Scotland & Kilconquhar Castle

The Fife Tourist Route offers many picturesque places. St. Andrews was a lovely town, with the ruins of the Cathedral and the Castle, a lovely shopping area, the beaches, and of course, the famous golf courses. It is the home of Scotland's oldest university, St. Andrew's Aquarium, and two museums.

Crail is the oldest of the East Neuk burghs. It has a wonderful museum and heritage centre with photograph albums showing local school photographs, wedding pictures, etc. A really interesting visit can be had here. There is the Crail Pottery, housed in restored buildings in the village, set around a flower and pot filled yard. Crail Harbour attracts artists and photographers.

Nearby Anstruther is another fishing village with the Scottish Fisheries Museum.

Dundee is a pleasant city. From Gunwharf Quays, stroll to the City Centre or visit the Discovery Museum. Admission includes touring the ship, and the whole experience is very interesting.

The Royal Burgh of Cupar is in the heart of Fife. Street names reflect its historic past, with the War Memorial with Angel Statue unveiled in 1922. The Scottish Deer Centre is close by, home to many species of deer, gift shop, and cafe. Dramatic falconry displays can be seen here.

Edinburgh has so much to offer. We visited during the Edinburgh Festival, with its street entertainment, acrobats, musicians, fire eaters, trick cyclists, and so much more. The atmosphere is amazing. Stroll the Royal Mile, visit Holyrood Palace, see traditional tartan being made (you can have your photo taken dressed as a true Highlander). But best of all for us was the Edinburgh Tattoo. Staged in the grounds of the castle standing high above the City, visitors witness the most amazing show with artists from all over the world.

We love to make a visit to Gretna either en route or on our return journey. Whilst it is getting a little commercialised now, there is still a certain amount of charm, and if you time it right, you may even catch a wedding ceremony.

Arbroath is a small town where you can stroll to visit the Abbey. Tourist information is available in the centre of town. Unfortunately, we made it there late in the day, so would like to return for a better view.

Quick Tips:

There are many tourist information centres where booklets can be obtained with vouchers and showing places of interest along with admission costs where applicable. The centres will also assist with accommodation needs if required.

When visiting St. Andrews, there is a wonderful park-and-ride service. The bus runs at regular intervals and drops off at various points around the town. Best of all, it is free of charge.

We found that most of the small towns on the Fife Coastal Route had free car parking.

Use the parking facilities at Gunwharf Quays Shopping Outlet in Dundee. They are free of charge and you can walk into the city from here.

If visiting during August and requiring tickets for the Edinburgh Tattoo, book in advance to avoid disappointment and obtain the seating you prefer. Bookings commence on 1st December the previous year. Details are on the website. We have always sent a fax the previous evening to get our request in as early as possible.

A good place for thimble collectors to visit is the Scottish Thimble Guild in Biggar. You can view wonderful displays and also search the bargain basket for a 50p souvenir.

Best Way To Get Around:

Using a car is the ideal way to see Scotland, as you can stop to admire the views whenever you wish, which can be often in some areas, as the scenery and historic buildings are so beautiful.

The toll charge at the Forth Bridge is presently £1 per car, and the Tay Bridge out of Dundee 80p. These are well worth the cost when you consider the time, mileage, and petrol costs saved.

If visiting Edinburgh for the day, there are plenty of city car parks, and it is then possible to see the city on foot. We tried to find a park-and-ride option, but were not successful. Once in Edinburgh, you can take the Edinburgh Tour in an open-top bus (weather permitting) to view the main sights. It is possible to get on and off the bus as often as required.

Best Things Nearby:
There are beautiful fishing villages all along the coast within a 10/15 mile radius. The famous St. Andrews, with its golf facilities, is 10 miles away, but there is far more to see here than the golf courses.

By travelling over the Tay Bridge, you can visit Dundee, which is a larger town with good shopping facilities, and the Discovery Museum, which is well worth a visit.

By using the Forth Bridge, Edinburgh is about an hour’s drive away. For those who enjoy the Edinburgh Tattoo, Kilconquhar is a reasonable distance to travel back to after the performance.

We also took a trip to Perth, which is a pleasant city where you can stroll along the river and into the park. There are the usual city shops if required.

En route to Perth, we called in at the RSPB Centre at Loch Leven. From the cafe area, it is possible to use telescopes to view the swans, ducks, and other wildlife on the loch.

Best Things About the Resort:
There are lots of facilities on offer. They have an Equestrian Centre which is open every day but Friday, giving the horses a day off on changeover day.

Each evening, entertainment was available for those who had returned from their day's excursion. These included quizzes, a Taste of Scotland evening, a tapas evening, and a Seafood Special night.

There was also a Summer Leisure Programme with activities including jewellery making, adult lane swimming, circuit fitness training, table tennis competition, snooker competition, family football, puppet making, t-shirt painting, trampoline and badge making for the children, and so the list goes on.

For those wanting to take it easy and leave the car behind after arriving, tours were also offered. These included: Shop & Tour of Edinburgh, Glencoe & Loch Ness, Perthshire, Pitlochry & Queens View, East Neuk Tour, Stirling & Loch Lomand, Ghost & Torture Tour of Edinburgh. Personal tours could also be arranged for anyone wanting a different itinerary.

Just off the reception area was an indoor swimming pool. It did not seem to be used to any great extent. Maybe everyone was busy taking in the wonderful scenery around or participating in the many other activities. There was also exercise equipment, but we have to admit we did not even get as far as viewing this area, making sure we got plenty of fresh air instead.

Staff at reception were helpful and able to provide details of the local area if required. We had to depart a day early, but there was no problem with finalising our account and us getting on the road for our journey home.

