Fife's heritage has
left a plethora of Castles, Palaces, Abbeys, fine houses and parks. There
is a wonderful coastline with clean award-winning sandy beaches, and
rugged headlands. There are forests, rolling hills and the rich, fertile
farmlands of the Howe of Fife ("Howe" means "valley"). There is so much
for the visitor to explore and enjoy.
Perthshire is the irrefutable Adventure Capital of Scotland and as well as the
traditional activities of walking, cycling, angling and golf boasts an additional
and unrivalled range of unique outdoor experiences all within a compact area
and all with a firm accent on safety and fun! Perthshire is a destination for
all seasons, but if you want stunning scenery and vivid colours, come in autumn
when the tree-lined hillsides and glens are resplendent with their coat of blazing
coppers and golds.
St. Andrews is a Royal Burgh steeped in history. If
time allows, this lovely old town is best explored on foot or you might
miss the charm of its wynds, closes, historic buildings and the magnificent
sea scenery, sandy beaches and golf courses. At the southern end
of the Kingdom of Fife you can experience the living past in ancient Dunfermline,
where you can walk through 900 years of Scottish history in a day. Here
you will find a Palace, 12th century Abbey, Carnegie Hall or enjoy the
splendour of Pittencrieff Park
Reviewed in the St Andrews
Directory
West Sands - St Andrews
There is a wealth of fine country houses
and castles to visit in the area, some maintained by the National
Trust for Scotland including Hill of Tarvit Mansion House and Garden
styled in the Edwardian fashion, with a fantastic private collection of
Dutch painting, Flemish tapestries, Chinese porcelain and French furniture.
Also, well worth a visit is Kellie
Castle, completed around 1606 and once home to the Earls of Kellie,
it was restored by the Lorimer family in 1878. The oldest tower, dating
back to 1360, is said to be haunted, but today the castle is a tranqu
il
spot. Admire the magnificent plaster ceilings and paneling, and furniture
designed by Sir Robert Lorimer. Visit the old stables, now housing an exhibition
on Hew Lorimer's life, and see his sculpture studio. Take a stroll in the
magical Arts & Crafts garden and enjoy the scent of old roses and the
beautiful herbaceous borders. But spare a thought for the 5th Earl of Kellie,
who hid in the garden for an entire summer in a burnt-out tree stump after
the Battle of Culloden in 1746.
In just over five minutes from Edenshead Stables, by car, you are in Falkland
- a very pretty town offering an array of tea and gift shops together with the
impressive Falkland Palace and Gardens built in the early 1500 was the country
residence of the Stuart monarchs. It was from here that they hunted deer and
wild boar, went hawking and played royal tennis on courts built in 1539 and still
in use today. There are also wonderful gardens and orchard.
Bounded by hills, Kinross enjoys a stunning
setting at Perthshire's southern border and is just a short drive from
Edenshead Stables. Just ten minutes drive takes you to Loch Leven,
the largest loch of the Scottish Lowlands is undoubtedly the main feature
of this area. Declared a nature reserve in 1964, the Loch today is of international
importance attracting around 15,000 geese every autumn. Visit Vane Farm Nature Reserve owned
by the RSPB and watch the water-foul from specially built hides. Not
to be missed is a visit to Kinross House Gardens reaching
right down to the water's edge on the western end of Loch Leven. (The house
unfortunately, is not open to the public).
A must for all visitors to the area is
an excursion to take in the quaint East Neuk fishing villages including
Crail, Pittenweem - and south to St Monans and Elie. Of particular interest
on this trail is Kellie Castle (see above), the Secret Bunker and of course the typical
fishing harbours at Pittenweem and Anstruther. Spectacularly situated on
the harbour front in Anstruther you will find the Fisheries Museum and where you can also
take a trip on the May Princess to May Island now an important
national nature reserve and home to incredible wildlife including Puffins,
Guillemot, Razorbills etc.. Whilst porpoise, dolphin and whales are often
spotted in July August. Seals are regular all year round visitors. You
may want to complete you visit to Anstruther in the Anstruther Fish Restaurant a
world renowned and award winning fish restaurant and take away fish and
chip
