An Indian Summer Week in the East Neuk

We headed of to Fife last Saturday for a week in a wee cottage in Crail. The weather was looking good as we set of for Edinburgh to have lunch with John & Sandria on our way to Fife. Little did we know that this was the start of a week long Indian Summer and we had a week of glorious weather and as you will see the predominate colour on all these photos is blue with both sky and sea looking so good. This is Anstruther Harbour which is the most tourist orientated of all the fishing villages on this coast.  

Just half a mile north of Anstruther is this harbour in Cellardyke. It is hardly used but a lovely peaceful place and we enjoyed an afternoon sitting in the sun here with nobody else about to disturb us. It is interesting to note that the locals hang their washing out at the side of the harbour. 

This is our holiday cottage called Tapsalteerie in the centre of Crail.

This is Pittenweem Harbour and the busiest fishing port on this coast. 

On Monday I took the ferry to the Isle of May. It was the last ferry of the season and according to the skipper it was the nicest day of the season for weather with the sea flat calm and the temperature over 20C. We were allowed to stay on the island for over 2 hours and it was well worth the visit with plenty to see. Unfortunately most of the sea birds and especially the 92,000 Puffins had left for the season but the seals had started breeding and we saw many of them in the water around the island. On our way back to Anstruther about 5 minutes from the harbour and the end of the trip we were suddenly surrounded by a pod of Dolphins so the skipper stopped the boat and for 5 minutes we were treated to a spectacular display by the Dolphins before they disappeared again. My camera was in the bottom of my rucksack so I had no time to get it out and take photographs and would probably have missed them anyway as many with cameras were pointing in the wrong direction each time they leaped out of the water.   

At each end of the island there is a foghorn. This is the southern one as the northern one is on the small island of Rona and out of bounds to visitors.

The old lighthouse is built from a converted abbey and is the oldest lighthouse in Scotland. 

Saint Andrews harbour which is completely spoiled by the student accommodation built next to it. 

This is Leven but I don't think this is used as a harbour these days.

Lower Largo harbour and the hotel next to it is called the Crusoe Hotel after local born Alexander Selkirk who was marooned on an island in the Pacific and his story dramatised by the novelist Daniel Defoe. 

Elie harbour 

St. Monans harbour

Our favourite cafe next to Crail Harbour

Last but by no means least is Crail harbour where we often sat in the late afternoon at high tide and Gaye did her Times crossword while I watched the fishermen getting their lobster pots ready to take out to sea. It has been a fantastic week and we will never forget this indian Summer in the East Neuk of Fife.