Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Fife
Barely fifty miles at its widest point, the ancient Kingdom of Fife,
designated
as such by the Picts in the fourth century, is a small area but one which has a
definite identity. It is inextricably linked with the waters that surround it on
three sides - the Tay to the north, the Forth to the south, and the cold North
Sea to the east. One of its most striking aspects is how it changes in
character within a few miles, with a marked difference between the rural
north and the semi-industrial south. Tourism and agriculture are the
economic mainstays of the northeast corner of Fife, where the landscape
varies from gentle hills in the rural hinterland to windswept cliffs, rocky bays
and sandy beaches. Fishing still has a role, but ultimately it is to St Andrews,
Scotland's oldest university town and the home of the world-famous Royal
and Ancient Golf Club, that most visitors are drawn. Development here has
been cautious, and both the town itself and the surrounding area retain an
appealing and old-fashioned feel. South of St Andrews, the tiny stone
harbours of the fishing villages of the East Neuk are a deeply appealing
extension to any visit to this part of Fife.
8
Inland from St Andrews, the central Fife settlements of
Glenrothes
, an unremarkable
post-war new town, and
Cupar
, a more interesting market town, are overshadowed by
the absorbing village of
Falkland
with its impressive ruined palace. In the
south
, the
closure of the coal mines over the last thirty years has left local communities
floundering to regain a foothold, and the squeeze on the fishing industry may well lead
to further decline. In the meantime, a number of the villages have capitalized on their
appeal and welcomed tourism in a way that has enhanced rather than degraded their
natural assets. he perfectly preserved town of
Culross
is the most notable of these;
once a lively port that enjoyed a thriving trade with Holland, the Dutch influence is
obvious here in its striking crow-step gabled houses that line the cobbled lanes.
Otherwise, southern Fife is dominated by the town of
Dunfermline
, a former capital of
Scotland, and industrial
Kirkcaldy
, with the Forth rail and road bridges the most
memorable sights of this stretch of coastline.
GETTING AROUND
FIFE
By train
The train line follows the coast as far north as
Kirkcaldy where you can change for East Neuk bus
connections. It then cuts inland towards Dundee, stopping
en route at Cupar and Leuchars (from where buses run to
St Andrews).
By car
The main road into the region is the M90, which
links the Forth Road Bridge northwest of Edinburgh with
Perth. From just north of the bridge, you can join the
85-mile semi-circular Coastal Tourist Route (signposted)
taking in many of the highlights from the Forth to the
Tay estuaries.
By bus
The main bus operator in Fife is Stagecoach
(
W
stagecoachbus.com), with a fleet servicing
St Andrews, East Neuk and the rest of the coast as well
as the interior, with train connections at Kirkcaldy
and Leuchars.
Golf in St Andrews
p.305
The vision of St Rule
p.307
The Fife coastal Path
p.310
