Scotland
Sep 10th, 2005, 02:21 AM
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Glasgow always has some festival or other on - this week its whisky live!, the whole of August was gourmet Glasgow (it has the best restaurants in the UK ouside London), the world piping festival was a few weeks ago...try seeglasgow.com or glasgowguide.co.uk/to see what's on when you're there.
The museums are all free - the southside has the Burrell collection (huge, in the grounds of Pollok estate - visit Pollok house while there), the museum of modern art is in the city centre (GOMA- near George Sq in Queen St.)as is the McLellan Galleries the religious museum & the police musuem, the west end has the transport museum & Kelvingrove ( being refurbished right now, the McLellan is hosting some of its exhibits), many more.
It's a biggish city - take an open top tour bus from George Square or try one of the many tours - the Necropolis tour is popular.Restaurants - in the city centre I like Smiths & Red Onion but there are a zillion others.If you like whisky the Pot Still in Hope street will suit - small old pub with over 400 whiskies.Difficult to advise on must -sees, it depends what you like - some just go to shop in Buchanan St.You won't be bored.
The museums are all free - the southside has the Burrell collection (huge, in the grounds of Pollok estate - visit Pollok house while there), the museum of modern art is in the city centre (GOMA- near George Sq in Queen St.)as is the McLellan Galleries the religious museum & the police musuem, the west end has the transport museum & Kelvingrove ( being refurbished right now, the McLellan is hosting some of its exhibits), many more.
It's a biggish city - take an open top tour bus from George Square or try one of the many tours - the Necropolis tour is popular.Restaurants - in the city centre I like Smiths & Red Onion but there are a zillion others.If you like whisky the Pot Still in Hope street will suit - small old pub with over 400 whiskies.Difficult to advise on must -sees, it depends what you like - some just go to shop in Buchanan St.You won't be bored.
Sep 13th, 2005, 09:30 PM
#5
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Sheila, We are renting a car and plan to have the Perth area as a home base. We like hiking ,museums, good restaurants with local flavor.When we went to Ireland we tried to do too much so want to do this trip in a more leisurely way. Is Inverness worth going to? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Historytraveler-- Thanks for your tips on Glasglow, as we are spending three days there at the end of our trip.
Historytraveler-- Thanks for your tips on Glasglow, as we are spending three days there at the end of our trip.
Sep 14th, 2005, 03:27 AM
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loon14,
Have you had a look at Glasgow's visitor's website?
http://www.seeglasgow.com/seeglasgow
Jim
Have you had a look at Glasgow's visitor's website?
http://www.seeglasgow.com/seeglasgow
Jim
Sep 14th, 2005, 11:50 AM
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Another neat museum in Glasgow, if you're at all interested in local social history (and Glasgow is quite interesting in that respect) is the People's Palace.
For the city-run museums:
www.glasgowmuseums.com/about.cfm
For the city-run museums:
www.glasgowmuseums.com/about.cfm
Sep 14th, 2005, 01:08 PM
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Most of Perth's interest lies in its history- ancient capital of Scotland- and in its place in Scottish literature. Just north of Perth, 2 miles or so, is Scone Palace, worth a visit itself, which was the site where the kings and queens of Scotland were crowned, seated on the Stone of Destiny, (a good fake of) which you will no doubt have seen when you visited Edinburgh castle.
The town's 12th century Church, St John's is worth a visit. It contains the remains of an Earl of Perth who is supposed to have told the town's baillies "If you give me six feet, I'll give you twa Inches"- a reference to the two parks on either side of the Old town, the North and South Inches (from the Gaelic Innis meaning meadow). In addition it is where John Knox preached the destruction of the monasteries at the start of the Scottish reformation
Sir Walter Scott wrote a novel called "the Fair Maid of Perth" and her house and that of Hal o' the Wynd, can both be visited. This will tell you all about Clan Chattan and Clan Kay and the battle they fought (staged?) on the North Inch. Next to Hal o' the Wynd's house is the City Mills which has a restored oatmeal and some nice craft shops. The City Mills Hotel, which I think is now called the Stakis, is another converted Mill, done so the lade can be seen flowing underneath.
