Date spot in St Andrews
Fife Coastal Path to Crail
Walk the Fife Coastal Path south from St Andrews past rocky shore, the Rock and Spindle sea stack and farmland to the old fishing village of Crail, with its tiny harbour.
From East Sands to Crail, about 13 miles
Address: Crail harbour end, Crail, Anstruther KY10 3SU- Trip
- Outdoors
- Free
- Best in Spring, Summer, Autumn
- Active
- Out of town
Why it's a good date: A proper full-day walk with a pretty harbour at the end. Set off early, take a picnic, and catch the bus back along the coast road; for a shorter day, walk as far as Kingsbarns.
Photo: Mat Fascione, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
More from our St Andrews guide
Anstruther Fish Bar
Shore Street, Anstruther, about 10 miles south
Address: 42-44 Shore Street, Anstruther KY10 3AQ- Restaurant
- Cheap and cheerful
- Out of town
Drive down to Anstruther in the East Neuk for fish and chips from one of Scotland's best-known chippies, then eat them on the harbour wall.
Why it's a good date: Simple and very good. Watch the gulls if you eat outside, then walk along to Pittenweem or on to Crail for a look at the other harbours.
Photo: Richard Sutcliffe, CC BY-SA 2.0 (resized)
Tentsmuir Forest and beach
Kinshaldy, near Leuchars, about 10 miles north
Address: Kinshaldy car park, Tentsmuir, Leuchars KY16 0DR- Trip
- Outdoors
- Free
- Out of town
Walk through the pine forest at Tentsmuir to a huge, empty beach backed by dunes, and look out for seals hauled out on the sandbanks.
Why it's a good date: Wilder and quieter than West Sands, with miles of sand to yourselves. Bring binoculars for the seals, keep your distance from them, and take a picnic for the dunes.
Photo: Steven Watson, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
West Sands
West Sands Road, north of the town centre
Address: West Sands Road, St Andrews KY16 9XL- Outdoors
- Free
- Romantic
Walk the two miles of wide, flat sand that run north from the Old Course, the beach the runners race along in the opening of Chariots of Fire.
Why it's a good date: Big skies, room to breathe and no charge. Go at sunset or first thing on a winter morning, then warm up with a hot drink back in town.
Photo: Mark Anderson, CC BY-SA 2.0 (resized)
