The Kingdom of Fife

It is no wonder that this wonderful name conjures up evocative images of Kings and Queens as it was the ancestral home of Scottish monarchs for centuries.

From the Firth of Tay in the north to the Firth of Forth in the south, this kingdom encapsulates many wonderful attractions and discoveries and yet is barely 50 miles across at its widest point. Fife encompasses several different regions with a marked difference between the rural north and the more populous south.

The city of Dunfermline dominates the south and is justly proud of its 500 year long heritage as the ancient capital of Scotland. This hub of Scottish royal history has its famous ruined palace overlooking the Abbot House and the Abbey which was originally founded by Queen Margaret and is the final resting place of King Robert the Bruce. For more royal history, visit historic Falkland Palace, North of Glenrothes, the favourite hunting lodge of the Stuart kings and Mary, Queen of Scots.

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On the eastern coast is St. Andrews, the town that is synonymous the world over as the ‘home of golf’ with the Royal and Ancient, as well as 8 other courses in the town. St. Andrews is also home to Scotland’s oldest university and you can take the opportunity to wander around the shadowy cloisters of the Cathedral.

Delightful East Neuk fishing villages with their natural harbours hug the coastline. Visit the Crail Heritage Centre and maybe Pittenweem where the legendary St. Fillan’s Cave can be found. Scotland's Beach Awards 2021 named 15 beaches in Fife as clean, well managed and sustainable beaches.

Towards the Kincardine Bridge lies the 17th century village of Culross with its palace and abbey and its quaint cottages with pretty pantiled roofs. You may recognise it from the Outlander TV series. You can also enjoy an exciting day out at nearby Knockhill race track and try your hand at off-road driving.

For cycling enthusiasts, there are over 300 miles of dedicated cycle routes on the Kingdom of Fife Cycle Ways and you can cycle from one end of the kingdom to the other. Walkers will also be entranced with the Fife Coastal Route stretching from the Royal Burgh of Culross in the south all the way to the Tay Bridge in the north. This path meanders through some of Fife’s most glorious scenery and you can just do small stretches to address all abilities. Along this walk, look out for grey seals or in the summer months, basking sharks and dolphins. The offshore islands of Inchcolm and Inchkeith are home to thousands of seabirds, with vast numbers of puffins to be seen on the Isle of May.

You enter the Kingdom of Fife from Edinburgh by driving over the impressive Queensferry Crossing (open since in 2017) or the original Forth road bridge spanning the Firth of Forth. You may prefer to travel by train on the Forth Bridge (opened in 1890) with its spectacular iron structures, famous for being continuously painted. Together the three Forth Bridges are now a UNESCO World Heritage site. Alternatively, you can take the smaller Clackmannanshire Bridge at Kincardine on the border with the smallest county in Scotland, Clackmannanshire.

From coastal walks to action packed water activities to a day spent on the many golf courses, the Kingdom of Fife, so rich in historical heritage, has something for everyone.

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Attractions in Fife - Castles in Fife - Gardens in Fife - Golf in Fife - Historic Sites in Fife - Museums in Fife - Wildlife in Fife