If you walk along the Tay, you can see where the houses in the Watergate had their gardens which led down to the river, where Kate Barlass held off the soldiers come to capture and kill the king.
The town has really good shopping centered around the High street and Old High Street.
There are a lot of nice walks.. along the river and through the North Inch, through the Norie Millar gardens on the north side of the river, Branklyn gardens on the North side of the river, Kinnoull hill with its folly, and, near where you are staying, Buckie Braes and Callerfountain.
Places to eat- Let's Eat is without doubt the best place in town. Patrick’s is a bistro behind the Sherriff Court which is on Tay Street), which is quite good, and Paco's and and the Filling station, are cheap and cheerful. There's another quite good place in Bridgend called Exceed which is good too.
Hiking- masses of places to walk. In Perth itself, there's Callerfountain and Kinnoull Hill, plus the riverside.
Out of town, you can easily reach whole mountain ranges, or just quiet places like the Sm' Glen and Little Glen Shee.
Museums- Perth Museum is OK for a regional museum. The Regimental Museum of the 51st Highland Division (the Black Watch) is pretty top. There's a folk/agricultural museum at Glamis(which, if you're visiting, is 2 minutes from the castle which you MUST see). Innerpeffray Library- Scotland's oldest lending library is just outside Crieff.
Narrow it down a bit and come back to me for more detail.
The Willows tea room in St John's Square is very good for coffee/ tea and cakes and things.
The town's 12th century Church, St John's is worth a visit. It contains the remains of an Earl of Perth who is supposed to have told the town's baillies "If you give me six feet, I'll give you twa Inches"- a reference to the two parks on either side of the Old town, the North and South Inches (from the Gaelic Innis meaning meadow). In addition it is where John Knox preached the destruction of the monasteries at the start of the Scottish reformation
Sir Walter Scott wrote a novel called "the Fair Maid of Perth" and her house and that of Hal o' the Wynd, can both be visited. This will tell you all about Clan Chattan and Clan Kay and the battle they fought (staged?) on the North Inch. Next to Hal o' the Wynd's house is the City Mills which has a restored oatmeal and some nice craft shops. The City Mills Hotel, which I think is now called the Stakis, is another converted Mill, done so the lade can be seen flowing underneath.
If you walk along the Tay, you can see where the houses in the Watergate had their gardens which led down to the river, where Kate Barlass held off the soldiers come to capture and kill the king.
The town has really good shopping centered around the High street and Old High Street.
There are a lot of nice walks.. along the river and through the North Inch, through the Norie Millar gardens on the north side of the river, Branklyn gardens on the North side of the river, Kinnoull hill with its folly, and, near where you are staying, Buckie Braes and Callerfountain.
Places to eat- Let's Eat is without doubt the best place in town. Patrick’s is a bistro behind the Sherriff Court which is on Tay Street), which is quite good, and Paco's and and the Filling station, are cheap and cheerful. There's another quite good place in Bridgend called Exceed which is good too.
Hiking- masses of places to walk. In Perth itself, there's Callerfountain and Kinnoull Hill, plus the riverside.
Out of town, you can easily reach whole mountain ranges, or just quiet places like the Sm' Glen and Little Glen Shee.
Museums- Perth Museum is OK for a regional museum. The Regimental Museum of the 51st Highland Division (the Black Watch) is pretty top. There's a folk/agricultural museum at Glamis(which, if you're visiting, is 2 minutes from the castle which you MUST see). Innerpeffray Library- Scotland's oldest lending library is just outside Crieff.
Narrow it down a bit and come back to me for more detail.
The Willows tea room in St John's Square is very good for coffee/ tea and cakes and things.
Sep 14th, 2005, 02:58 PM
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Yes, The Chip is very good... uses good scottish ingredients. Stavaiginn (sp?) is also good.
