Fife’s Hidden Sites

The Kingdom of Fife doesn’t get nearly enough attention in my opinion. This is where I grew up so there might be an element of bias here but I think it’s the ultimate hidden gem. Fife is packed full of history, attractions and culture but most people will take a quick trip to Dunfermline and then ignore everything else until they get to St Andrews.

Both of those places are worth a visit but hopefully I can convince you to spend a little more time in the Kingdom with this tour around some of Fife’s hidden sites.

The Hidden Side of Falkland Village

For fans of Outlander, the village of Falkland itself isn’t very hidden at all but it is worth more than a flying visit. Falkland Palace itself is run by The National Trust for Scotland and definitely worth a visit. It was a favourite royal holiday home of the Stuart monarchs such as Mary Queen of Scots. She was known to play “real tennis” here and you can still visit the oldest tennis court in use today.

The Palace had experienced much darker days before Mary’s time however. David the Duke of Rothesay and heir to the throne was kidnapped by his uncle and imprisoned here in Falkland. King Robert III was a weak man and didn’t have the strength to demand his son’s freedom. A few months later and David was dead. His uncle claimed it was natural causes but people whispered that the heir to the throne had been starved to death.

Falkland Palace: Open March – October, Last admission 16:15. Entry £13 Adult, £9 Child/Senior, Free for National Trust for Scotland Members.

Don’t leave Falkland just yet though! There is so much more to see around this tiny village than just the main street and the palace. Keep driving through the village, past the violin shop, past the stag pub on your right (excellent local pub) and down the narrow street until you think you’re sure you must be going the wrong way. Then directly in front of you there is a right hand turn on the bend with a red T-junction sign that you want to take. At the end of this you’ll see a little sign aptly labelling this “The Hidden Place” and there is a car park just through the gates.

You’re now in the Falkland Estate at the foot of the Lomond Hills. There are a variety of walks around here through the woodland and if you’re feeling energetic then all the way up to the top of either East or West Lomond. My personal favourite is the stroll through Maspie Den which has helped me shake many hangovers in the past.

You’ll pass the beautiful Falkland House but this is now an additional support school so please don’t hang around outside taking pictures. The track passes over and under footbridges, through tunnels and past a couple of small waterfalls in a great circular route. It will take you a couple of hours and is a great walk for kids but there have been landslips recently so please check before you go if the full route is open.

Falkland Estate: Open all year and free for all!

Pillars of Hercules – Farmshop

We haven’t jumped to the Mediterranean Sea, don’t worry. The Pillars of Hercules is an organic farm shop on the Falkland Estate. It also has its own cafe and camping site as well as a wee bothy available to rent. If you like vegetarian food or you want to pick up some organic vegetables for the rest of your trip then this is the place.

Wemyss – Fife’s Hidden Caves!

This next stop is out on the coast and might be the least known of Fife’s hidden sites. Pronounced Weems, these caves contain the most concentrated collection of Pictish carvings in the world. Be careful around the caves that have warning signs because the cliffs are getting less stable every year. If you’re short on time then you want to head straight to “Jonathan’s Cave” where you will have no trouble finding carvings of animals and even a longboat.

If you want to figure out where each carving is beforehand then this link will take you to a 3D map! – http://4dwemysscaves.org/

Wemyss Caves – Currently open all year at all times but plans to re-instate gates to restrict access to the daytime. Free access for all!

Explore The East Neuk of Fife

The East Neuk is the east corner of Fife and filled with beautiful, little fishing villages. If you only have time for a few then I would start with St Monans and its incredible clifftop church founded by King David II. There was already a shrine here but legend has it that David founded the church here for one of two reasons.

The first theory was that David had an arrow head stuck in his head from the Battle of Neville’s Cross which had been causing him painful headaches. He came to the shrine to pray and the arrowhead miraculously fell out! The second theory was that the King’s ship was wrecked in a storm but he managed to make it safely to shore here at St Monans shrine.

St Monans Auld Kirk: Still a functioning church so free to worship inside on a Sunday.

A couple of miles up the coast and you’re at Pittenweem where you can visit St Fillan’s cave. You might think it dark down in the cave but St Fillan had a special trick for that. His arm glowed in the dark to allow him to study the scriptures at night or in a dark cave.

This holy arm was requested by Robert the Bruce before the Battle of Bannockburn so he could pray for victory. The Abbot was too scared the Scots would lose the battle as well as the relic so he only brought the box with him. As Robert knelt down to pray at the empty box there was a rattling inside and to the Abbot’s amazement the arm had appeared inside!

