A Day in St Andrews
A few weeks ago we headed to the East Neuk of Fife for a gatehouse cottage staycation and the first stop on our trip was the beautiful historic town of St Andrews. Brimming with charm, it is without doubt one of my favourite places in Scotland so whilst in the area it made perfect sense to include it in our weekend itinerary and stop by to spend a day in St Andrews wandering its quirky cobbled streets.
Every time I visit St. Andrews I find myself falling in love with the place a little bit more and discovering a different cobbled street to wander through, another cottage to admire or a new cafe to warm up in with a pot of tea after a couple of hours exploring. It’s so easy to spend a day roaming around here and getting lost down the lanes which take you off the beaten track to the beauty of the hidden gems that lay tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the town centre.
After a couple of hours of exploring and admiring the beautiful buildings it was time for a refuel so we headed back to the centre for a tea and cake stop, a must do when spending a day in St Andrews! We tried to get a table at our favourite spot, The Cottage Kitchen, but being such a poplar place it was fully packed out so we tried the nearby Cafe In The Square and were not disappointed! An utterly delicious slice of homemade cake each and a big pot of tea, this little cafe is the perfect stop for some afternoon tea and cake on a day of exploring.
Reheated and woolies on again, we headed back out and wandered down to the coastline where right at the edge of the town sits the castle ruins which are perfectly perched on the cliff beside the sea, a very dramatic Scottish sight to behold! I highly recommend going right in to visit, it is well worth it for the views alone! After spending some time exploring the grounds we then wandered on down to the next historic site, the breathtaking ruins of the St. Andrews Cathedral. The grand structures with the backdrop of the sea is quite something to take in, as you can only begin to imagine the sheer size of the cathedral when it was in the complete state of its glory days.
Another perfect day spent in this beautiful part of Scotland. As the sun began to set we headed back to the car and onto the next part of our staycation adventure. There was a full weekend of exploring ahead of us!
Some St. Andrews favourites:
Eat and shop at Balgove Larder Farm Shop & Cafe for wholesome, wonderful food and beautiful homeware and gifts. Stop in at The Cottage Kitchen, or The Cafe in the Square for great tea and cake. For dinner head to The Peat Inn and Playfairs for excellent food. Visit the Castle the Museum and the Cathedral for a real slice of Scottish history.
Hollie x