111 Places in Fife That You Shouldn't Miss Revised

by Gillian Tait

Overview

• The ultimate insider's guide to Fife

• Features interesting and unusual places not found in traditional travel guides

• Part of the international 111 Places/111 Shops series with over 650 titles and 3.8 million copies in print worldwide

• Appeals to both the local market (more than 366,000 people call Fife home) and the tourist market (more than 8 million people visit Fife every year!)

• Fully illustrated with 111 full-page color photographs

• New and updated edition

Fife is an ancient Scottish county, proudly known as the Kingdom. Its distinctive, self-contained identity is summed up in the old adage 'Bid farewell to Scotland, and cross to Fife!' A compact peninsula shaped like the head of a Scottie dog nosing the North Sea, it boasts magnificent approaches from south and north via the celebrated bridges over the Forth and Tay. Tourists flock to the world-famous golf courses in the old university town of St Andrews. But Fife is packed with all manner of much less-visited treasures, places of stunning natural beauty as well as fascinating monuments of every era, from prehistoric to post-industrial, testaments to its long and eventful past and richly diverse cultural heritage. You will discover a land where generations of the illustrious and the powerful, the humble and the hard-working have all left their mark, from kings and queens to miners and fishermen, from bishops, earls and industrialists to scholars, artists and sportsmen - to say nothing of the internationally famed Fifers whose legacies have changed history. This book will introduce visitor and native alike to a whole host of unexpected and contrasting sites and sights that celebrate the delightful otherness of this unique little Kingdom.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783740817404
Publisher:	Acc Publishing Group Ltd
Publication date:	12/23/2022
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	5.46(w) x 7.92(h) x 0.74(d)

About the Author

Gillian Tait was born in Edinburgh and grew up in other parts of Scotland. She studied art history and painting conservation at the universities of Edinburgh and London respectively, and worked in the museum sector for many years before reinventing herself as a researcher, editor, writer and photographer. She is the author and photographer of 111 Places in Edinburgh That You Shouldn’t Miss and 111 Places in Fife That You Shouldn’t Miss, and also contributed to 111 Places in Glasgow That You Shouldn’t Miss as photographer and editor. She lives in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town.

