Kingdom of Fife

Travel Information on Fife, Scotland

Fife is Scotland's hidden wonder, an area with such lovely places that it's hard to believe so few tourists visit it in comparison with other parts of Scotland. It used to be a kingdom within a kingdom for many centuries when it marked the southern limit of the Pictish territory.

Today, Fife is the home of some of the finest preservation and restoration work in the UK It's got wonderful shoreline, historic buildings, the world's most famous golf course and picturesque fishing villages. It is the first year I've been to Fife and have discovered a region of rare beauty with something for everyone.

Fife in History - The Brief, not Boring, Version

The Kingdom of Fife was so close to Pictish territory that traces can still be found today in names of places beginning with 'Pit' such as 'Pittenweem' (one of the East Neuk fishing villages). The people of Fife have been fortunate over the centuries as the region is endowed with good fishing and coal which helped them prosper. Scotland's largest cathedral and first university were built in St Andrews as well as the world's first 18-hole golf course The golf course in St Andrews is the world's finest and most famous and marks the roots of professional golf.

The Great Figures of Fife - Alexander Selkirk aka Robinson Crusoe

" The name of Fife has been attributed to the personal name Fib, precursor of the Picts, one of the sons of Cruithne " .

Places like Kirkcaldy have brought not only linen to the world but also great minds like the economist Adam Smith, author of "Wealth of Nations" and the architect family Adam (you can't miss some of their masterpieces in Edinburgh). The linen factory in Kirkcaldy which marked a period of prosperity in the town's history, was one of the contenders for the BBC Restoration programme and by a strange coincidence so was Robert Adam's (of the Adam family) Mavisbank House in Midlothian.

Fife is a place of contrasts. On one hand we have modern bridges (the Forth Rail Bridge), proof of Victorian engineering genius and on the other we have the picturesque East Neuk fishing villages renowned for their whitewash and red-pantiled roofs. East Neuk's Alexander Selkirk as been Daniel Defoe's inspiration for his famous 'Robinson Crusoe' novel.

Fife's Coast - Walk Along the Smooth Shoreline For Over 80 Miles

View of Forth Rail Bridge from North Queensferry A fishing village busy with tourists The pier in Crail

The Fife Coastal Path runs for over 80 miles along Fife's coastline and it's a journey worthwhile taking, even if just for a couple of hours. It allows you to explore both natural landscapes and historic ruins. The Coastal Path starts from the Forth Bridge, the world renowned railway bridge completed in the Victorian era, and finishes at Dundee There are many ways in which you can explore the coastline and there's something for everyone, even for kids.

The shoreline gives you the chance to be in contact with flora and especially fauna which is hard to come by in areas so close to urban establishments. You won't believe it, but dolphins and seals are by no means a rare sight on Fife's Coastal Path. You don't have to go to Skye or the West Coast for the experience.

I have had the opportunity to make 2 trips to Fife during the summer of 2003, both along the coast. Two days I've spent there and it wasn't enough to cover it all. I will cover in detail only the sections I am familiar with.

And then there's the Isle of May, the most distant of the Firth of Forth's islands, 5-6 miles from Crail. Flat and one and a half km long, it is the home of one of Scotland's earliest lighthouses It's also an important nature reserve, home of thousands of nesting birds and seals.

Related Information

• Kingdom of Fife Tourist Board

Flavour of Scotland is a source of information and pictures on tourism in Scotland. This page offers information on Fife, Scotland.