a breath of fresh air
Some of Fife’s most faithful visitors are puffins. Up to 90,000 fly in between April and August each year to nest and raise their young on the Isle of May. This rocky outcrop is home to grey seals as well; human visitors can get there via regular boats from Anstruther. The Lomond Hills, meanwhile, are great for hikers; recover in the grand Balbirnie House hotel or the The Covenanter, in Falkland, the exterior of which features in the TV series Outlander as Mrs Baird’s bed and breakfast.
Nearby, the Scottish Deer Centre not only allows you to get up close to 12 species of Scotland’s most famous animals, but also some of its rarer ones, including the Scottish wildcat, lynx and European brown bear, while the much-cherished red squirrel roams freely. Fife also has gardens to explore, from the early-spring snowdrops at Cambo and the daffodils at Backhouse Rossie Estate to the clematis and rose-filled Wemyss Castle Gardens near Kirkcaldy in summer. The newly renovated Dean Park Hotel is a short drive away.
To explore Fife’s great outdoors and the supremely luxurious indoors, visit welcometofife.com
Scotland’s newest city, Dunfermline has more than a thousand years of history and an exciting present. The Fire Station Creative is set in the city’s art deco former fire house and blends artist workshops with a hip café and an exhibition space, while Dunfermline Abbey – founded in 1080 – has royal tombs and beautiful medieval architecture. Scottish-American tycoon and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie was born in Dunfermline in 1835 and his love for his birthplace can still be seen, for example, in the window in the Abbey Church he commissioned from Tiffany. Carnegie bought and donated Pittencrieff Park to the city too.
You can have coffee in a building that dates from the 16th century – there’s also an Escape Room, based on the building’s role in the Second World War
s the days start to lengthen into summer,
Scotland’s Kingdom of Fife takes on a special magic.
There are ancient palaces and ultra-modern luxury hotels to explore, while its harbours and chain of golden beaches come into their own. The links courses surrounding them welcome beginners and experts, as well as the world’s most famous golfers. Fife’s historic gardens are a mass of flowers and its farms produce delicious food for its acclaimed restaurants.
Fife is home to one of Scotland’s most exciting culinary scenes, whether you’re hungry for a freshly cooked lobster from a wooden shack in Crail or fresh fruit and vegetables from a farm, the Pillars of Hercules, which has been organic since the 1980s. You can also visit one of the region’s renowned bakeries (Fisher & Donaldson has a royal warrant for its cakes) or a Michelin-starred restaurant – the newest in Fife being The Cellar in Anstruther.
Most farms here are still family owned, and many have cafés and shops. Early summer sees the start of the fruit harvest, which yields heavenly soft fruits, such as strawberries and raspberries. You’ll also find farmers’ markets in the charming towns of Cupar and St Andrews, selling, among other goods, freshly smoked fish and estate meats, especially venison.
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Prized for its thriving culinary communities, rich heritage and low-carbon luxury, Fife is a short-break destination that delivers
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Finding Fife
A-maze-ing sights: visit Dunfermline Abbey and the Forth Bridge
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Seal of approval: watch the inhabitants of the Isle of May bask in the sun
Fife’s prettiest villages may be small, but some of them come with their own castles and palaces. Falkland’s former royal hunting lodge, Falkland Palace, is surrounded by 17th-century houses, a clutch of fabulous bakeries and pubs. Lower Largo misses the attention of its coastal neighbours but it’s lovely to explore and The Crusoe is a gorgeous pub with rooms that look out to sea. The village was the birthplace of Alexander Selkirk, the 18th-century naval officer whose real-life South Pacific island marooning inspired Daniel Defoe’s fictional character Robinson Crusoe.