St Fillans Cave: Pick up the key from the Cocoa Tree Cafe, Open Tuesday-Sunday 10-5 in exchange for a refundable deposit.

You’ll notice lots of white houses roofed with red tiles in these coastal villages which are remnants of trade with the Low Countries. The Dutch and Belgian ships used the tiles as ballast on their trip over and the locals put them to good use!

If you’re a fan of fish and chips then you’ll be pleased to know that a couple more miles up the coas in Anstruther lies Scotland’s best chippy. Obviously that’s a hotly disputed title but The Anstruther Fish Bar has pretty good credentials. It has served plenty of famous names in the past and people regularly travel here from Edinburgh just to get their fish supper. Have a look on the board when you order and you can even see the boat that caught your fish that day.

https://www.anstrutherfishbar.co.uk/

Fife’s Hidden Castle

Run by The National Trust for Scotland, Kellie Castle is just far enough off the beaten track to still count as one of Fife’s hidden sites. If this was closer to one of the main tourist areas then you can be sure it would be overrun with visitors daily. Originally built in the 14th century, the castle had been left to ruin before being rescued by the Lorimer family in the 19th century.

Inside you have tapestries, plaster ceilings and beautiful artwork while outside you have a perfectly laid garden and sculpture workshop. I was lucky enough to work here for a few months and I loved it through the day but less so in the evening. The castle is supposed to be haunted by Anne Erskine who either threw herself from one of the tower windows or fell down the staircase. Sitting all alone in the castle giftshop, I heard the running of footsteps above me far too often for it to just be a trick of my mind.

Kellie Castle: Open March-October. Last admission 16:15. Entry £10.50 Adult, £7.50 Child/Senior, Free for National Trust for Scotland Members.

https://www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/kellie-castle

Hill of Tarvit Mansionhouse

Back towards the centre of Fife you will find Hill of Tarvit Mansionhouse. This is another National Trust for Scotland property and well worth a visit but it isn’t the house itself that gains it this place as one of Fife’s hidden sites. Firstly, you can play a round of golf with traditional hickory clubs on the course laid out in front of the mansion. Even if you’re not a keen golfer, it’s still fun to get dressed up and see how the game used to be played.

Hill of Tarvit: Open March-October. Last admission 16:15. Entry £10.50 Adult, £7.50 Child/Senior, Free for National Trust for Scotland Members.

Kingarrock Hickory Golf Course: £45 per person for 9 hols or £60 per person for 18 holes.

Secondly, you can take the short but steep walk up the hill that gives the mansion its name and look down on the town of Cupar below. You’ll find a large monument up there that was actually built to replace the Cupar Mercat Cross. The town had lost the cross in a bet in 1817 and so it sat up here for 80 years before being dutifully returned close to its original spot.

The monument also commemorates a showdown between Protestant and Catholic forces during the Scottish Reformation. After a lot of marching and bluster between the two sides, the treaty of Garlie Bank was signed and no shots were fired.

Scotstarvit Tower

Don’t leave Hill of Tarvit without picking up the key for Scotstarvit Tower just across the road. It doesn’t have a car park so you have a bit of a walk but it’s worth it for the views alone. You will almost definitely have the tower to yourself and can climb all the way up to walk around the parapet. If you’ve already been inside Hill of Tarvit then you might notice that this where the fancy fireplace in the billiard room used to live!

Scotstarvit was designed and lived in by an eccentric lawyer and poet named Sir John Scot. John turned this outdated towerhouse into a secret college for learned men. Imagine the intellectual discussions that would have bounced around these walls as well as the food and drink that I have no doubt would have flowed freely.

Scotstarvit Tower: Open whenever Hill of Tarvit is open. Key available in the Mansionhouse on leaving a refundable deposit.

Balmerino – Fife’s Hidden Abbey

The last spot on the list of Fife’s hidden sites goes to Balmerino Abbey, a place truly hidden away on the banks of the Tay. Balmerino was founded in 1229 as the idea of Queen Ermengard. She was buried in front of the High Altar and the spot is marked by the giant cross today. While there isn’t much of the Abbey left to see, the surroundings are peaceful far away from the main roads. Be careful parking on the road, there isn’t a lot of space here.

Balmerino Abbey: Open all year round and free for all!

Don’t leave straight away but walk a little further down the track and on the left you will find your way to a pebble beach. The perfect spot to end your day with a picnic and a few drinks looking out over the silvery Tay.

These are definitely not the only things to see in Fife but they are all underappreciated in my eyes. Hopefully on your next trip to St Andrews this will convince you to spend a little bit more time in the Kingdom of Fife.

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