Autumnal delights

As the leaves change colour and the nights grow darker there are still lots of great things to do in the East Neuk, St Andrews and the surrounding area. Here are four of the best things I've been up to this autumn:

1. Rory mania

Following world no. 1 golfer, Rory McIlroy around the Old Course, as he teamed up with his dad to compete at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship 2014 (http://www.alfreddunhilllinks.com/m/home/), was a must this October. Rory and some of his fellow professional golfers, such as Victor Dubuisson, were fresh from the European team's Ryder Cup win at Gleneagles. 

For more on what the Dunhill Links is all about and why it's such a great event see my Dunhill blog: http://rosecottageeastneuk.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/celeb-golf-extravaganza-at-dunhill-links.html?m=1

2. Day trip to fabulous Falkland

Just half an hour or so from St Andrews is the picture perfect village of Falkland. Most visitors go for the National Trust of Scotland's Falkland Palace (http://www.nts.org.uk/property/falkland-palace-and-garden/)

The palace is well worth a visit for a glimpse into Scotland in days of old, when the Stuart monarchs travelled around with all of their furniture and tapestries so that their quarters in the next castle or palace could be made to look exactly like the last one! It was also a favourite place of Mary Queen of Scots.

The palace gardens are also lovely, though inevitably not as splendid in Autumn as they must be in Spring and Summer. 

A unique feature at the bottom of the garden is the stone royal tennis court - which is not the same as tennis as we know it. 

Falkland is not just about the palace though - its a very scenic and quaint place for a wander around, popping into enticing little gift shops, galleries and cafés as you go. Even the more industrial old mill is attractively vintage, though apparently soon to be knocked down. With more time you could also explore the very pretty surrounding countryside, which looked great for walking, cycling etc.

3. Proof that Anstruther dining is finer than just fish 'n' chips: The Cellar

We'd been huge fans of The Cellar restaurant in Anstruther (http://www.thecellaranstruther.co.uk/) and were disappointed when it closed in tragic circumstances. It's now open again and the new management, including Anstruther-born head chef Billy Boyter, have managed to put their own spin on it whilst keeping the charm. It's a highly atmospheric historic building, which you reach through a pretty courtyard area. You can then quaff an aperitif in one of the elegant seating areas before being shown to your table in the cosy, romantic restaurant. 

Once seated you can expect to be treated to a series of courses lovingly created with care, precision and creativity from the best seasonal local produce. 

For its combination of accomplished fine dining, friendly staff and a very atmospheric and romantic setting I would highly recommend The Cellar for a special occasion meal out or if you are simply treating yourselves (we went to celebrate Mr ENB's birthday). Book ahead though, particularly at weekends as the restaurant is quite small. 

4.Cambolicious

Twice a year Cambolicious (http://www.cambolicious.com/), the East Neuk's popular craft beer festival, comes to the Cambo Estate near Kingsbarns (in May and November) and I am a festival regular. It's small in scale but big in charm and appeals to children and adults alike. This time around there was lots of fun to be had with the outdoor games, including table tennis in a posh tent with a chandelier and various retro games which involved throwing skills (I was hopelessly bad at all of these!). Foodie delights included juicy steak burgers with a mountain of trimmings, freshly pressed apple juice and deliciously naughty sweet and savoury crepes. 

But really people love Cambolicious for all the craft beers, ciders and gins, with their weird and wonderful names, from around Scotland. 22 types were on tap this time around. The Fresh Root Ginger cider from Borders-based Thistly Cross was a sell-out again and for good reason. It's still my favourite cider ever. Of the beers Biology Girl loved the Spiced Pumpkin Rye from the St Andrews Brewing Company and Legally Brunette enjoyed the Staple Pale from the Top Out Brewery.

