Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ings
from the 18th to the 20th century, including work from the Scottish Colourists and
the Glasgow Boys.
The
tourist office
(
01592-267775;
www.visitfife.com
; 339 High St; 10am-5pm
Mon-Sat Apr-Sep, 10am-4pm Mon-Sat Oct-Mar)
is at the eastern end of the waterfront
strip.
Frequent buses run to St Andrews (£5.60, one hour), Anstruther (1¼ hours) and Edin-
burgh (£5.60, one hour). Two to four trains an hour run to Edinburgh (£7.10, 45 minutes)
and Dundee (£11.90, 40 minutes).
Falkland
POP 1183
Below the soft ridges of the Lomond Hills in the centre of Fife is the charming village of
Falkland. Rising majestically out of the town centre is outstanding 16th-century
Falkland
Palace
(NTS;
www.nts.org.uk
;
adult/child £11.50/8.50; 11am-5pm Mon-Sat, 1-5pm
Sun Mar-Oct)
, a country residence of the Stuart monarchs. Mary, Queen of Scots, is said
to have spent the happiest days of her life 'playing the country girl in the woods and
parks' at Falkland. The palace was built between 1501 and 1541 to replace a castle dating
from the 12th century; French and Scottish craftspeople were employed to create a mas-
terpiece of Scottish Gothic architecture. The
king's bedchamber
and the
chapel
, with its
beautiful painted ceiling, have both been restored. Don't miss the prodigious 17th-century
Flemish hunting
tapestries
in the hall. One feature of the royal leisure centre still exists:
the oldest
royal tennis court
in Britain, built in 1539 for James V. It's in the grounds and
still in use.
Falkland is 11 miles north of Kirkcaldy. Bus 36 travels between Glenrothes and
Auchtermuchty via Falkland. From either of those two places there are regular connec-
tions to St Andrews and other Fife destinations. Buses continue on to Perth (one hour)
more or less hourly.
St Andrews
POP 14,209
For a small place, St Andrews made a big name for itself, firstly as religious centre, then
as Scotland's oldest university town. But its status as the home of golf has propelled it to
even greater fame, and today's pilgrims arrive with a set of clubs. But it's a lovely place to