As you may know the UK is big in curries and Glasgow has no shortage of great Indian restaurants. Curry really has become local food so if you want to give it a try I recommend The Wee Curry Shop. There are 2. One opposite the Chip (in the west end) and the other (the original)in the city centre. I like this one the best as you can see the chef cooking. It IS very wee so you should book.
As you may know the UK is big in curries and Glasgow has no shortage of great Indian restaurants. Curry really has become local food so if you want to give it a try I recommend The Wee Curry Shop. There are 2. One opposite the Chip (in the west end) and the other (the original)in the city centre. I like this one the best as you can see the chef cooking. It IS very wee so you should book.
Sep 14th, 2005, 04:49 PM
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Sheila, You are a wealth of information! What other areas would be a must on you list to see. We are up to spending a night or two out side of the Perth area. We leave Friday night and you have given tons of valuable infomation.
Sep 15th, 2005, 03:26 AM
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Glasgow restaurants...
I don't know how recently people have been to the Chip but it got a terrible review a few months ago - sounded like it was resting on its laurels.
Etain in Prince's Square was recently voted Scotland's best restaurant but I haven't been myself.
The best Indian I've had was at Mother India but I also like the original Wee Curry Shop.
I don't know how recently people have been to the Chip but it got a terrible review a few months ago - sounded like it was resting on its laurels.
Etain in Prince's Square was recently voted Scotland's best restaurant but I haven't been myself.
The best Indian I've had was at Mother India but I also like the original Wee Curry Shop.
Sep 15th, 2005, 07:11 AM
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Another recommendation for a curry shop - Kama Sutra on Sauchiehall (sp). I think it's # 331. We had a very enjoyable lunch there about a week ago.
An excellent Italian restaurant on Bath St - O Sole Mio. It was packed with people speaking Italian, so I assume fairly authentic. We loved our dinner there, and I even got to practice my practically nonexistent Italian
An excellent Italian restaurant on Bath St - O Sole Mio. It was packed with people speaking Italian, so I assume fairly authentic. We loved our dinner there, and I even got to practice my practically nonexistent Italian
Sep 15th, 2005, 09:40 AM
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Mmm. 2 days away from Perth.....
I would suggest one of the following options
1. Kilmartin Glen. It takes only an hour or so to get over there, and then you have the ineffable joy of the west coast. We are having stunning autumn weather, so you could be in for a treat. (alternatively, it could p*** with rain and spoil everything for everyone.
It’s a lovely little town right on the coast overlooking a lovely and very busy harbour. Lots of the Western Isles ferries sail from here. It’s worth a wee detour to take in Dunstaffnage Castle, which is a good place to see the sweep of the bay with Oban climbing up the hillsides and McCaig’s folly at the top. Oban is a pretty town, now the main ferry terminal for the southern islands. It has a glorious setting overlooking the Sound of Kerrera and across to Mull. It’s a bit of a tourist trap, but as a consequence has very good shopping (it also has good shopping because everyone from the islands comes in here to shop). There’s a distillery which does tours, and a glass making factory. Lots of places to eat (mostly awful); but there is a place called Mctavish’s Kitchens which does a tourist show every night in summer, with dancing, a band and a piper. There’s apparently another place, which does Celtic music called The Gathering restaurant. I don’t know it so I can’t comment. The Oban Inn on the pier is the best pub. There’s a newish resturant on the pier called Eeusk (Gaelic for fish) which is getting a great name.
Going south from Oban, you might want to make the slight diversion west to Easdale- a small island on the other side of a slip stream of water, which gives the place the right to advertise “the Only Bridge over the Atlantic. In any case stop at Arduaine Gardens on the way south- gorgeous rhodendrons and azaleas all in bloom. The Loch Melfort hotel next door does great food too. You can take a short side turn to Carnasserie castle.