Never shy of a bit of dressing up, I got into the festival spirit and enjoyed making my own natural headgear at the stand for this. Here's my less than perfect attempt (well it was made in the dark!):

Sadly I missed out on the face painting, which was not just for kids - various adults were sporting Halloween-type designs, whimsical leaves or wood nymph-esque designs. Throughout there was the highly enjoyable and sometimes impromptu music from some of Fife's most talented musicians that I've come to expect from Cambolicious. Unfortunately no King Creosote or Lidh sets this time round but Emporium ended the event on a high. As ever at Cambolicious I didn't want to leave.

World famous sports stars, fantastic sight-seeing, fine dining and craft beer festivals - what's not to love about the East Neuk and St Andrews in Autumn?

Text and photos copyright Sara Scott 2014

Happy Days in the East Neuk and St Andrews

Here's some news about an artist that I admire for her colourful and fun paintings which do indeed invoke heart-warming memories of happy days spent in the East Neuk of Fife and St Andrews and bring a smile to your face:

Scottish artist, Jennifer Thomson is launching a new book of her paintings called "Happy Days in the East Neuk and St Andrews" at her forthcoming exhibition  in the East Neuk village of Elie, Fife. Jennifer is well known for the unmistakable style of her paintings, packed full of colourful people having fun and enjoying life, often in popular Scottish locations. The book brings together the best of her paintings from the last fifteen years of painting in the East Neuk of Fife. Included are paintings of Lower Largo, Earlsferry, Elie, St Monans, Kilconqhuar, Pittenweem, Anstruther, Crail and the neighbouring St Andrews.

Jennifer attended Edinburgh College of Art from 1987-1992 where she gained her honours then post-graduate degree along with several awards and prizes. She taught art for a few years at Madras College in St Andrews before giving up teaching to paint full time in 1998. Since then her paintings can be found in many art collections such as the Royal Bank of Scotland, Edinburgh's City Arts Centre, The BBC and Paintings in Hospitals. Her work is spreading all over the world and she has been commissioned by organisations and individuals in the USA, Canada, Australia and Japan.

Alongside each painting in the book are Jennifer's notes about each scene. You discover what inspired the artist to paint each composition and begin to see what Jennifer was thinking when she painted each scene and share in her often humorous insights. In some of the paintings you might spot the artist's faithful painting companion Brodie, a mischievous wire haired fox terrier. For admirers of Jennifer's work and East Neuk fans alike, this book will warm your hearts and make you smile. 

Jennifer will be signing copies of "Happy Days in the East Neuk and St Andrews" at her exhibition of paintings of the East Neuk and travels round Europe at The Old Post Office Gallery, Links Place, Elie, Fife, KY8 1AX from 27 July to 10 August 2014 10am-5pm. The book can also be ordered from her website www.jenniferthomson.com. 

Life is sweet at the Biggest ever Crail Food Festival

NEWS from the Crail Food Festival about their 2014 event - spread the word!:

Life is sweet at this year's Crail Food Festival with an expanded programme including a House of Sugar, children's workshops and lots of opportunities to taste more local produce than ever before. This year's event is spread across an even wider range of venues, thanks to support from Event Scotland and Homecoming Scotland 2014.

Taking place on 14 and 15 June, highlights include special Children's Workshops with the opportunity to get hands-on with food: from jam making to moulding your own chocolates. A Food Trail will allow families to explore Crail's food delights while The House of Sugar will play host to a Crail inspired 3D cookie art installation created by local company Sucre Coeur. Visitors will be able to get involved and ice their own cookie to create an edible mosaic across the weekend. 

Over 50 local foodie participants will take part in the two-day festival with a special Tasting Theatre and Food Market with free food sampling all day. Meet the Producer workshops will allow visitors to learn new skills and experience new tastes with activities ranging from whisky and chocolate matching, cheese and wine pairing, to a pie and a pint. Local food and drink on offer will include cheese, venison, smoked fish, gin, craft ales, and of course, the shellfish for which the East Neuk of Fife is famous.

A Cookery Theatre will feature demonstrations by a range of local cooks and chef patrons, from Michelin star fine dining themes to award-winning cookery writers such as Nicola Fletcher. This bespoke country kitchen is kindly sponsored by Ardross Farm Shop, recent winner of the Farm Shop of the Year award and supported by the professional catering team from Elmwood College.

