When is the best time to visit the East Neuk of Fife?

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CELLARDYKE in the east neuk of fife

TL:DR Any time is a good time to visit the East Neuk of Fife!

When is the best time to see the East Neuk of Fife?

If you’re planning a trip to Scotland, and want to take in the East Neuk but you’re not sure when is the best time to visit, then this post is for you! In it, we’ll explore the seasons in the East Neuk so you can decide whether to come in Spring, Summer, Autumn or Winter.

Where and What is the East Neuk?

The East Neuk (or ‘Nook’ or ‘corner’) is a strip of land in the north-east corner of the Kingdom of Fife, on Scotland’s east coast. The Neuk includes the coastal villages of Elie and Earlsferry, Crail, Cellardyke and Anstruther, Pittenweem, and St Monans. Kilrenny and Kingsbarns are just inland and then there are the farming hamlets of Carnbee and Arncroach and the hill villages of Kilconquhar and Collinsburgh.

Spring and Summer in the East Neuk

Spring can be magical! Birdsong, warmer weather, spring flowers, a duck race and beer festival. It’s busy over the Easter holidays, but - otherwise - quiet enough to ensure you’ll get your first choice of where to park/eat/shop/walk.

In Summer, the East Neuk, like other touristy areas of Scotland, is very busy. As well as tourists from overseas, we get holiday-makers from other parts of Scotland, too - many of whom have been coming to these parts for years. St Monans has a long history of Glasgow visitors, while Elie and Earlsferry have many Edinburgh patrons.

Pros of visiting the East Neuk in the Spring and Summer

The freshest of fresh air! Spring is still quiet, outside of Easter, but everything is in full swing in summer. Markets open up in Spring As well as boat trips to the May Isle and plenty of golf, you’ll find art festivals, music festivals, village fetes and Open Studios days on offer throughout June, July and August. Check out the links for more:

Cons of visiting in the Spring and Summer

It can be trickier to find somewhere to park and not so easy to get a table at lunchtime in the most popular places. Weekends are especially busy.

 

Some of the many Spring and Summer activities you can enjoy in the East Neuk:

 

Autumn and Winter in the East Neuk

All of these photos were taken in January and February, which is right in the depths of our winter in Scotland.

Autumn weather can be warm, as summer warmth lingers into September and October. The coastal villages can be busy during the school holidays in October, and walkers particularly like to tackle longer stretches of the Fife Coastal Path, but this is still a much less hectic time in the East Neuk than high summer.

Winter is a quiet time of year in the East Neuk, so an ideal time to visit if you are looking for some peace and quiet and crowd-free beaches. Most shops, cafes and restaurants are still open - as they serve locals as well as tourists - and there are also some lovely things to do at this special time of year. As well as art exhibitions, there’s the Snowdrop Festival, Christmas fayres and food fairs, too.

Pros of visiting the East Neuk in Autumn and Winter

Far less busy than in the summer, so way more space to enjoy! And the good days, like those in my images, are just outstanding.

Cons of visiting the East Neuk in Autumn and Winter

The weather is very changeable and, when it’s cold and windy, it can be hard-going here in the East Neuk - so you need the right gear to cope with bad weather. (That mostly means something warm and wind- and waterproof.)

 

Some of the Autumn and Winter activities you can enjoy in the East Neuk:

Take a tour of the East Neuk

To make the most out of your time in the East Neuk , why not let me take care of the logistics? I’ll manage all of the driving, parking, and timings of your trip, so that you can relax and enjoy the sights of this beautiful corner of Fife in Scotland. (I can also create a bespoke itinerary for you, based on your own wish-list, if you’d prefer to self-drive but want a route to follow.)

With my half- and full-day tours of the East Neuk taking around 4 or 8 hours, I tailor the route and stopping points to your interests. I’ll create an itinerary to show you the best bits based on your wish-list and I’ll recommend the best places to grab a coffee or sit and have lunch, depending on the time available and your preferences.

The Scottish Countryman tours can be on any day of the week and they run throughout the year. You can find out more about my full-day and half-day tours of the East Neuk here or send me an email.

You can also see a blog post on taking a TSC Tour of the East Neuk.

Fly-Fishing in the Scottish Highlands

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Fly-fishing in the scottish Highlands

When the conditions are right, I don’t know of a more relaxing way to spend the day than fly-fishing.

