Tour Anstruther

This wonderful East Neuk fishing village in the Kingdom of Fife, just 9 miles South of St Andrews, is where I was raised in Scotland. ( At 24 Rodger Street, Cellardyke ) I have a deep and abiding love of this area, and all of Fife.

Anstruther, or Enster, as it is known by locals, gained its Royal Charter in 1587 and comprises Anstruther Easter and Anstruther Wester, Cellardyke and Kilrenny. In its heyday, Anstruther was one of the busiest ports in the East Neuk of fife and is steeped in history. Even with the general decline of the Fishing industry Anstruther is still a great attraction because of the Fife Coastal Path and the Scottish Fisheries Museum. The museum is housed in old domestic buildings and also in the 16th century site used by the monks from Balmerino Abbey.

Winter photographs of Anstruther, East Neuk of Fife.

It is best to explore all of Anstruther on foot and a walk through the old streets will recapture the names and history of days from a bygone age. The Dreel River forms the boundary between Anstruther Easter and Wester and in olden days was guarded by the Dreel Castle. The Parish Church of Easter was built in 1634 and dedicated to St. Adrian.

Robert Louis Stevenson stayed in nearby Cunzie House while his father was working on the new outer wall of the harbor in 1868. The seafaring Anstruther must have made great impression on the young author.

Anstruther was the birthplace of Thomas Chalmers. The wee cottage where he was born in 1780 stands off the High Street. He was instrumental in forming the Free Church of Scotland. Other famous people from Anstruther include; Lt. Andrew Waid who bequeathed his fortune in 1804 to establish Waid Academy for the benefit of local education. William Tennant ( 1784-1848), who was born in the High Street and became Professor of Oriental Languages at St Andrews University. James Goodsir who was born at the Hermitage and became the Conservator of the Museum of College of Surgeons.

Cellardyke which was previously named Nether Kilrenny and Skinfasthaven has a beautiful and charming harbor and narrow winding streets.

It became a burgh for Pittenweem Priory and was made a royal burgh in 1581, formed from the amalgamation of two older settlements separated by the Dreel Burn, Anstruther Easter and Anstruther Wester.

Just North of Anstruther is Scotland’s best kept secret for over 40 years, Until Now. Hidden beneath a Scottish Farmhouse, a tunnel leads to Scotland’s Secret Bunker. 24,000 square feet of secret accommodation on two levels, 100 feet underground.

The Kilrenny and Anstruther Burgh Collection is committed to preserving and maintaining the historical records of the town. We hold a number of exhibitions throughout the year and produce a series of publications on topics relating to Anstruther and its history.

The Anstruther Lifeboat Station founded in 1865. The Anstruther Golf Club, a challenging links course is only 9 miles from St Andrews, the Home of Golf. The May Princess sails from Anstruther harbour to the Isle of May from May to October. Waid Academy Rugby Club is based in the village of Anstruther, Fife. Situated 3 miles north of Pittenweem in the East Neuk of Fife, Kellie Castle largely dates from the 16th and early 17th centuries. Fife has one of the UK's most comprehensive cycle networks.

Villages of Fife Fife has seen many major events in Scottish history, and this work covers the places, parishes and people; their leaders, labour and leisure and the part all strata of village society played in the vibrant county with the pretentions of a kingdom. From Kingbarns to Saline and from Wormit to Dysart, this work reveals the myriads of villages and how they developed, showing how they are as alive today as they ever were, still contributing to the ongoing story of Fife.

Tour Scotland Anstruther October.
Winter Tour of Anstruther Fife Scotland.

If you would like to Tour Anstruther on a highly personalized small group tour of my native Scotland please e-mail me: Sandy Stevenson

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