland’s best by The Guild of Fine Foods. The Smithfield homemade sausages and pies under the watchful eye finest fully-laden counters with artisan cheeses and moreish mezze items.

REFRESHMENTS TO DINE FOR

TO

locally-sourced snacks and meals under our all-weather Victorian-inspired glass canopy. Another favourite is our including whole lobster alongside freshly caught Scottish cod and haddock. Ice cream lovers can indulge with a

Our ‘Taste Our Best’ informal restaurant offers delicious locally-sourced snacks and meals under our all-weather Victorian-inspired glass canopy. Another favourite is our Lobster, Fish & Chip Shop, with a decadent menu including whole lobster alongside freshly caught Scottish cod and haddock. Ice cream lovers can indulge with a visit to our new Scottish Ice Cream Parlour.

THE SPIRIT OF SCOTLAND

Our Whisky Shop is a destination in its own right with the finest malts from across Scotland, including rare Macallans and Dalmores. In the Food Hall, discover local and Scottish gins, hand-selected wines including our very own Champagne, and a vast range of other libations.

SHOP FROM A FAR

Call us or visit our website to discover more stunning styles from Autumn/Winter 24 or our upcoming Spring/ Summer 25 collections. Our website is a treasure trove of everything you need to live the Bruar Life.

Our Whisky Shop is a destination in its own right with malts from hand-selected to stunning styles from Autumn/Winter 24 or our upcoming Spring/ website of everything you need to live the Bruar Life.

“I had such a great experience at Dumbarnie. The views, great conditions and the variety of holes weaving in and out of the dunes was spectacular” – Pat Hurst, 2021 USA Solheim Cup Captain

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