I’ve fished since I was a wee boy growing up in a fishing community on Scotland’s north-east coast. Mr grandfather taught me how to bait a hook and encouraged my keenness but I didn’t learn to fly-fish until I was in my late teens. My job afforded me access to some of Scotland’s best fishing lochs and rivers and I’ve spent many happy hours on bank and boat and beat.

Come fishing with me

I offer a fly-fishing experience local to my base here in the north-east of Fife and, for this, I use local fisheries or rivers that best suit folks who are new to fishing or have never fished in Scotland before. But, for the more experienced or more adventurous, I can also incorporate fly-fishing into one of my custom driver-guided tours to the Highlands, depending on the water and the season.

The Scottish Countryman fly-fishing at a local reservoir.

Fishing in the West Highlands of Scotland

Recently, I took a two-day trip up to the West Highlands where I fished on a river, at the mouth of a sea-loch, and on a Victorian-built dam. The weather was ideal: a mix of cloudy skies and light rain but some occasional sunshine, too. I fished at four locations over the course of about 4 or 5 hours and just had the most wonderful time. Fishing is such a contemplative pastime - great for some head-space and time to reflect or refresh.

Did I catch anything?!

Yes, but only some very small fish that I put back - nothing for the pot and certainly nothing I could brag about over a wee dram that evening! I’m ever hopeful of a salmon, of course, but I typically catch brown trout and, sometimes, when I’m lucky, a sea trout up here.

The Scottish Countryman fishing on the dam at Kingairloch in the west Highlands of Scotland

There are fishing seasons for certain species and rivers, but Scotland’s range of fish and fishing spots means we can, in theory, fish on any day of the week and throughout the year.

If you’re interested in having a go at fly-fishing, take a look at my fishing experiences with a picnic lunch or without a picnic lunch or send me an email. I provide you with all the gear you’ll need along with full instruction on a rod that is bested suited to your height and ability. And if you’re keen to fish in some of the most beautiful scenery Scotland has to offer, I can customise a tour to feature some fly-fishing, too. Just get in touch!

Take a TSC Tour the East Neuk of Fife

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St Monans in the east neuk of fife

If you’ve been for an experience with me, whether it’s been fly-fishing, birds of prey or archery, you know that I am passionate about making sure you have a great time.

I’m now adding driver-guided tours to my list of experiences and I’d love to show you Scotland! Or, at least, some of the places in Scotland that I know and love. Let’s start with the East Neuk, since that’s on my doorstep…

What (and where) is the East Neuk?

The East Neuk (or ‘Nook’ or ‘corner’), is a strip of land in the north-east corner of the Kingdom of Fife. Along the coast, it runs from Kingsbarns round to Elie and Earlsferry taking in the seaside villages of Crail, Kilkenny, Cellardyke and Anstruther, Pittenweem, and St Monans. Inland, there are the hamlets of Carnbee and Arncroach and the hill villages of Kilconquhar and Collinsburgh.

Farming, fishing and foraging - food is good in the East Neuk

Although most famous for its coastal villages and seafaring history, the East Neuk’s inland strip means a focus on farming and food production, too: we’ve got farm shops and fishmongers, artisan bakers, and beer and cider brewers, a gin and whisky distillery, makers of jams and pickles cheeses, Michelin-guide restaurants, and everything from street food to cosy cafes. (If this is your thing, check out the Food from Fife site.)

With my half- and full-day tours of the East Neuk taking approximately 4 or 8 hours, I tailor the route and stopping points to your interests. I’ll create an itinerary to show you the best bits based on your wish-list and I’ll recommend the best places to grab a coffee or sit and have lunch, depending on the time available and your preferences.

A full-day tour example

As an example, on a recent full-day trip, I took guests to Falkland for the morning and then we visited St Monans (windmill and harbour), Pittenweem (the habour and cave, with a stop for a seafood platter), Anstruther (Shore Street and the Dreel Burn) and Cellardyke (harbour and tidal pool), before a wander round Crail exploring its beautiful marriage lintels, historic Church, Tolbooth, and harbour. We also called in at the Kingsbarns golf course to preview the location of my guests’ next-day activity.

Make the most out of your time in the East Neuk and let me take care of the logistics. I’ll manage all of the driving, parking, and timings of your trip, so that you can relax and enjoy the sights of this beautiful corner of Fife in Scotland.

The Scottish Countryman tours can be on any day of the week and they run throughout the year. You can find out more about my full-day and half-day tours of the East Neuk here or send me an email.