Category Archives: Fife

February 25, 2019 · 12:46 pm

Diana’s Virtual Tour of The Fife Coastal Path ~ Anstruther

Anstruther.jpgContinuing my walk along the Fife Coastal Path, following the wee fishing villages of Pittenweem and St Monan’s you come to Anstruther, or ‘Ainster’ as the locals call it. It is from here in the summer that you can catch a ferry to The Isle of May and even over to North Berwick, passing the colony of gannets at Bass Rock.

Still a fishing harbour, although most of our fish is brought in at Pittenweem now, it houses a Fisheries Museum along the front, as well as a famous Fish n Chip Shop. (although we find The Waterfront does fantastic meals too)

Anstruther is the ‘centre’ of East Neuk, a popular holiday or weekend destination for Edinburgh folks. In my mind it is an area worth visiting all year round. Check out the reopened haunted Dreel Inn, a place with character as you come into Anstruther, passing the house covered in sea shells.

I ‘met’ Robert Louis Stevenson here for a blether in The Healing Paths of Fife. His father was supervising the building of the harbour walls.

The walks along the coast in East Neuk are delightful and varied, with plenty of places to tempt you to pause, admire, rest and partake of the local refreshments and hospitality.

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January 25, 2019 · 12:06 pm

A Birthday Party al fresco in the January Sunshine

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The Wee Shoppe Kinghorn

On Wednesday we went back to the roots of our Scottish adventure and our total change of life’s experience. A little bird told us that it was Moira’s birthday and though The Wee Shoppe is not usually open on a Wednesday there were whispers that there was going to be a wee celebration.

The Wee Shoppe will always have a special place in our hearts. It is where we were first welcomed into the Kinghorn community, made friends and learnt the joy of blethering.

This was a beautiful winter’s day (around freezing!), with the sun shining on Kinghorn Harbour, as we set out chairs and a table on the concrete hard in front of the Wee Shoppe. There were nine of us drinking tea, eating hot sausage rolls and birthday cake.

With everyone smiling and laughing it took me right back to those early days of 2014. Great memories. Lovely people. We are so grateful to be here!

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The Healing Paths of Fife tells our story in prose, poetry, fantasy and historical background and it was where I ‘met’ renowned author Nigel Tranter and he imparted some advice to me about the dangers of writing about a place I had only just discovered.

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September 13, 2018 · 12:32 pm

Pittenweem ~ The Fisherman’s Hub and other Special Attributes

Next along the Fife Coastal Path from St Monan’s is the fishing village of Pittenweem, the hub which catches and distributes fresh fish to all of Fife and beyond. There is a fish shops straight from the boats at the back of St Monan’s. We buy ours in Burntisland, but a van also brings fish to people’s doors in many areas of Fife.

The beauty of the old stone harbour, with its creels and boats, is enhanced by signs of the working fishing industry in my eyes. The local in-bloom group completes the picture by decorating a variety of bicycles with flowers in the summer months. Delightful!

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Taking one of several narrow cobbled paths, called ‘wynds’ here in Fife, leading you up to the main street, you can find cafes, art and craft shops, an artisan bakery, home made chocolate and a local store and post office. It is from two of the cafes here that you can borrow the key to St Fillan’s Cave.

The cave can be found, set in the sandstone rock face, down another steep path from the church towards the habour. You pass the community library on your left before reaching the rather mysterious cave entrance, protected by an ornate iron gate.

I ‘met’ St Fillan in this cave on a previous visit whilst walking along the Fife Coastal Path. I was uplifted by our meaningful conversation which I recorded in ‘The Healing Paths of Fife‘.

 

The alter, as seen below, is a perfect place in which to reflect on the meaning of life!

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