The Crail Museum will use the festival as an opportunity to tell visitors about the historic local delicacy, the Crail Capon. With details taken from an 1812 poem, the Crail Capon (haddock smoked traditionally in a chimney) will relive its glory days over the course of the weekend.

Sunday 15 will include an extra dimension with Sunday Lunch at the Harbour. Using the iconic Crail Harbour as the backdrop, street food vendors and local producers will come together to host a massive picnic for visitors. Shellfish, smokies, ice cream, game and pizza cooked in a converted horsebox while you wait are just some of the goods on offer at the harbour. Local businesses will provide potted shrimp, home baking and more. 

A local seafront guest house will share its stunning seashore location with evening visitors by becoming a Pop-Up Tasting Bistro with local food, music and drinks.

Graeme Anderson, the Event Manager said:

"I'm thrilled at this year's enriched festival programme. The 4th annual Crail Food Festival will certainly put our village on the map for anyone who's a fan of food. We've worked hard to ensure visitors of all ages get a real flavour of Fife. It's going to be great fun and a wonderful way to share Crail with a wider audience."

The full programme can be found at crailfoodfest.co.uk and here's the event flyer:

Crail Food Festival 2013 part 2: foraging and lunching in the Crail sunshine

Day 2 of the Crail Food Festival (Sunday 16 July) was always going to be an entirely outdoors event so I was delighted to wake up to find that that the weather had dramatically improved overnight, transforming the East Neuk into a sunny, warm, Mediterranean-esque paradise.

As it was also Father's Day for a treat my dad and R spent the morning golfing at Kingsbarns Golf Club - my dad hadn't played before and he loved it. Meanwhile the girls, i.e. mum and I, hightailed it into Crail to join the Crail Food Festival's Foraging Walk. This was a free event which was being run by Mark from Galloway Wild Foods in association with the Fife Diet team. We joined the group heading out from the smoothie bike stall at Crail Harbour and ventured out along Crail beach in the now scorching sunshine to learn all about foraging from Mark and Chef Paul Wedgwood. Foraging is getting quite trendy in the UK these days, inspired in particular by Denmark's famous Noma restaurant. Closer to home Paul uses a lot of foraged ingredients in his Edinburgh restaurant, Wedgwood.

An hour quickly flew by as we went back to our hunter-gatherer roots to learn all about which plants are edible and which aren't, including plants which can kill you (avoid the deadly Hemlock, which looks a bit like a carrot plant and actually grows in our garden at rose cottage) and why dogs and foraging don't mix. Mark was very enthusiastic and knowledgeable about foraging, entertaining us with stories and picking lots of things for us all to taste. It was different and fun. There was a slightly surreal moment about half way through when I found myself munching rather appreciatively on some Japanese knotweed, which was trying to take over the bank of wild plants (tastes like rhubarb if you were wondering!). If you want to try foraging for yourself you'll need Mark's foraging tips.

Foraging at the Crail Food Festival including Japanese knotweed (top left), Deadly hemlock (middle left) and Mark from Galloway Wild Foods

The intrepid foragers were then treated to an open-air cookery demo back at the harbour by Paul Wedgwood, using foraged ingredients. From the little morsel I managed to get a taste of (the dish was assaulted by spoons in a matter of seconds once it was ready!), my taste buds quickly decided that foraging and flavour go hand in hand. Mark was also offering a tempting taste of his homemade Elderflower champagne.

