Is anyone familiar with Scotland?
Mar 12th, 2001, 01:16 PM
#2
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Gwen. I've topped a thread for you. And Fife? You want to know about Fife??<BR><BR>A trip underneath the castle in St. Andrews, Fife. It can be a bit of a squeeze so if you are claustrophobic then probably best to pass on this one. John Knox used to live in this castle - also get chance to see the bottle dungeon - according to (Tony’s) dad, he was imprisoned there as a student for charity or something - some horrific stories he keeps for special occasions. St. Andrews with its ancient university, its cathedral (we do have a lot of them, don't we?) and the home of golf, the Royal and Ancient is seriously worth a visit. It has one of the best beaches in the world- the West Sands, which is where they filmed the opening sequence of Chariots of Fire- shame about the weather- and one of the best ice cream shops in the world (Jannetta's) apart from being a lovely little town. <BR><BR>Anstruther, Fife. Visit the fishing museum, Then have the best fish in the world for your lunch. After that drive along the coast to Largo, home of the 'original' Robinson Crusoe. When Daniel Defoe wrote about Robinson Crusoe, he was writing about a real person. His name was Alexander Selkirk and he came from Largo in Fife. Defoe was an English spy up in Scotland in the 1700's and nicked the story. This is of particular interest to (Tony, as Tony is) distantly related to Selkirk. That area of Fife is well worth a visit <BR><BR>Restaurants in the area which are very good would include the Ostler's Close in Cupar, the Cellar in Anstruther, the Cellar in St Monan's and the Peat Inn at Peat Inn.<BR><BR>Over the Forth Road Bridge to Fife, to Loch Leven castle where Mary Queen of Scots was locked up and escaped from; and Vane Farm Bird Reserve on the other side of the Loch. Just across the Firth of Forth from Edinburgh there's a stretch of picture-postcard little fishing villages, with Anstruther, Crail, etc, leading toward St Andrews. For hiking, there's the Fife Coastal path that runs along the entire coast. AND, for the most perfect B&B anyone could ask for, there's the Hermitage in Anstruther. Since you have plenty of time, you can spare some hours simply to spend with a book, under the bowers in the back garden. It really is the very essence of what we imagine the best Scottish B&B to be like. Tel: 01333 310909, at Ladywalk, Anstruther, Fife, KY10. Hosts Margaret and Eric will make you feel an honored guest.<BR><BR>Try Dundee. There is a very good visitor centre (the Discovery Centre) near the station which interprets Captain Scott's voyages to the Antarctic, and his ship, the Discovery is moored alongside so you can visit. Nearby is the Unicorn, a Dundee Whaler, which is also open to the public.<BR><BR>Just over the river (the Forth) Dunfermilne is on your left. Robert the Bruce, the hero king who won Bannockburn is buried here in Dunfermilne Abbey (although his heart is buried at Melrose in the borders); go back onto the main road and you will shortly come to Loch Leven, where Mary Queen of Scots was locked up in the castle on the island (v. romantic..the story of the escape- she then fled to her cousin in England for succour. She locked her up for 20 years then beheaded her.<BR><BR>There are lots of other nice places, like Ceres, Falkland Palace, the East Neuk villages- Crail and Pittenweem, St Monans and Leven.<BR>
Mar 12th, 2001, 02:14 PM
#3
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Thank You Sheila, <BR>This nails it. We're going to St. Andrews, stay in town and run along the beach with our headphones on listening to Chariots of Fire. I'm really glad you had heard about Fife because it sounds like a great place to visit. <BR>God Bless, <BR>Dr. Betty
Mar 12th, 2001, 02:26 PM
#4
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I was going to reply to your email Dr Betty, honest; but I was going to ask what your priorities for those two days were, before I gave you an answer.<BR><BR>If that's what you want to do, you should stay either at the Golf Hotel or the Rusack's marine for the views. I'll find you a good doctor for the onset of pneumonia hich normally follows a few days after the itinerary you whave suggested for yourselves.