You come to Kilmartin Glen, which is choc-a-bloc with prehistoric stuff includingTemple Wood and an array of Neolithic constructions- stone circles, standing stones and henge monuments amongst others. There’s a great visitor centre at the north end of the glen that tries to explain it all. At the south end of the glen you come to Dunadd which is where we are supposed to have crowned the Kings of the Picts and you can climb the hill and see if your feet fit the grooves in the stones. You then cross the Great Moor, (Moine Mhor) (a National Nature Reserve) and drive down to Lochgilphead. Lochgilp is one of those sea lochs that, when the tide goes out, you're 2 miles from the water, across a sea of mud and kelp. Yuch! From Lochgilphead, following the shores of Loch Fyne on the A83, you pass the old West Highland township of Auchindrain where the twenty or so thatched cottages have been restored. A few miles further on is the Argyll Wildlife Park. Then go up Loch Fyne to Inverary (another planned village from the 18th century) Visit the jail and you are back in "Kidnapped" country. The jail was still in use till the 1930s. The castle belongs to the Duke of Argyll Chief of the clan Campbell (boo; hiss!) and is a great visit. Inverary is an 18th century planned village, and if you come down Loch Aweside to reach it you come down into it through a gateway in a wall.
The harbour holds a sailing schooner which increases its scenic worth.
If you go south out of Lochgilphead, round the bend, the road picks up the Crinan Canal running parallel down to Ardrishaig. And here you have to have read "Tales of Para Handy. The canal cuts off the whole of Kintyre and, of course, means that the boats didn’t have to go all the way round. In the old days it was meant for the puffers, the little tramp steamers that kept the west of Scotland going. Nowadays it’s just for the yachties. The "Vital Spark" is moored in one of the canal basins. If you can get a video of the more recent TV series of "The Vital Spark", you should watch it.. Half way along the canal you come to the Cairnbaan hotel, overlooking the canal, where it’s nice to sit and peoplewatch the yachties .At the other end of this pretty little canal which goes the 8 miles from Crinan to Ardrishaig, is the Crinan Hotel- surely one of the finest located hotels in the world. There’s a tea room where you can get a great cup of coffee and the most humungous slice of chocolate cake, overlooking the goings on in the canal basin.
“The Crinan Canal for me
I don’t like the wild rolling sea…”
2. Speyside
Go up the A9 then turn east at pitlochry towrds Moulin and then Glenshee, then Braemar. Drive up through Gairnshiel to Cockbridge. Corgarff Castle is worth a stop; then drive over the Lecht to Tomintoul, which claims to be Scotland’s highest village. There is a Whisky Shop here which is worth waiting for, for your whisky purchases. Retrace your steps a few hundred yards to where the road comes down from the Lecht and go on to Dufftown. This is the start of the whisky trail. Pick a distillery, any distillery…. Actually they do not all do tours, but lots do. Glenfiddich is pretty naff as malt whiskies go, but it does have nifty tour. Your route should then be Craigellachie, Aberlour, Grantown along the mighty Spey. Then go up to Nethy Bridge and visit the Osprey Centre at Loch Garten. The road then goes past Rothiemurchus, which is worth stopping at, and hits the main north road at Aviemore, which is NOT my favourite town in the Highlands. It does have a stunning setting and a lot of shops.
Come back onto the A9 then south towards Aviemore then Newtonmore and Kingussie. I can never remember which comes first, but at one there is a superb 17th century barracks built by the English to keep the Scots down after Culloden. Worth a trip. It's immediately adjacent to Insch Marshes which is another bird reserve- lots of brilliant ducks and waders. Somewhere here come off onto the old main road- less traffic and more scenic Next up you will come to Dalwhinnie- great whisky, great distillery. I don't know if it does tours but it's worth stopping if it does. Go south again on the A9. You will pass a place called House of Bruar which markets itself as "the Harrods of the North" It's a real fancy shop and I hate to say it but I love it. Worth stopping. A couple of miles further on is Blair Atholl, another planned village and a superb castle for a visit. The Duke of Atholl is the only person is the UK licenced by the Queen to have a private army. Go south again and stop at Killiecrankie and see the famous soldier's leap. If you don't know the story, learn the song. Then drive back down to Pitlochry which is a tourist dive, so don't stay long; although it is a good place to get your tweeds and tartans and woolens and things. Then drive on to Dunkeld, a lovely town on the Tay, with a beautiful historic square, a cathedral and some wonderful views. There's a pub in the village (the name of which I can't remember but it's the second one on the street on the right immediately over the bridge- you can't miss it) which is owned by Dougie Mclean one of Scotland's greatest contemporary singer songwriters. It can be a fine place to spend an evening. Keeping south you come to Perth.