Crail Food Festival 2013 - Clockwise from top left - Chef Paul Wedgwood (answers on a postcard about why he has that expression!), Fife Diet's foraging board, Paul's foraged meal

Mum and I then had time for a bit more art - more on this soon in my East Neuk Open Studios blog post. Then it was back to Crail harbour to meet the boys plus L and S for lunch. Wow! I have never seen the harbour so busy - the festival and sunshine had really brought the crowds to little old Crail. It was bustling, the atmosphere was great and the cooking smells were making us desperately hungry. Feed me now! After a bit of queuing between us we sampled:  seriously good venison burgers from Seriously Good Venison, superb smoked mackerel and quiche from the award-winning La Petite Epicerie deli in Anstruther, the ever-amazing Arbroath smokies, juicy, sweet strawberries and cream from Crail in Bloom and indulgent crepes and hot chocolate (yes we'd already had some the day before but we couldn't resist more!) from The Pittenweem Chocolate Company. It was all delicious and brilliant to be able to eat alfresco. Nearby benches and the beach were brimming with people sitting to enjoy their lunch, the sunshine and sea views.

Crail Food Festival 2013 - harbour and stalls

   

 

Arbroath smokies - smokin'!

Despite all that food there was still more we didn't have the space to sample e.g. the smoothies from the smoothie bike I mentioned earlier, the wood-fired pizzas or the stall for Pittenweem's Little Herb Farm, whose flavoured vinegars are already regular inhabitants of the rose cottage kitchen. We would have loved some dressed crab and lobster from the little Crail harbour shack but they'd been so popular that they'd  completely sold out. Though as the shack is there all summer there's plenty of time to go back!

Meanwhile the cookery demos continued , a second foraging walk went out and there were oodles of other activities on the beach e.g. treasure hunts for kids. Inspired by our own foraging walk earlier, mum went back to the beach for a quick forage, mainly to impress the guests at her next dinner party with some unusual, wild ingredients! She bumped into the Californian residents that we met at the Festival the previous night, who were now presumably finding Crail a bit more like home given the significantly improved weather! 

Then it was time to go home and relax after all that food. All in all a brilliant summery day out and a really enjoyable festival that lived up to my expectations!

Crail Food Festival 2013 - sandcastle on the beach, view of the harbour stalls from the beach

The Crail Food Festival blog is well worth a read to find out more about the wonderful local suppliers and distributors we have in the East Neuk and wider Fife locale, who are able to meet your foodie needs throughout the year. The 2014 festival is happening on 14 and 15 June and no doubt will be bigger and better than ever. My stomach is looking forward to it already!

Text and photos Copyright Sara Scott 2013

50 scarecrows equals eccentric fun in gentile Elie

Elie and adjoining Earlsferry make up the most gentile and affluent village on Fife's East Neuk coast. They are blessed with a wonderful, sweeping beach, where cricket matches and watersports are a regular fixture. Many houses have their own private access directly onto the beach via little gates and staircases fixed to the sea wall. Those which don't have instead lavishly adapted their balconies, terraces and gardens to maximise that beautiful beach view. This is where Edinburgh Old Money has its spacious seaside holiday homes and everyone else wishes they did. The whole place exudes the confidence of knowing it's good-looking and expensive.

But for one weekend a year things get a bit eccentric, a bit quirky with the annual Elie Scarecrow Festival.

The 2013 event
In 2013 this happened on 3-6 May over a Bank Holiday weekend. This was only the second time the festival has been held. I heard via #ScotlandHour (which is a monthly hour on Twitter where people share what to do and where to go in Scotland) that other places in Scotland also do Scarecrow Festivals but this was the first one I'd been to.

Elie and Earlsferry Residents and business owners compete for the best scarecrow and this seems to encourage lots of creativity and effort. Visitors can purchase a scarecrow map from one of the shops and then tour round the villages to spot them all (around 50 this year), then identify their favourite. The villages are small enough to do this on foot, though if you're short on time / energy you could go for a drive-by approach. The carefully stuffed creations can be found in front gardens, in the street outside houses, shops and pubs, in parks and even hanging from windows and chimneys. This year they included Nixon, Bill Gates, the Statue of Liberty, Prince Charles, Old Tom Morris, a workman, a family on holiday, a pirate, a horse, a nurse and patient, a burglar, Paddington Bear (my favourite) and many more besides. They were very cleverly done with some wonderful details, like Bill Gates holding a paper iPad and iPod and the daddy of the holiday family lying on a lounger, reading "The Scarecrow Times". Many were funny, some cute and others slightly creepy, especially as the daylight faded and they started appearing menacingly out of the shadows.

