Fife - the perfect outdoor break destination

Kate Hopper, travel blogger behind Love, from Scotland, visited Fife to find out all the things she could get up to outdoors. We asked why she’d recommend Fife to anyone looking for an outdoor break in Scotland.

Despite being a travel & outdoor blogger, I have to admit that I haven’t always been an adventurous type, until last year I actually spent most of my time outdoors walking up hills rather than mountain biking down them! However, spending so much time travelling or behind a laptop left me needing to get more active and I made a decision that with so much on offer outdoors in Scotland, I should have a go at try everything -  at least once!

It turns out that Fife is the perfect place to try outdoor activities - with 117-miles of stunning coastline, huge beaches and plenty of fish n chips - and along with a whole host of brilliant outdoor activity providers, there is always something new to do. I’ve had a go at everything - from learning to mountain bike the right way, to walking the Fife Pilgrim Way, I have had a total blast.

If you fancy getting outside in Fife you can watch my wee film of what we go up to and find out my recommendations below.

My favourite things to do in Fife outdoors:

• Walk the Fife Pilgrim Way- hike the brand new Fife Pilgrim Way, a 64-mile path from North Queensferry and Culross to St Andrews following the route taken by pilgrims between the 11th to 16th centuries. Follow the old “beggar’s mantle” to the  along the Waterless Road through the village of Ceres learning about Fife and Scotland’s history along the way.
• Stand up paddle boarding (SUP) at Lochore Meadows – one of the fastest growing sports in Scotland, I loved learning to paddle board on this lovely loch - I found paddleboarding was really easy - once I got the hang of how to balance I was standing up and doing tricks in no time!
• Learn to Mountain Bike - it’s been around 20 years since I’d been on a bike, but the beginners trails at Lochore Meadows had me cycling confidently. I followed the all ability trail which is suitable for kids bikes, tandems, and even rollers before heading out on the woodland trails. Lochore Meadows also hires out bikes.
• Horse riding at Barbarafield - one of the best ways to see the countryside is on horse back and Barbarafield Riding School offers adult and children’s hacks near Cupar. Head out on a 1 hour hack (£30 for adults) to explore the beautiful grounds of the Hill of Tarvit and Scotstarvit Tower on the back of a horse.
• Walk the 117 mile Fife Coastal Path – Scotland’s longest coastal path takes you from the Firth of Forth to the Firth of Tay. My favourite sections explores the villages of the East Neuk - you can walk from Anstruther to Crail for crab butties in the pretty harbour.
• Climb up to the Bunnet Stane – an unusual rock formation in the Lomond Hills Regional Park, the Bunnet Stane makes for a great walk for all the family. Under the rock is the Maiden Bower, a small man-made cave, named after a young maiden who had a romeo and juliet style romance! If you are feeling more energetic, climb East Lomond for a view of Fife.
• Go scrambling on the Elie Chain Walk – the Elie Chain Walk is a series of chains along the Fife coast, which allow you to climb and scramble from Shell Bay to Elie. It’s brilliant fun, but before you head out onto the chains make sure you are prepared for the weather and the tides. Please note this is also something you need to do safely and supervised, so should be booked via Outdoor Education Fife. If you fancy doing the Elie Chain Walk, please watch my Elie Chain Walk video guide for tips and tricks.

You can read Kate’s full blog on what she got up to on her visit to Fife on her website including lots more recommendations on how to get outside in Fife.