Meet Joy and Nick of Airdit

How would you describe Airdit to someone who has never heard of it before?

Airdit is a peaceful woodland haven perched above St Andrews. Surrounded by nature, it’s the perfect secluded spot for those seeking time out from the pressures of everyday life.

What first drew you to Fife, and what was it about the region that made you confident it was the right place to start Airdit?

In all honesty, we originally planned to move to Perthshire. Our search radius online happened to pick up Airdit into the search area - just! If we had made the search a few miles smaller we would have never seen it. When we saw it had a small cottage and quite large land (we didn’t want the conventional other way around) where we could work from, we thought we might as well go have a look. The minute we drove up and saw the incredible views, we looked at each other, both realising this was somewhere very special. As we walked around the woods, it confirmed what a magical place it is. As we left our first viewing, we knew it was the place for us.

We didn’t know a huge amount about the area (Joy is originally from near Edinburgh and Nick is from near Elgin) but we both had fond memories of visiting St Andrews when we were young. The fact we would be near beautiful beaches was another big selling point for us.

As we waited to hear if we had been successful in purchasing the property, we explored more of the area. We soon discovered how amazing it was to be so secluded at Airdit, yet only be a short drive not only from the likes of St Andrews, but other handy hubs such as Cupar and the often overlooked city of Dundee. Airdit has the best of both worlds.

What were the biggest challenges in transforming a stretch of woodland into a place that could welcome guests?

Building the treehouse itself was a relatively straightforward process compared to putting in the utilities. Firstly, we had to create an 850m road to the west of the woods and a car park area, which we had to run our water pipe along from the mains supply. As much as we would have loved to build a borehole, it just wasn’t financially feasible. The electric supply comes form the east side of Airdit, so we had to carefully dig 600m of trenches through the woods for that. This was already a very tricky job, as we wanted to cause as little damage to the trees and their roots as possible, but also had the added complexity of pulling heavy cables uphill with only hand winches and pulleys. Guests are often pleasantly surprised that we have a full kitchen, flushing toilet and hot water in such a location!

What kinds of wildlife might guests expect to see during their stay?

Airdit Woods is full of wildlife. We often see deer, badgers, red squirrels (and grey), buzzards, foxes, owls, hares, woodpeckers etc

If you were planning your own perfect day based at Airdit, how would you spend it, both on site and in the surrounding area?

We’d love a slow get up (we can only dream, as we have a little one who is not a fan of sleeping or sitting still!) watching the wildlife from bed, followed by coffee and yoga outside on the decking. Then we’d pop out to one of the East Neuk Villages for a wander and bite to eat. Later in the afternoon we’d return back to the treehouse for a massage with a wonderful local therapist, before dinner and drinks by the woodburner and a soak in the bath, listening to the badgers and deer rustling below before bed.

Are there local walks, woodland routes or stretches of the Fife Coastal Path that you personally return to again and again?

It’s a good idea to check out the Fife Core Paths map, which is a network of 400 paths throughout the region, some of which can be directly accessed from the treehouse. There is an abundance of great walks in the area - whether through woodlands, up hills, in ancient villages, along rivers or by the sea. We particularly love doing sections of the Fife Coastal Path, especially through the East Neuk villages of Crail, Anstruther, Pittenweem, St Monans and Elie.

For visitors drawn to the sea, whether for a walk, a swim or simply the view, which beaches or coastal spots would you recommend and why?

The following beaches are just a few of the ones we’d recommend in the area to our guests (yes, we’re completely spoiled for choice!) -

St Andrews - East Sands, West Sands

East Neuk - Elie, Crail and Shell Bay

Leuchars - Tentsmuir and Kinshaldy

Near Dundee - Broughty Ferry, Monifieth and a bit further north but worth the trip - Lunan Bay

Each one is beautiful. Several have saunas to warm up in after a dip in the sea and great cafes to fill up at after long walks in the sand.

Which local restaurants, cafés or food spots would you recommend, and what makes them stand out?

There is somewhere for every taste in the area, whether it be quick and tasty street food or elegant fine dining.

One of our guests' favourites is The Steak Barn just outside St Andrews. It’s a barn you eat steak in - pretty self explanatory! It has great food in a relaxed atmosphere, all cooked over an open flame that you can watch from your table. If you are looking for another great option, but with more of a restaurant feel in St Andrews (and a tasty cocktail list!) we love The Adamson.

As for some of our favourite cafes, they include Crail Harbour Tearoom for its incredible view, sitting outside by the sea. Talking of great views, but on the River Tay instead of The North Sea, the bars of Shoreline and The Newport Inn are well placed for stunning sunsets.

We could go on…

How does Airdit change across the seasons, and what does each time of year offer that might surprise visitors?

In the summer Bracken Treehouse is cocooned in by leaves on the trees around it. Much of the florist floor, apart from the paths and grass areas, are covered in huge ferns. The treehouse decking is a suntrap, talking from personal experience and guests appearance after a sunny stay at Airdit, it’s easy to get burnt sitting out even if temperatures aren't too high!

Whereas in the winter there are views for miles from the treehouse and the woods as there are no leaves on the trees. With longer nights, its perfect to coorie up by the fire and enjoy the peacefulness of the cabin. Another bonus of this time is it’s often easier to spot the wildlife.

Looking ahead, what’s next for Airdit, and how would you like it to evolve over the coming years?

We regularly pinch ourselves when we look around at the beautiful place we live. We don’t think we’ll ever really believe it to be honest. We very much view ourselves as temporary custodians of the land and its wildlife.

Going forward, we would like to host experiences - dining, wellness, elopements and wee weddings, as well as creating another secluded accommodation space. However, whatever comes next for Airdit needs to be done in such a way that ensures we keep the beauty and serenity of the forest.