Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ily friendly to boot, with lots of activities available. There's Gleneagles train station to arrive sustainably; if not,
limousine transfers are available. Check the website for deals. Gleneagles is the venue for the 2014 Ryder Cup.
ST MONANS
POP 1450
This ancient fishing village just over a mile west of Pittenweem is named after another
cave-dwelling saint who was probably killed by pirates. Apart from a picturesque historic
windmill
overlooking the sea, its main sight is the
parish church
, built in 1362 on the or-
ders of a grateful King David II, who was rescued by villagers from a shipwreck in the
Firth of Forth. It was burned by the English in 1544 but restored. The church has sweep-
ing views of the firth, and the past echoes inside its cold, whitewashed walls.
St Monans Heritage Collection
(5 West Shore; admission free; 11am-1pm &
2-4pm Tue, Thu, Sat & Sun May-Oct)
, on the harbour, is a wonderful small gallery de-
voted to the history of the St Monans' fishing industry through a collection of 20th-cen-
tury black-and-white photos and several artefacts. Most of the photos were taken by a loc-
al photographer and the collection changes regularly.
There are a couple of B&Bs in St Monans, but there are more options in nearby An-
struther. For eating,
Craig Millar @16 West End
(
01333-730327;
www.16westend.com
;
16 West End; 2-course lunch/dinner £22/35; lunch & dinner
Wed-Sun)
is a comfortable, but classy, fishy stalwart on the harbour. The menu changes -
bouillabaisse, Dover sole, scallops - but just swim with the tide. The menu details the
provenance of these sustainable morsels. A lighter bite can be had at
Harbour Howff
(6
Station Rd; light meals £3-5; 10am-4pm Tue-Fri, 11am-5pm Sat & Sun)
, a community-
run cafe promoting healthy eating and serving excellent panini and fresh cakes.
Stagecoach
(
www.stagecoachbus.com
)
bus 95 runs daily from St Monans to St
Andrews (50 minutes, at least hourly), via Anstruther.
ELIE & EARLSFERRY
POP 1500
These two attractive villages mark the southwestern end of East Neuk. There are great
sandy beaches and good walks along the coast, and there's nothing better than a lazy sum-
mer Sunday in Elie, watching the local team play cricket on the strand below.
Elie Watersports
(
01333-330962;
www.eliewatersports.com
; May-Sep, ring
ahead at other times)
, on the harbour at Elie, hires out windsurfers (per two hours £28),
