An afternoon by the sea

We've still been settling in to life in Scotland, but I was anxious to start exploring this beautiful country and jumped at the chance to see Anstruther.

This beautiful little seaside village is an hour and half from where we stay (in Coatbridge) and we decided to let Dexter tag along too. The drive up was very picturesque, with gorgeous green countryside and lots of little towns along the way. 

Originally founded as a fishing village, Anstruther is located in Fife, about 9 miles SE of St. Andrews (where the famous golf course is). Only 3500 people live in the town, but it is frequently visited by tourists, especially in the summer months.

Now that my geography lesson is over, I'll get to the fun part. I would have loved to spend a whole weekend exploring this place, checking out every nook and cranny. There are loads of cool spots like this:

and this:

We spent the afternoon walking along the town's main street, venturing up into the residential parts a little bit to get an idea of what it might be like to live there. There is a mix of old stone homes (which are absolutely amazing), nice new builds, and vacation-type homes for annual tourists. Along with that are incredible old hotels and pubs, no two alike, and lovely gardens around every corner. 

Anstruther is famous for it's "Chippy" (Fish & Chip shop) and we had to see what the fuss was all about. Anstruther Fish Bar had a line up out the door (which I'm told is the norm, see photo below) and we waited almost a half hour for our food. It was well worth it, with a light, crispy batter and the freshest fish I have ever had. In true Scottish tradition, we washed it down with an ice cold can of Irn Bru. Two thumbs up!

While the town itself was lovely, we decided to walk down to the beach, which is unlike any I have seen before. Layers of rocks in various heights, colours and textures cover the beach, adding a beautiful backdrop to the coast. 

 And the very dramatic beach shot...

And these incredible stone steps... imagine if that led up to your backyard!

All that walking around had gotten us thirsty, so we of course found a beer garden to have a pint in. A lovely little restaurant and pub called Haven seemed like a nice spot to stop, and I tried a nice local beer from neighbouring St. Andrews. I'm not usually one for lighter beers, but this was crisp and refreshing, just what the doctor ordered on a hot day. 

Almost instantly, I absolutely loved Anstruther and my opinion didn't change as we walked the streets of this town. Old stone buildings, cobbled streets, quaint little restaurants and pubs and a breathtaking coastline make this the most beautiful place I have ever seen. I am so envious of Paul and his family spending many summer holidays here, and think this would be such a great place to sit and watch the world go by, if only for a weekend. I will be back soon!