Having so many places in close proximity was a plus, as so often in Scotland, it requires many miles of travel before you reach the next destination, possibly making it preferable to travel from place to place and book accommodation as you go.

The grounds of Kilconquhar were so lovely, and it was a pleasure to stroll at leisure in such a safe environment after a day out. Rabbits could be spotted, especially in the evenings, and there were lots of birds to be seen. The views from our apartment were also breathtaking of the surrounding countryside.

Resort Experience:
When we arrived after a very long journey, the peace of Kilconquhar was wonderful. As we drove down the tree lined lane towards check in, we felt sure that our stay was going to be very comfortable and satisfactory. There were bungalows all around on each side, so when we checked in and were given our apartment as Castle Suite Three, we felt a little disappointed, thinking that we would be missing out on the privacy of a bungalow. How wrong we were. On entering our apartment we found a giant sized lounge with high ceilings, beautiful draped curtains at large windows, and tartan covered settees, giving a very Scottish feel. On exploring further, as well as a full sized dining table and chairs, we had seating facilities in the kitchen area, which was a good size and well equipped. Our only complaint was that the toaster had seen better days and the kettle could have been cleaner, but other than this, everything was satisfactory. We did note our concerns on the comment form.

There were two bedrooms, both with bathrooms en suite. The main bedroom had a large four poster bed and a bath with jacuzzi. Unfortunately for us, though, there was no shower in this bathroom, which we found disappointing, but everywhere was immaculate, with fresh white towels and bath mat. The second bedroom had twin beds and a large bathroom with bath and shower.

The only things missing were power points near to mirrors for hair styling. The nearest socket was on the other side of the room, so the reflection in the TV screen was the best you could do for a mirror, which was obviously not very convenient. Also, the second bedroom did not have any chair or stool, so the only place to sit was the bed.

The moans, however, are only minor ones, and the plus factors of such a large apartment outweighed the negatives.

It is worth noting that electricity is charged as used, so if visiting in the winter months and needing heating, this could add to a considerable amount.

RCI recommended this resort when we were looking for a base, our main aim of the week being to see the Edinburgh Tattoo, and we are so pleased we took their advice. We saw an area we had not been to before, and one very different, as previously our visits have been to Edinburgh or Cameron House on Loch Lomond. We would certainly recommend the resort to anyone wishing to stay in Scotland. It is also possible to travel to such places as Loch Lomond, Aberdeen, Pitlochry, and others within a day, although having two drivers is beneficial.

• Unit Type: 2 Bedroom
• Activities: Very Good
• Amenities: Very Good
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Very Good
• Service: Very Good

If you visit Scotland in August, you should not miss the wonderful spectacle of the Edinburgh Tattoo. We have attended on several occasions and have to admit that some performances are better than others, but none have been disappointing.

We last saw the Tattoo in 2002, the year the Queen celebrated 50 years on the throne, and were fortunate enough to attend on the same evening that she and Prince Philip were present. Our seating meant that we were very close to where the royal car stopped and we were able to see them leave the vehicle and take their seats.

Our reason for wanting to be a part of the 2005 performance was that the programme included a special part to celebrate 200 years since Nelson's victory at Trafalgar, having already attended some of the celebrations in Portsmouth earlier in the year.

If you choose to attend the late performance on a Saturday evening, there is the additional spectacle of the firework display, but on this occasion, we chose the earlier show, knowing how cold the late-night air can be so high up over the city.

The evening began with the Fanfare for the First Sea Lord, followed by the Massed Pipes and Drums emerging from the Castle. This was the largest ever gathering of pipers and drummers at the Tattoo, and as they marched and played, their tartan kilts swinging, there was a feeling that the show had really begun.

This was followed by the Imps Motorcycle Team, a rehearsed and skilled team who were very well received by the audience. A comical side was seen when one of the younger members came through the arena on a police motorcycle, the police officer in hot pursuit on the miniature cycle.

The Massed Highland Dancers this year included visitors from New Zealand. They always give a highly professional performance in their beautiful Highland dress, making different formations as they go through their routines.

Another form of dance seen this year was the Russian Cossack Dancers. Both male and female dancers had outfits mainly in red, and the addition of the red spotlights enhanced the appearance. The male dancers gave a very athletic performance, with the ladies showing the gentler side of the Cossack style.

The Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force Steel Orchestra returned for 2005. This is an award-winning steel band with a style all their own. They are so happy and vibrant, giving a true Caribbean feel to the proceedings as they dance and clap their way through their performance, encouraging the audience to join in.

The Guard of His Majesty the King of Norway gave a stunning musical marching and drill display. The drill was so fast that it was hard to believe that it had been possible to carry out the maneuvers at such speed. Their uniforms were immaculate, with hats adorned with feathers.

The Massed Military Bands provided the music for the Celebration of Trafalgar. As they played their nautical music scenes telling the story of the battle, Nelson's flagship The Victory and Nelson lying wounded and dying could be seen on the side of the castle along with those famous words, " England expects that every man should do his duty." This was an experience we were so glad to have been a part of.

The finale involved the 1,000-strong cast. The Guard of Honour was formed by the Royal Navy, and after the National Anthem, everyone in the audience crossed their arms and joined hands for “Auld Lang Syne.” The Lone Piper played “Lest We Forget” high up on the castle ramparts, commanding complete silence from the audience and cast alike. And then came the departure of the cast, marching to the sound of the pipes and drums, the first sounds, as always, being “Scotland The Brave.” The audience left, savouring the memories of what they had seen and taking them away to share with their friends. The Edinburgh Tattoo 2005 is over, and the organisers start planning for 2006.