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Fife

A Day in St Andrews

A day by car, from St Andrews Cathedral to St Andrews West Sands.

Written by Graeme Johncock

Directions

You might know of St Andrews as “The Home of Golf”, but there’s a lot more here than an old ball and stick game. I grew up just a few miles away and love getting the chance to show people the other side of this wee Fife town. For centuries, it was Scotland’s main ecclesiastical centre, a major European pilgrimage site and you can still find history and beauty round every corner!

Pick your dates, and who is coming, and every stop will say whether it is open that day, and what it is like with children, a dog or a wheelchair.

How
A day by car
Distance
About 30 miles
Starts
St Andrews Cathedral
Ends
St Andrews West Sands
Good for
Food and drink, Castles, History, Beaches

Book before you go

0 of 1 booked

  1. Accommodation nearby

    If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.

    Airdit6 miles awayAirditSleeps 2The Old Stable10 miles awayThe Old StableSleeps 2The Crow’s Nest10 miles awayThe Crow’s NestSleeps 5Fifies10 miles awayFifiesSleeps 2

The day

  1. St Andrews Cathedral

    St Andrews Cathedral

    An attraction

    St Andrews wouldn’t be what it is today if it wasn’t for the enormous St Andrews Cathedral. Even as a romantic ruin, it’s an incredible sight to behold with soaring towers still poking into the sky. Legend says that St Rule carried the bones of St Andrew here to keep them safe, founding a shrine that developed into the town. Pilgrims came from across Europe to this wee corner of Fife and it weathered storms and fires until the Reformation saw its demise in the 1500s. Wander the ruins and imagine how grand this incredible church by the sea would have once been and all the important people who would have spent time there.

    More about St Andrews Cathedral

    The rest of this day is for members.

    8 more stops, what to do at each, and the drive between them. Members read every one of our days, and the magazine.

    Become a memberAlready one? Sign in

  2. St Rule’s Tower

    An attraction

  3. St Andrews Castle

    An attraction

  4. Forgan's

    Food and drink

  5. Fisher & Donaldson, Dundee

    An attraction

  6. University Quad

    An attraction

  7. St Salvator’s Chapel

    An attraction

  8. Old Course at St Andrews

    An attraction

  9. St Andrews West Sands

    An attraction

Directions for the day
Where to stay

Places to stay near where the day ends, and when each is next free.

The black timber cabin's exterior, with a chimney above the roofline and a freestanding bath standing on the decking below.Airdit
  • Sleeps 2
  • 6 miles away
Free 25–27 OctAn orange leather sofa draped with a sheepskin faces a stone fireplace beneath a timber ceiling, a staircase rising behind.The Old Stable
  • Sleeps 2
  • 10 miles away
Free 18–20 OctThe Crow’s Nest, FifeThe Crow’s Nest
  • Sleeps 5
  • 10 miles away
Free 2–4 NovFifies, FifeFifies
  • Sleeps 2
  • 10 miles away
Free 1–3 Nov

Make it a weekend

Days that start near St Andrews West Sands.

FifeThe West Sands and Craigtoun with the children and the dog.FifeThe West Sands with the dog and a sandwich at Dook.FifeThe R&A World Golf Museum and lunch at Forgan's.

More days by Graeme

Graeme has written these too.

Fife · For membersA Day Around the East Neuk of Fife.DundeeA Packed Day Around Dundee.FifeExploring Fife’s Hidden Corners.

Photograph by myinstascotland