Fife

Scotland > Central Scotland > Fife

Difficult to say which is the more well known, St Andrews or the county itself, the Kingdom of Fife.

Sandwiched between the Firths of Tay and Forth with the Ochil and Cleish Hills on the western border, Fife has a distinct place in the history of Scotland, Dunfermline being a former Capital.

For several decades in the 20th century, the Kingdom of Fife was a major holiday destination for the people of the Lothians. The lure of the seaside brought visitors in their droves during the traditional holiday periods, to the coastal towns and fishing villages of Burnisland, Kinghorn, Kirkcaldy, Leven, Lundin Links, Lower Largo, Earlsferry, Elie, St Monan's, Pittenweam, Anstruther, Crail, Kingsbarns and the home of golf, St Andrews. The Kingdom is now going through a renaissance , offering quality products for todays new and growing visitor markets.

Access to Fife for the 2.5 m people who live in the central belt is quick and simple. Only 1 hour from Glasgow and a 'few minutes' from Edinburgh and Stirling by motorway or train, the opportunity to spend some time in the Kingdom is being seized by an increasing number of visitors every year - the incentives being the products and services that keep improving.

Over the last few years the tourism industry in Fife has been concentrating its marketing efforts on the area's sport and activity opportunities and facilities, its history and its natural beauty , whether for a family group, a special interest group or a simple short break leisure group, Fife has a plethora of options to keep you as busy or as relaxed as you want.

One of the best ways to see Fife, and possibly the healthiest way, is by bike. With over 300 miles of new cycleway along the length and breadth of the Kingdom, this is a breathtaking way to experience and explore the real countryside and is fast becoming a major attraction in itself. Fife is also the home of the national training centre for waterskiscotland and there is an abundance of watersports along the coast.

There are, of course, less strenuous ways to enjoy yourself such as fishing, horse riding, clay pigeon shooting, quad biking and off road driving , and there is golf, lots of it. St Andrews, the home of golf, and the seat of the Royal and Ancient, has 9 courses of its own with many dozens of other fine examples of links and inland courses throughout the Kingdom.

If the desire is for walking but without the association of golf, then the Fife Coastal Path, which stretches from the Forth to the Tay Bridges through some of Fife's most glorious scenery, may be the answer. There are many other fine forest and garden walks, many in the protection of the National Trust for Scotland or Historic Scotland who are also guardians of much of the history and heritage of the Kingdom.

History is as rich here as in any other part of Scotland. Ancient abbeys, houses and palaces, especially in Dunfermline, Falkland and St Andrews testify to the patronage Fife has received from some of Scotland's most historic characters including Mary, Queen of Scots, Robert the Bruce, Queen Margaret and many of the Stuart kings. Andrew Carnegie was born in Dunfermline, and Adam Smith in Kirkcaldy and the fishing villages of the East Neuk are full of families born and bred into the strong heritage of sea fishing, a heritage that is encapsulated in the Scottish Fisheries Museum in Anstruther.

Deep Sea World and the St Andrews Aquarium tell the story from a different angle , this time from underneath the surface.

Whilst touring around Fife by car, or better still, by cycle, the quality of the natural environment, land and sea can really be appreciated. From green rolling hills to towering cliffs, the landscape is as diverse as the wildlife that it sustains. Seagulls of many varieties and the loveable puffins of the Isle of May congregate the cliffs and estuaries of Fife's rivers. Roe deer, badgers, foxes, red squirrels , there is no lack of wildlife to look out for whilst taking in the scenery on foot or by cycle.

The very best of the fruit of the countryside and the sea can be enjoyed in the many pubs, inns and restaurants scattered all over the Kingdom , this is where the true culture of the area can be appreciated, amongst the locals! The quality of cuisine and accommodation that can be experienced in Fife is of the highest standard and well worth a detour when necessary.

Taking everything into account, the Kingdom of Fife is accessible, enjoyable, affordable and undervalued as a visitor destination.