Table of Contents

1 Aberdour Castle | West Fife: Aberdour

Pigeons in the beehive and rabbits in the pillows 10

2 The Orontes Ceiling | West Fife: Aberdour

First-class glass that sailed down under 12

3 The Lime Kilns | West Fife: Charlestown

The miraculous powder that came from the stones 14

4 Jim Baxter | West Fife: Cowdenbeath

The man who played keepy-uppy at Wembley 16

5 The Wee Miner Boy | West Fife: Cowdenbeath

Brightening up a grimy heritage 18

6 Culross Palace | West Fife: Culross

The glowing rewards of the Egyptian wheel 20

7 Braefoot Point | West Fife: Dalgety Bay

Panoramas, pillboxes and petrochemicals 22

8 Donibristle | West Fife: Dalgety Bay

In search of Lady Mondegreen 24

9 The Abbey Church | West Fife: Dunfermline

How Tiffany finally got together with Bruce 26

10 Abbot House | West Fife: Dunfermline

An old survivor, in the pink once more 28

11 Andrew Carnegie Birthplace Museum | West Fife: Dunfermline

The noblest possible use of wealth 30

12 The City Chambers | West Fife: Dunfermline

A ubiquitous clock and a hungover elf 32

13 Fire Station Creative | West Fife: Dunfermline

Deco landmark aflame with artistic enterprise 34

14 Pittencrieff Park | West Fife: Dunfermline

Sweetness, light and peacocks 36

15 The Royal Guesthouse | West Fife: Dunfermline

From poor pilgrims to an ill-starred prince 38

16 St Margaret's Cave | West Fife: Dunfermline

Simple royal retreat, with ample parking 40

17 Tam o' Shanter | West Fife: Dunfermline

'And at his elbow, Souter Johnny' 42

18 The Mercat Cross | West Fife: Inverkeithing

A unicorn to believe in 44

19 Devilla Forest | West Fife: Kincardine

Shinrin-joku, secret lochs and squirrel-spotting 46

20 Tulliallan Kirkyard | West Fife: Kincardine

Emblems of trade and mortality 48

21 St Ninian's Land Art | West Fife: Kingseat

Cosmic fragments of the art park that never was 50

22 The Vintage Bus Museum | West Fife: Lathalmond

Transports of delight 52

23 Lochore Meadows | West Fife: Lochgelly

From colliery wasteland to country park 54

24 Preston Island | West Fife: Low Valleyfield

Floating Bob's high-water mark 56

25 The Forth Road Bridge | West Fife: North Queensferry

Walking in the air 58

26 The Harbour Light Tower | West Fife: North Queensferry

You too can be a keeper of the lamp 60

27 Underwater Safari | West Fife: North Queensferry

Sharks overhead! 62

28 The Dockyard Castle | West Fife: Rosyth

Silent witness marooned amongst umbilicals 64

29 The 'Garden City' | West Fife: Rosyth

Scotland's prototype new town 66

30 The Binn | Central Fife: Burntisland

Vanished history on the rocks 68

31 The Kirk of the Bible | Central Fife: Burntisland

Four-square equality, and a better Good Book 70

32 The Museum of Communication | Central Fife: Burntisland

Technology with knobs on 72

33 The Wemyss School of Needlework | Central Fife: Coaltown of Wemyss

Stitches in time 74

34 The Wemyss Caves | Central Fife: East Wemyss

Threatened traces of the painted people 76

35 The Caichpule | Central Fife: Falkland

Favourite court of the Queen of Scots 78

36 Falkland Palace | Central Fife: Falkland

Reimagined Renaissance splendour 80

37 Maspie Den | Central Fife: Falkland

Walk behind the water 82

38 Pillars of Hercules | Central Fife: Falkland

Organic food pioneer still going strong 84

39 The Violin Shop | Central Fife: Falkland

An ex-tec with more than one string to his bow 86

40 The Bunnet Stane | Central Fife: Gateside

Aeolian sculpture from aeons past 88

41 Prehistoric Balfarg | Central Fife: Glenrothes

A time before this 90

42 The Town Art | Central Fife: Glenrothes

A regular army of hippopotami 92

43 Kinghom Loch | Central Fife: Kinghorn

The water that came back from the dead 94

44 Adam Smith Close | Central Fife: Kirkcaldy

In the footsteps of the 'father of capitalism' 96

45 The Art Gallery | Central Fife: Kirkcaldy

A brush with Scottish colour 98

46 The Coptic Screen | Central Fife: Kirkcaldy

Linktown's link to Egypt 100

47 Dysart | Central Fife: Kirkcaldy

From a legendary saint to a fictional outlander 102

48 Fife Ice Arena | Central Fife: Kirkcaldy

Get your skates on 104

49 The Linoleum Poem | Central Fife: Kirkcaldy

The magical mixture with the 'queer-like smell' 106

50 Maggie's Centre | Central Fife: Kirkcaldy

A whole new angle on a challenging issue 108

51 The Merchant's House | Central Fife: Kirkcaldy

A grand design and a ghost ship 110

52 'Pet Marjorie' | Central Fife: Kirkcaldy

The reinvention of a feisty wunderkind 112

53 The Bull Stone | Central Fife: Leslie

The gory past of a peaceful green 114

34 Fife Heritage Railway | Central Fife: Leven

Hear that whistle blowing 116