The winner this year was a scarecrow version of The Flintstones - as announced in the Fife Today newspaper.

I enjoyed walking around spotting them all - it added an extra bit of quirky fun, something a bit different to what was already a great place for a Sunday afternoon stroll. Did you enjoy the festival this year?

Post-event refreshments
Mouth as dry and legs as limp as, well, a scarecrow after all that walking? There are plenty of options in Elie / Earlsferry for a drink and a bite to eat. We had a delicious dinner from the Specials menu at the lively Golf Tavern in Earlsferry. Then we went for a drink in its more famous sister pub, The Ship Inn, back in Elie right by the beach. Elie is also blessed with a Michelin-starred, but reportedly un-stuffy, restaurant called Sangster's.

What's on next?
The next events to look out for in Elie's up-market calendar of local events are The Ship Inn's cricket fixtures (throughout the summer) and the Elie Fayre (13 July 2013, 1pm at the Harbour).

And finally...

If you're desperate to recreate the Scarecrow Festival at home, how about this cute scarecrow kit!

Copyright © Sara Scott 2013

Tulip-tastic - a riot of colour with thousands of bulbs

The Cambo Estate annual Tulip Festival starts today, which they describe as "a riot of colour with thousands of bulbs". It runs 3-13 May in 2013 from 10am to 5pm daily. Cambo Estate is near Kingsbarns in the East Neuk of Fife (Tel - 01333 450054).

I'll be going along this year to see the amazing variety of tulips, carefully planted by droves of volunteers to light up Cambo's elegant walled garden with their vibrant colours. Think you've seen tulips before? These are not your average tulips - there are lots of unusual varieties, with jagged edges or stripes or very full heads. The last time I saw the walled garden it was very muted and wintry so I'm expecting this to be a much more uplifting experience, bringing hope of some Summer sunshine to come (fingers crossed!).

In the meantime I thought I'd share some of my photos of last year's Cambo Tulip Festival with you:

p.s. If you like this you might also be interested in the Cambo Rose Festival on 21 June to 7 July 2013.

Copyright Sara Scott 2012 (photos) and 2013 (text).

Auld Alliance, alive and cooking in the East Neuk!

My guest blog has now been published on the Crail Food Festival website! It's about La Petite Epicerie, a little French deli in Anstruther with an amazing mixture of local and continental products extraordinaire. You'll find it right here: Crail Food Festival Blog.

Don't forget that the festival is taking place 15-16 June 2013 - should be lots of fun for anyone who likes good food and drink!

Easter in the East Neuk



Easter chick



Are you lucky enough to be in or around the East Neuk of Fife this Easter holiday? If so, here's a selection of six local events to keep you and your family busy:

1. AN ENTIRE FESTIVAL DEVOTED TO CHOCOLATE - The Cocoa Tree cafe and shop in Pittenweem is running a Grand Festival of Chocolate, which is inspired by the best selling book Chocolat. This is my kind of festival! It includes a Grand Chocolate Treasure Hunt (throughout the festival - to enter the prize draw the deadline is 6pm on Easter Sunday), a Full Moon "Chocolat" Film Party (Wednesday 27 March 7pm), The Grand Chocolate Fayre and Weem Witch Tours (Thursday 28 March), The Grand Good Friday Dinner (Friday 29 March), Grand Finale of the Treasure Hunt and Raffle (Sunday 31 March 6pm) and finally Chocolate Workshops (Monday 1 April 10-12 children and 1-4 adults). (To reserve a space for any of these events contact sophie@thecocoatreeshop.com.)

2. FIND THE EASTER EGGS - Classic Easter weekend fun for the kids - join the Easter Egg Trail at National Trust Scotland's Kellie Castle (Saturday 30 March and Sunday 31 March 12-4, £2 per child).

