St Andrews and the Kingdom of Fife

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Rates

Private tour: £550 (up to 5 people) For Tours ending after 18.00 we add a one-off evening supplement of £50 Up to 5 people per tour

Duration

8 hours

See the medieval Abbey and Palace of Dunfermline, Scotland’s ancient capital and enjoy a private, guided tour of famous St Andrews, home of Golf, Scotland’s ancient ecclesiastic center and thus, her oldest University, where Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge fell in love.

Access to the Old Course available: Call for discussion on tee-times.

Scotland’s industrial heritage is epitomised by the iconic Forth Bridge, still the major rail arterial on the east coastline. It’s best viewed from the Forth Road Bridge and you’ll get just such an opportunity as we head North. Our first stop is at Loch Leven, where seasonally we can take the opportunity to sail over to Mary, Queen of Scots personal Alcatraz.

Passing through breathtaking scenery and the town of Cupar, an important royal burgh from Scotland’s early mercantile history, we arrive at St Andrews. For most, the town is synonymous with the game of Golf. Should you want to play you’ll need to chalk off the whole day to that purpose and we can discuss how best to get a tee-time. The earlier we know your desire, the better your chances of enjoying the round you want. We can’t provide you with skill, though; you must bring that yourself. The course can be visited, whether we play or not and the fantastic museum is a must for anyone with more than a passing interest in the sport.

If golf doesn’t float your boat, though, there’s still plenty to see and do in St Andrews. The University is the oldest in Scotland, dating to the 1410s. Tantalisingly, it’s here that “Wills met Kate”. St Andrews was also the ancient religious center of Scotland and the Cathedral and attendant Castle present impressive remains.

We lunch in Anstruther on Fish and Chips from consistently one of the finest purveyors in the United Kingdom, and no wonder. The fish travels less than 100 meters from pier to fryer. It can hardly be bettered.

Along the coast we head for Dunfermline, the ancient Scottish capital and birthplace of Andrew Carnegie the steel magnate and philanthropist who spent nearly as long giving away his massive fortune as he had amassing it. The abbey may be in ruins, but Carnegie’s cottage is a fabulous testament to human endeavour and ingenuity.

Our final stop is at Culross (pronounced koorus). Frozen in time, it is a perfect representation of a Scottish Burgh as we enter the early modern era. Fife’s industrial heritage was predominantly a story of coal mining and it began right here at Culross. Or rather the pit-head did. Astonishingly our 16th-century miners hewed anthracite from below the River Forth and even had an air filtration system to ensure they could work in relative safety.

We return home via the Kincardine Bridge and enjoy a great view of the newly erected Water Kelpies at Carronbridge: a breathtaking modern work of art that you literally cannot miss.

Tour Highlights

• Mary, Queen of Scots island Prison
• Britain's best fish & chips
• Beautiful coastal drive
• Ancient monuments and early industrial heritage
• The home of golf

What is included

• 8 hours tour (start at 9 am)
• Pick up (Edinburgh / Glasgow Airport)
• Drop off (Edinburgh / Glasgow Airport)
• Comfortable car
• Private guide