An East Neuk Easter

My family has always loved Easter - all cute bunnies and chicks, the start of better weather and lighter days, family meals and days out and more chocolate than is really good for you.  When we were little my sisters and I even had our own special Easter roles - I was an Easter Chick, J was an Easter Bunny and C was an Easter Lamb. Easter is a festival of rebirth, new life, whether you're religious or not. It's also a great time to visit the East Neuk. Borrowing J's role for a moment and using my official Easter Bunny name of "Snuggly Socks" (what's yours? http://easterbunnyname.com/) I thought I'd bring you a sweet selection of what to do this Easter in the East Neuk to keep everyone in your family entertained:

Anstruther duck race

1. Race a duck - For great fun with the competitive thrill of a chance of winning a prize check out the annual Anstruther Duck Race on Easter Saturday. The Dreel Burn in Anstruther is the venue and no they are not real ducks but cute rubber ones! Entry is £1 - sponsor your duck in a local shop or on the day, if there are any left. It's organised by the Anstruther Improvements Association (AIA) and the money goes towards improving the village. 

2. Picnic with the King - As well as the Duck Race itself there is a whole music festival in Anstruther over the Easter weekend called "Yellae Deuks". Concerts are on at the Dreel Halls in Anstruther on the Friday and Saturday nights and during the day on Sunday when there will be an indoor picnic. Don't miss King Creosote himself playing at the Sunday event. Family friendly until 9pm. 

Kellie Castle and Gardens

3. Hunt eggs at a castle - National Trust properties around the country are playing host to Cadbury's Egg Trails this Easter. Where better for the little ones to run about in search of eggs than Kellie Castle, near Anstruther, with its gorgeous gardens and estate. Easter egg trails open 12-4pm on Easter Friday, Saturday and Sunday. 

Bunny, Isle of May

4. Spot the bunnies - April marks the beginning of the season for boat trips on the May Princess or RIB Osprey to the Isle of May. You're sure to see lots of cute bunnies on the island (though they're a little shy) and lots of seabirds and seals too - I hear that the puffins are there already so it's a great time to visit! Book ahead if you want a seat on the daily boat trips as it's bound to be popular.

5. See some art & crafts - Pittenweem Artists & Galleries weekend 2015 is taking place on 3-6 April in various venues around the village. It's organised by the same people as the village's famous annual arts festival, though the weekend is on a more compact scale with six exhibiting artists. 

There's also a local art and crafts event called "Spring in the Loft" upstairs at the Ardross Farm Shop, near Elie on Easter Saturday (9am-5.30pm) and Sunday (9am-4pm).

6. Find the Gruffalo - I reckon a lot of little ones are going to be very excited about the new Gruffalo Trail which opens on Easter Sunday at St Andrews' Botanic Gardens. 11am-4pm. £5 adults, free for kids. 

7. Chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate - Get your Easter chocolate fix at The Cocoa Tree cafe and Pittenweem Chocolate Company shop, Pittenweem, Iain Burnett The Highland Chocolatier, South Street, St Andrews or Fisher and Donaldson, Church Street, St Andrews. Yum!

Leave a comment if you know about something fun that I've missed.

Happy Easter all!

Copyright Snuggly Socks (normally known as Sara Scott) 2015

Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face

...so begins Robert Burns' poem "Address to a Haggis", which is traditionally spoken aloud with gusto at Burns Night events the length and breadth of Scotland. For those of you who don't know, Burns Night is 25th January (the date which was the bard's birthday) which falls on a Sunday this year, sparking a whole weekend of distinctly Scottish celebrations. In fact most Scots are more likely to celebrate Burns Night than Scotland's more official annual event, St Andrew's Day. Haggis (traditionally eaten with "neeps and tatties" i.e. mashed turnip and mashed potato) and Scots whisky are the two key essentials to a Burns Supper. Formal events will add other traditional elements to that, such as having a bagpiper pipe in the entrance of the haggis, the "toast to the lassies" (by the men to the ladies) and their response to the laddies (both usually very humorous and cheeky, with the lassies getting the last laugh) plus lots of energetic ceilidh dancing. Read more about the Burns Night traditions. Less formal Burns Supper events will keep it simple. It's up to you how formal you want to be but it's really all about having a good time, usually fuelled by plenty of drinks!

Happily there are lots of great things going on for Burns Night 2015 in and around St Andrews. BID St Andrews has compiled a very helpful list of local Burns Night events and offers which I thought I'd share with you. I'm forever trying out new weird and wonderful ice cream flavours - some good, some not so much - so I'm particularly intrigued by the Haggis ice cream which is being served up at The Adamson restaurant in St Andrews this Burns weekend. Will this uniquely Scottish beast work in ice-cream form? There's really only one way to find out! 

Have a great Burns Night wherever you choose to spend it! 

Clockwise from top: Whisky at Kingsbarns Distillery, the bard on a biscuit from Fisher & Donaldson (St Andrews bakers) and a suitably Scottish decanter and fabrics in Harbour Interiors, Anstruther

Copyright Sara Scott 2015