3. PACK THE KIDS OFF FOR SOME FUN IN THE WOODS - Cambo Estate, Kingsbarns is running a one week Easter Woodland Club for children aged 6-13 (1-5 April or 8-12 April, 10am-4pm each day, £125 per week). The Club is all about having fun in the woods. It includes activities like building a den, cooking on the fire, making wooden things, playing games and watching wildlife (to book contact Chris Childe 01337 830621, chris.childe_education@yahoo.co.uk).

4. RACE A DUCK - On Easter Saturday (30 March, 10.30am) you can watch or even take part in the A.I.A. (Anstruther Improvements Association) annual duck race at the Dreel Burn in Anstruther. Everyone floats rubber ducks down the stream and the owner of the lucky winning duck wins a prize. Ducks cost £1 and can be bought in advance or on the day. Should be lots of fun!

5. SEE SOME ART - Pittenweem's famous arts festival doesn't kick off until August but Easter marks the annual Pittenweem Artists and Galleries weekend, when many of this very arty village's residents open their studies to show new work. Venues are open Friday 29 - Sunday 31 March (10am-5pm or 11am-4pm for the new ART@47 gallery space). Look out for the poster on the door.


Arty Pittenweem

6. RENACT THE COLD WAR (?) - For a slightly unusual Easter experience, Scotland's Secret Bunker will be having a re-enactment over Easter (Friday 29 - Sunday 31 March) with real Army soldiers at the gate to greet you, vehicle displays around the grounds and patrolling underground in the bunker in their full attire, complete with weapons for authenticity. The Bunker was the secret underground hideaway where Scotland's elite would have gone in the event of a nuclear attack in the Cold War era. It was kept secret, hiding below a farmhouse for 40 years. Today it's a unique tourist attraction.



Whatever you're doing this Easter I hope you have a great time! If you know of any other great East Neuk Easter events please share them by leaving a comment. Right, I'm off to get stuck into some Easter eggs now...



First signs of Spring at Rose Cottage!



Text and Photos Copyright Sara Scott 2013

5 great things to do in the East Neuk right now

Do you think that February/ March is not a good time to holiday in Scotland? Think again - there's lots to do at this time of year in the East Neuk of Fife. Here are 5 ideas:

1. CATCH THE SNOWDROPS IN BLOOM - you may have missed the Snowdrops by Starlight event but the famous snowdrops at the Cambo Estate are still making an appearance by daylight and they are gorgeous! The sheer volume of them creates a lovely effect, especially alongside the Cambo burn. The unusual varieties near the house are also worth a look for their delicate perfection (there are over 350 varieties of snowdrops at Cambo). You can also buy snowdrops from the plant shop in the hope of recreating Cambo at home (I'm not known for my survival rate with plants so let's see how my efforts in the Rose Cottage garden go!).

Kids love to see the Cambo piglets as well and I must admit I did too - they have bags of energy, charging about, play fighting and eating.  (Cambo Estate, Near Kingsbarns; Open daily 10-5)



Piglets at Cambo

2. BUY LOCAL - have yourself a cheese board with the St Andrews Farmhouse Cheddar and Anster Red cheeses from the St Andrews Farmhouse Cheese Company. The shop there also has quality Scottish produce such as the posh, award-winning Summer Harvest rapeseed oil, which I suppose is Scotland's answer to olive oil (from £4). We took some of this to dinner with friends and it got plaudits for being something different, with a nice smoothness and subtlety, for dipping bread into. There's also a tearoom at the cheese farm where you can enjoy homemade cheese scones, cheese toasties, cakes etc, while enjoying the views over the fields and out to the Isle of May. It's a nice child-friendly place for lunch or a daytime snack in the country, with the chance to learn about how the cheese is made. (St Andrews Farmhouse Cheese Company, Falside Farm, Near Anstruther & Pittenweem; Tel: 01333-312580)

 