Small is beautiful
Step outside: a cottage in the pretty village of Falkland
With the most famous golf course in the world, sport will always be a fundamental part of Fife, but it comes in every form. In summer, the Ship Inn cricket team sets up wickets on Elie beach – play ends when the tide starts coming in. Elie Seaside Sauna allows you to warm up between dips in the sea and elsewhere many of the coastal villages have their own tidal swimming pools. There are golf courses across Fife: at the Hill of Tarvit, an Edwardian mansion owned by the National Trust for Scotland, you can play a nine-hole course with old-fashioned hickory clubs. You don’t have to be a member of a golf club to play the Old Course, near the West Sands in St Andrews either. As long as you have a handicap under 36 you can apply to the daily ballot to play there. The recently refurbished Old Course Hotel overlooks the famous golf course, with views of the sea and St Andrews. To the east of the town, and sitting by two championship courses, is Fairmont St Andrews. Both hotels have Michelin-standard restaurants and expansive spas.
Actively relaxing
Hikers’ haven: there’s so much to explore on foot, from fairways to Pettycur Bay
There are hotels for every mood, from five-star luxury to beautifully decorated, highly atmospheric pubs with rooms. Fife’s newest boutique offering is the Balcomie Links Hotel in Crail; an Edwardian beauty that’s been newly restored to mix its original charm with modern glamour.
You can really immerse yourself in Fife’s landscape by staying in one of its country estates. The Falkland Estate was the playground of the Stuart family, who can trace their lineage back to Robert the Bruce, and there’s evidence that the area has been settled since the Iron Age. Stay in one of the estate’s cottages and you’ll be able to explore ancient monuments in the grounds as well as mountain bike trails and walks. Kilconquhar Castle in the East Neuk has a wide range of both self-catering accommodation and B&B rooms, plus a delightful restaurant, the White Cockade.
Catchpenny Safaris brings safari tents to the shoreline and you can also find cottages to rent in the East Neuk villages that are just steps from the beach, and much-loved artisanal ice cream shops; try Novelli’s in Burntisland or Jannettas in St Andrews, which has had a devoted following since 1908.
Build your own short break
At the heart of Dunfermline, there’s always something going on in summer, including festivals and concerts. At the entrance to the park you’ll find Jack ’O’ Bryan’s, a gastropub that reinvents Scottish ingredients with a fusion twist; and there’s the award-winning Dhoom, an Indian restaurant and cocktail bar, notable for its delicious street food, inventive drinks and quirky interior. Head to Abbot House and you can have coffee in a building that dates from the 16th century or take a craft class in its workshop; there’s also an Escape Room, based on the building’s role in the Second World War. And you can experience more of the city’s history by staying in 1703 Dunfermline, which also offers two restaurants and three cocktail bars.
It’s a wonderful Fife: just one in a chain of beautiful golden beaches
Marvel arch: the lime kilns in Charlestown date back to 1777
In St Monans, from March, the acclaimed East Pier Smokehouse serves the freshest of fish next to the zig-zag pier. Forth Sea Safaris is based at Burntisland and its RIBs head from North Queensferry under the Forth bridges past Blackness Castle and circle Inchcolm Island, with its ruined 12th-century abbey. At the far end of Fife, near Tentsmuir Forest, is the four-bedroom The Newport, owned by 2014’s MasterChef: The Professionals winner Jamie Scott, which has incredible views across the river Tay.
With the most famous golf course in the world, sport will always be a fundamental part of Fife, but it comes in every form
Can we get another different images
As spring starts, Fife’s farmland brings forth its riches. Blacketyside Farm near Leven is a great example, with a café and a shop. At Cairnie Fruit Farm there’s also a mega maze of maize, and you can pick produce too. Bowhouse, between Elie and St Monans, has regular markets that bring hyper-local food traders together, including Anster cheesemakers from the East Neuk and community-owned Scotland the Bread; but it’s also the permanent home of Futtle, which produces its own organic beer and spiced rum, plus the Baern café and bakery. Balgove Larder, in St Andrews, has a foodhall, café and steak barn, as well as night markets in summer. In Cupar, Geoffrey Smeddle’s Michelin-starred The Peat Inn has eight bedrooms, while a few miles away the acclaimed Kinneuchar Inn, near Elie, also has rooms.
Seasons’ eating
Fife’s fresh food focus: local and artisanal produce are championed throughout the region