or 3. Fife
Go south on the main raod to Edinburgh 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.) You can take boat trips from Kinross.
Vane Farm Bird Reserve is on the other side of the Loch.
Then go due east to the coast. There are lots of other nice places, like Ceres, Falkland Palace, the East Neuk villages, Pittenweem, St Monans and Leven - 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.
In Anstruther 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. That area of Fife is well worth a visit
In St Andrews, take 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.
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. There's a new restaurant in Largo that's had very good reviews, but I can't remember the name
I would suggest one of the following options
1. Kilmartin Glen. It takes only an hour or so to get over there, and then you have the ineffable joy of the west coast. We are having stunning autumn weather, so you could be in for a treat. (alternatively, it could p*** with rain and spoil everything for everyone.
It’s a lovely little town right on the coast overlooking a lovely and very busy harbour. Lots of the Western Isles ferries sail from here. It’s worth a wee detour to take in Dunstaffnage Castle, which is a good place to see the sweep of the bay with Oban climbing up the hillsides and McCaig’s folly at the top. Oban is a pretty town, now the main ferry terminal for the southern islands. It has a glorious setting overlooking the Sound of Kerrera and across to Mull. It’s a bit of a tourist trap, but as a consequence has very good shopping (it also has good shopping because everyone from the islands comes in here to shop). There’s a distillery which does tours, and a glass making factory. Lots of places to eat (mostly awful); but there is a place called Mctavish’s Kitchens which does a tourist show every night in summer, with dancing, a band and a piper. There’s apparently another place, which does Celtic music called The Gathering restaurant. I don’t know it so I can’t comment. The Oban Inn on the pier is the best pub. There’s a newish resturant on the pier called Eeusk (Gaelic for fish) which is getting a great name.
Going south from Oban, you might want to make the slight diversion west to Easdale- a small island on the other side of a slip stream of water, which gives the place the right to advertise “the Only Bridge over the Atlantic. In any case stop at Arduaine Gardens on the way south- gorgeous rhodendrons and azaleas all in bloom. The Loch Melfort hotel next door does great food too. You can take a short side turn to Carnasserie castle.
You come to Kilmartin Glen, which is choc-a-bloc with prehistoric stuff includingTemple Wood and an array of Neolithic constructions- stone circles, standing stones and henge monuments amongst others. There’s a great visitor centre at the north end of the glen that tries to explain it all. At the south end of the glen you come to Dunadd which is where we are supposed to have crowned the Kings of the Picts and you can climb the hill and see if your feet fit the grooves in the stones. You then cross the Great Moor, (Moine Mhor) (a National Nature Reserve) and drive down to Lochgilphead. Lochgilp is one of those sea lochs that, when the tide goes out, you're 2 miles from the water, across a sea of mud and kelp. Yuch! From Lochgilphead, following the shores of Loch Fyne on the A83, you pass the old West Highland township of Auchindrain where the twenty or so thatched cottages have been restored. A few miles further on is the Argyll Wildlife Park. Then go up Loch Fyne to Inverary (another planned village from the 18th century) Visit the jail and you are back in "Kidnapped" country. The jail was still in use till the 1930s. The castle belongs to the Duke of Argyll Chief of the clan Campbell (boo; hiss!) and is a great visit. Inverary is an 18th century planned village, and if you come down Loch Aweside to reach it you come down into it through a gateway in a wall.