Ratatouille & goats cheese tart Fresh basil & pine nut pesto

3. EAT LOCAL FOOD AT THE PITTENWEEM INN - R and I recently tried this family-run restaurant out for the first time and we were impressed. Chef Brian Murphy does great things with fresh, seasonal local produce, including a weekly market menu. Prices are reasonable, service is friendly, the dining room inviting (with local art on the walls) and the atmosphere nice and informal. My mouth still waters when I look at this picture of the appetising goats' cheese starter from the a la carte menu (OK all this talk of cheese is really making me hungry now!). If you haven't been yet, you definitely owe it to your taste buds to pay a visit ASAP. (Pittenweem Inn, 42 Charles Street, Pittenweem; Tel: 01333 311326, Thu-Sun only)

4. PUT A LITTLE BIRDHOUSE IN YOUR SOUL - Susie Lacombe at the Crail Gallery has made a new batch of birdhouses shaped like historic Crail houses for 2013 (£40 each). I was lucky enough to be in the Gallery when she was painting them (with Farrow and Ball paint no less) so I even got to have a say in the design process of mine! Susie told me that birds look for a mate round about Valentine's day so now is definitely the time to do your bit for birdlife and put a birdhouse in your garden. Speaking of birds, daily boat trips from Anstruther to the Isle of May kick off for 2013 on 29 March, so it will soon be puffin-spotting season. (Crail Gallery, High Street, Crail; Tel: 01333 450316; Open 10-5 Mon-Sat & 12-5 Sun)



5. ENJOY A UNIQUE EVENT - Go to Scotland's only regular poetry festival - StAnza in St Andrews (6-10 March). It's international in outlook and was founded 15 years ago. Then there's the Fife Science Festival, also in St Andrews, at venues including the Castle and University (15-25 March). You could also plan ahead by booking tickets for the ninth East Neuk Festival (3-7 July) now before the events sell out. The Scotsman newspaper said the festival "promises more big names in intimate surroundings...so book ahead". I'm looking forward to experiencing it for the first time this year. For more details on these and other events see the Events page of this blog.

Like I said, lots to do so what are you waiting for?

Text and photos copyright Sara Scott 2013.





Cambo Magic

Two years ago I didn't know it existed but now I'm a big fan of the Cambo Estate, near Kingsbarns in the East Neuk of Fife. Ever since I first set foot there in 2010 it has utterly charmed me. What is it about this privately-owned estate which is open to the public that makes it so magical?

Maybe it's the herd of deer you sometimes see by the entry road. Or the beautiful and endlessly photogenic Victorian walled garden which is ingeniously designed using modern techniques to be a garden for all seasons. Maybe it's the arty, musical, colourfully lit, snowdrop-filled woodland at their annual Snowdrops by Starlight event (part of an ever-growing and varied annual events calendar)? Or the charming walk down to the Fife Coastal Path and Kingsbarns golf course. Or is it the cute piglets, cats etc which are "interviewed" for the Cambo Courier? Maybe it is how the Estate is helping and working with local artists? Or the remarkable number of quirky snowdrop and pig-themed gifts in the gift shop (who knew that so many of these even existed?!)? I think the magic comes from all of these things.

The Cambo website describes it as "an oasis of calm an tranquility" and "respite from a busy world". They are not wrong.

If you haven't been yet and don't know what I'm talking about, here are some of my photos which attempt to capture that infectious Cambo charm.

Open daily 10-5. Adults £5, children free. Annual season ticket £15 single, £25 double. Tel: 01333 450313. www.camboestate.com/gardens

Copyright Sara Scott 2012

Celeb & golf extravaganza at the Dunhill Links

We hadn't really planned it like this but a week's holiday at Rose Cottage ended up coinciding with the annual Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and this actually became a real highlight of the week. If you're a golf fan you will absolutely love this opportunity to see some of big pro names' swings and putts in the flesh. If like me you think a bogey is something you would find up your nose it's still a great event for the celeb-spotting! 

