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We travel through the ancient medieval Kingdom of Fife and stop in the historic village of Falkland for a short walk through its cobbled streets. We then visit Historic St Andrews with its famous University, Castle, Cathedral and those world famous Golf Courses.
We then follow the coastal route via the picturesque fishing villages of Crail, Anstruther, Pittenweem and Elie, where you may enjoy lunch at an award winning traditional fish and chip shop if you wish.
Our return journey takes us past Loch Leven where Mary Stuart (Queen of Scots) was imprisoned for a time before eventual escape.
A brief history of St Andrews and the East Neuk of Fife
St Andrews grew from a religious settlement and legend says that St Rule, a Greek monk brought relics of St Andrew here. The shrine of St Andrew became a place of pilgrimage and in the 12th and 13th centuries the great Cathedral was constructed, it was the largest building in Scotland and was the centre of the countries religious life. The imposing ruins of the Cathedral with its magnificent stone arches and towers are open to walk around.
Sitting atop a rocky outcrop by the sea, St Andrews Castle acted as the former Bishops Palace. It has a fine example of a bottle dungeon but has suffered badly from war and siege.
The university is the oldest in Scotland and was founded in 1410 by Scottish academics. It is still highly regarded today for the excellence of both its teaching and research.
The town is known as the Home of Golf and the famous Old Course dates back to medieval times. The Society of St Andrews Golfers was set up in 1754 to organize an annual competition, it is now known as the Royal and Ancient Golf Club and is the governing body for the rules of Golf in most countries.
Dotted along the east coast to the south of St Andrews are the picturesque fishing villages of the East Neuk (neuk meaning corner). The distinctive architecture has Dutch and Flemish influence, a result of the continental trade which flourished on the east coast from the 15th – 17th centuries. Although the harbours are not as busy as they once were shell fishing is still an important part of the local economy.
The price quoted of £250 is for a group up to 6 people from Edinburgh or Glasgow.
If you are staying in Stirling or elsewhere in central Scotland please contact Claymore for a quote.
Entrance to heritage centres is optional and is not included in the price.
The tour time is approximately 8 hours from Edinburgh or Glasgow.
Email Derek to book your tour.
Old Course St Andrews
Pittenweem
Hi Derek,
Bob Fujawa here. As my family watched the final round of the open from the Old Course at St Andrews, we were reminiscing of some of the great times in our tours with you last year. The overhead cameras panned over the city and we were reminded of our tour through the Cathedral and Graveyard, the Harbour and the other sites of St Andrews. It was truly a remarkable time for us and only now that we have returned home have we begun to fully appreciate all of the historical insight that you offered.
Thanks again for sharing the great sites and history of Scotland with our family.
Bob Fujawa and family,
Schoolcraft, Michigan, USA.