The harbour holds a sailing schooner which increases its scenic worth.
If you go south out of Lochgilphead, round the bend, the road picks up the Crinan Canal running parallel down to Ardrishaig. And here you have to have read "Tales of Para Handy. The canal cuts off the whole of Kintyre and, of course, means that the boats didn’t have to go all the way round. In the old days it was meant for the puffers, the little tramp steamers that kept the west of Scotland going. Nowadays it’s just for the yachties. The "Vital Spark" is moored in one of the canal basins. If you can get a video of the more recent TV series of "The Vital Spark", you should watch it.. Half way along the canal you come to the Cairnbaan hotel, overlooking the canal, where it’s nice to sit and peoplewatch the yachties .At the other end of this pretty little canal which goes the 8 miles from Crinan to Ardrishaig, is the Crinan Hotel- surely one of the finest located hotels in the world. There’s a tea room where you can get a great cup of coffee and the most humungous slice of chocolate cake, overlooking the goings on in the canal basin.
“The Crinan Canal for me
I don’t like the wild rolling sea…”
2. Speyside
Go up the A9 then turn east at pitlochry towrds Moulin and then Glenshee, then Braemar. Drive up through Gairnshiel to Cockbridge. Corgarff Castle is worth a stop; then drive over the Lecht to Tomintoul, which claims to be Scotland’s highest village. There is a Whisky Shop here which is worth waiting for, for your whisky purchases. Retrace your steps a few hundred yards to where the road comes down from the Lecht and go on to Dufftown. This is the start of the whisky trail. Pick a distillery, any distillery…. Actually they do not all do tours, but lots do. Glenfiddich is pretty naff as malt whiskies go, but it does have nifty tour. Your route should then be Craigellachie, Aberlour, Grantown along the mighty Spey. Then go up to Nethy Bridge and visit the Osprey Centre at Loch Garten. The road then goes past Rothiemurchus, which is worth stopping at, and hits the main north road at Aviemore, which is NOT my favourite town in the Highlands. It does have a stunning setting and a lot of shops.
Come back onto the A9 then south towards Aviemore then Newtonmore and Kingussie. I can never remember which comes first, but at one there is a superb 17th century barracks built by the English to keep the Scots down after Culloden. Worth a trip. It's immediately adjacent to Insch Marshes which is another bird reserve- lots of brilliant ducks and waders. Somewhere here come off onto the old main road- less traffic and more scenic Next up you will come to Dalwhinnie- great whisky, great distillery. I don't know if it does tours but it's worth stopping if it does. Go south again on the A9. You will pass a place called House of Bruar which markets itself as "the Harrods of the North" It's a real fancy shop and I hate to say it but I love it. Worth stopping. A couple of miles further on is Blair Atholl, another planned village and a superb castle for a visit. The Duke of Atholl is the only person is the UK licenced by the Queen to have a private army. Go south again and stop at Killiecrankie and see the famous soldier's leap. If you don't know the story, learn the song. Then drive back down to Pitlochry which is a tourist dive, so don't stay long; although it is a good place to get your tweeds and tartans and woolens and things. Then drive on to Dunkeld, a lovely town on the Tay, with a beautiful historic square, a cathedral and some wonderful views. There's a pub in the village (the name of which I can't remember but it's the second one on the street on the right immediately over the bridge- you can't miss it) which is owned by Dougie Mclean one of Scotland's greatest contemporary singer songwriters. It can be a fine place to spend an evening. Keeping south you come to Perth.
or 3. Fife
Go south on the main raod to Edinburgh 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.) You can take boat trips from Kinross.
Vane Farm Bird Reserve is on the other side of the Loch.
Then go due east to the coast. There are lots of other nice places, like Ceres, Falkland Palace, the East Neuk villages, Pittenweem, St Monans and Leven - 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.
In Anstruther 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. That area of Fife is well worth a visit
In St Andrews, take 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.
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. There's a new restaurant in Largo that's had very good reviews, but I can't remember the name
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SiobhanP
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