This is a 4 day event where professional golfers pair up with amateurs - many of them celebrities from the worlds of sport, music and film. Over three days the competitors play a round on each of three famous Scottish links golf courses - The Old Course, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns. The best professionals and teams then play a final round on day 4 at the Old Course. The first three days are FREE for spectators to attend (including free parking at Kingsbarns). Tickets for the final day, the Sunday, are £15 for adults (£10 for OAPs and free for students and under 16s - its also possible to get free tickets e.g. by wearing visible tartan or buying something at the Farmers Market on the Saturday). There are gourmet food stalls, toilets etc and, in St Andrews anyway, lots of scope for some post golf drinks should you feel the urge e.g. at the Dunvegan Hotel (at the end of Golf Place) - we saw some of the Day 1 star players here.

We spent our first day at St Andrews where we based ourselves mainly at the 14th and 15th holes. The air was cold but with some welcome sunny spells. First up we saw Ian Botham (pictured) in a fetching neon green jumper and a pair of patterned trousers which had to be seen to be believed, topping the whole ensemble off with a cigar. He stopped to speak to his son Liam who was playing on the 4th. Botham senior was playing in the same group as Shane Warne (and I believe his wife Liz Hurley came to watch him play the next day at Carnoustie). Then came a group with Scottish sporting legends Gavin Hastings and Alan Hansen (commentating on his fellow players' performances). Staying at the same spot we also saw US Vice President Dan Quayle (my partner joked that his swing was "almost presidential"), Bon Jovi drummer Tico Torres and two more ex-footballers Johan Cruyff and Ruud Gullit. We finished the day by following ex-footballer Jamie Redknapp's group's game to the 18th. After a fantastic drive to about 40 yards from the pin at the 18th he rather strangely (I'm told) decided to use his putter from the fairway rather than chip onto the green. After putting to about 8 feet from the hole and receiving a round of applause, he turned to the crowd smiling and admitted he was "a scaredy cat really - I went through the back of the green the last two years I played".     

By day two, this time at Kingsbarns, my partner quipped that it was like being on some sort of celebrity safari, with household names popping up behind every bush. With the sun splitting the sky we had arrived to see Paul Lawrie, fresh from the European team's Ryder Cup success, teeing off on the 1st. The Scot was partnered with his young son Craig. Then we saw actor Bill Murray (making chicken noises) and singer Huey Lewis. Later at the 5th Huey accidentally hit his ball while doing a practice swing at the tee. It went into the rough just to the side of the tee and Bill Murray's pro partner David Howell was winding Huey up that he had to hit it from there. Huey sportingly went to do just that, with Murray saying to the crowd: "Ladies and gentleman - Huey Lewis - what a sportsman". Howell then 'fessed up that he didn't have to.

We also saw Colin Montgomerie and Sir Steve Redgrave (pictured) on the 5th - a team who went on to end the day on an impressive 12 under par - and also the actor Greg Kinnear (pictured).

A highlight for me and a lot of excited kids was seeing the Olympian and Paralympian group - US swimming legend, the giant Michael Phelps and the Bladerunner himself, South African Oscar Pistorius. We were within inches of Pistorius when he had to move the barrier to take a shot in the rough on the 5th. Earlier in the day Phelps' pro partner Paul Casey had apparently had his ball stolen on the green by an over-enthusiastic dog!

We also saw a jovial Ernie Els, a giant of a man, who had won the Open earlier this year. His fellow South African partner Johann Rupert said to him at the start of the 3rd "you birdie this one and I'll get the next!".

My partner enjoyed getting up really close (right behind the tee) to see the incredible speed and accuracy of the pros driving. Often it was impossible to see the ball at all - just a whooshing sound high up in the air. I enjoyed the celeb-spotting and the light-hearted atmosphere - the players seemed to be really enjoying themselves and having a bit of banter with each other and the crowd. Though I imagine things might get more competitive on the final day!

We finished off by quaffing some Rob Roy burgers and getting the programme signed by two pros: Dustin Johnson (from the American Ryder Cup team) and Northern Irish golfer (and possible future Ryder Cup captain - though he wasn't giving anything away to the press on that) Darren Clarke.

The 2012 event was won by a South African pro, Branden Grace, who had led right from Day One - click here for the full results. Looking forward to next year's event already!