Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Ancient Golf Club, while its Old Course is perhaps the most famous 18 holes in the
world. Golfers consider this town to be hallowed ground.
There is no train station in St. Andrews, but there is a stop some 13km (8 miles)
away at the town of Leuchars. The trip from Edinburgh takes about an hour; the fare
is about £20 for a standard return (round-trip) ticket. Once at Leuchars, you can take
a bus for the 10-minute ride to St. Andrews. The bus service from Edinburgh takes
approximately 2 hours, and the same-day return fare is around £10. For information,
call
&
0870/608-2608.
If you're driving from Edinburgh, head north across the
Forth Road Bridge. Take the A921 to the junction with the A915 and continue north-
east until you reach St. Andrews. Less scenic is the A92 north to the A914 via Cupar.
The tourist information center is at 70 Market St. (
&
01334/472-021
). It's open
Monday to Saturday all year and on Sunday, too, during the high season.
St. Andrews Cathedral
Near the Celtic Church of Blessed Mary on the
Rock, by the sea at the east end of town, St. Andrews Cathedral was once the largest
church in Scotland. Founded in 1161, the Cathedral certified the town as the eccle-
siastical capital of the country. But the ruins can only suggest its former beauty and
importance. There's a collection of early Christian and medieval monuments, as well
as artifacts discovered on the Cathedral site. Admission allows entry to nearby
St. Andrews Castle,
where the medieval clergy lived.
A91, off The Pends
&
01334/472-563.
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk. Admission cathedral and castle
£7.20 adults, £5.80 seniors, £4.30 children. MC, V. Apr-Sept daily 9:30am-5:30pm; Oct-Mar daily
9:30am-4:30pm.
University of St. Andrews
This is the oldest university in Scotland and the
third oldest in Britain after Oxford and Cambridge. Of its famous students, the most
recent graduate was Prince William, heir to the throne after his father, Charles,
Prince of Wales. At term time, you can see packs of students in their characteristic
red gowns. The university spreads throughout the town today, but the original site
was centered in the districts just west of the Cathedral. The gate tower of St. Salva-
dor College on North Street dates to the 15th century.
St. Andrews, Fife.
&
01334 476161.
www.st-andrews.ac.uk.
Dunfermline & Its Abbey
The ancient town of Dunfermline, 23km (14 miles) northwest of Edinburgh, was a
place of royal residence as early as the 11th century. The last monarch to be born in
Scotland, Charles I, came into the world at Dunfermline. However, when Scottish
and English crowns were joined 3 years later in 1603, the royal court departed for
London and the burgh's fortunes declined—a process aided by a fire in 1624. Linen
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Historic Scotland Explorer Pass
You may have noticed that many of the
attractions in this chapter are run by the
Scottish Government's Historic Scotland
organization. If you are planning to visit
several of them in a few days, it's worth
getting an “Explorer Pass.” For 3 days
entry, it costs £22 for an adult, £17 for a
senior, and £12 for a child. A 3-day fam-
ily pass is £44. For more information,
go to www.historic-scotland.gov.uk.