35 Dalginch | Central Fife: Markinch

The gathering place at Fife's ancient heart 118

56 Alexander III Monument | Central Fife: Pettycur

It was a dark and stormy night… 120

57 Auld Wemyss Ways | Central Fife: West Wemyss

The chattering parrot and the sentinel canary 122

55 The Fisheries Museum | East Fife: Anstruther

Farlans, Zulus and the real price of fish 124

59 The Isle of May | East Fife: Anstruther

Where the sky meets the sea 126

60 Kellie Castle | East Fife: Amcroach

Reviving the sleeping beauty of the East Neuk 128

61 Cellardyke Harbour | East Fife: Cellardyke

The silvery scales of Skinfast 130

62 Fife Folk Museum | East Fife: Ceres

A vivid tribute to ordinary lives 132

63 Wemyss Ware | East Fife: Ceres

Cheerful pottery pets with a Bohemian past 134

64 The Dutch Village | East Fife: Craigtoun

Fairy tales can come true 136

65 Crail Airfield | East Fife: Crail

Spy school for literati 138

66 The Lobster Hut | East Fife: Crail

The freshest crustaceans on the loveliest harbour 140

67 Priory Doocot | East Fife: Crail

Impeccable apartments for pigeons 142

68 Dunino Den | East Fife: Dunino

Reconnecting with the elementals 144

69 The Chain Walk | East Fife: Elie

Step we gaily, on we go 146

70 Lady's Tower | East Fife: Elie

The flighty bather who flattened a village 148

71 The Cheese Farm | East Fife: Falside

The fresh tang of the East Neuk 150

72 The Cambo Snowdrops | East Fife: Kingbarns

Carpets of milk flowers 152

73 Alexander Selkirk | East Fife: Lower Largo

Dances with cats 154

74 Lundin Ladies' Golf Club | East Fife: Lundin Links

Elusive links with prehistory 156

75 Bowbridge Alpacas | East Fife: Peat Inn

Close encounters of the camelid kind 158

76 The Arts Festival | East Fife: Pittenweem

Creative endeavour round every corner 160

77 St Fillan's Cave | East Fife: Pittenweem

The shady tale of the man with the luminous arm 162

78 Bell Pettigrew Museum | East Fife: St Andrews

Sad solitaires, flexible fish and flying machines 164

79 The Botanic Garden | East Fife: Andrews

Bright wings in a green oasis 166

80 The Byre Theatre | East Fife: St Andrews

Please keep your feet off the stage 168

81 The Cathedral Museum | East Fife: St Andrews

A hidden Pictish masterpiece with far-flung roots 170

82 The PH Monogram | East Fife: St Andrews

Burning with intent 172

83 The R & A World Golf Museum | East Fife: St Andrews

Open secrets right by the Old Course 174

84 The Rock and Spindle | East Fife: St Andrews

The explosive past of a peaceful shore 176

85 Saint Andrew | East Fife: St Andrews

Scotland's X-man 178

86 St Mary's College | East Fife: St Andrews

In the beginning was the word 180

87 St Rule's Tower | East Fife: St Andrews

A coign of vantage with a kindly ghost 182

88 West Sands | East Fife: St Andrews

A pretty good run for their money 184

89 The Auld Kirk | East Fife: St Monans

An exquisite cliffhanger 186

90 Bowhouse | East Fife: St Monans

The local market that's got it all covered 188

91 East Pier Smokehouse | East Fife: St Monans

A refreshingly different kettle of fish 190

92 The Windmill | East Fife: St Monans

Toiling at the pans 192

93 Bishop's Wood | East Fife: Strathkinness

Rough justice for Sharp practice 194

94 The Cold War Bunker | East Fife: Troywood

Not with a bang but a whimper 196

95 Sir Jimmy Shand | North Fife: Auchtermuchry

The toe-tapping Laird o'Muchty 198

96 Balmerino Abbey | North Fife: Balmerino

Commune of the white monks 200

97 Scottish Deer Centre | North Fife: Bow of Fife

Animal magic 202

98 Cupar Heritage Trail | North Fife: Cupar

The tantalising past of the old county town 204

99 Hill of Tarvit | North Fife: Cupar

Upstairs, downstairs and out on the green 206

100 Scotstarvit Tower | North Fife: Cupar

Status symbol of a sardonic Scot 208

101 Eden Mill Distillery | North Fife: Guardbridge

The doctrine of original gin 210

102 St Athernase Church | North Fife: Leuchars

The discreet charm of the Romanesque 212

103 The Orchard Town | North Fife: Newburgh

The fruits of an ancient heritage 214

104 The Unknown Bairn | North Fife: Tayport

Unnamed, but not unmourned 216

105 The Polish Camp | North Fife: Tentsmuir

The eagle and the lion 218

106 The Tay Bridge Disaster | North Fife: Wormit

'Remember'd for a very long time' 220

107 The Artline | Kingdom of Fife

Platforms for creativity 222

108 The Coastal Path | Kingdom of Fife

Walking the fringe of gold 224

109 The Little Houses | Kingdom of Fife

New homes for old 226

110 The Pilgrim Way | Kingdom of Fife

Take the road less travelled 228

111 Waymarkers and Milestones | Kingdom of Fife

Show me the way to go home 230