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Date spot in St Andrews

St Andrews Castle

Explore the ruined bishops' castle on the cliffs, peer into its bottle dungeon and crawl through the mine and countermine tunnels dug during a siege in the 1540s.

The ruined stone walls and tower of St Andrews Castle on a grassy clifftop above a sandy cove and the sea

The Scores, town centre

The Scores, St Andrews KY16 9AR

Why it's a good date: The tunnels are low, dark and a bit of an adventure, so wear shoes you don't mind getting dusty. It's a few minutes' walk from the cathedral, so do both in one go.

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Photo: Dbrooke1829, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)

More from our St Andrews guide

  • The small arched stone Swilcan Bridge on the green fairway, with the grand stone R&A clubhouse behind

    The Old Course on a Sunday

    Golf Place, by the R&A clubhouse

    Golf Place, St Andrews KY16 9JE

    Walk out across the most famous golf course in the world on a Sunday, when it's closed to golf and opens up for anyone to stroll, and stand together on the little stone Swilcan Bridge.

    Why it's a good date: Free, a bit surreal and great for a photo. Keep off the greens, check the links' website in case a tournament is on, and carry on to West Sands afterwards.

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    Photo: Optograph, CC BY-SA 3.0 (resized)

  • A long stone harbour pier with a paved path along the top, stretching out into calm water under a pale sky

    The harbour and the pier

    The Shore, below the cathedral

    The Shore, St Andrews KY16 9RG
    • Outdoors
    • Free
    • Romantic

    Walk down past the cathedral to the little harbour, then out along the long stone pier to the end for a view back over the town.

    Why it's a good date: Short, free and lovely at dusk. On Sundays in term you might see students in red gowns doing their traditional pier walk, and East Sands is just round the corner if you want to keep going.

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    Photo: habiloid, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)

  • A rock garden with rounded conifers, heathers and small pools, backed by tall trees

    St Andrews Botanic Garden

    Canongate, south of the town centre

    Canongate, St Andrews KY16 8RT
    • Outdoors
    • Cosy

    Wander eighteen acres of woodland walks, rock gardens, ponds and meadows by the Kinness Burn, a short walk from South Street.

    Why it's a good date: Calm and green, and much quieter than the beach in summer. Bring a flask and find a bench by the water; it's a good one for a slow afternoon.

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    Photo: Mike Pennington, CC BY-SA 2.0 (resized)

From our guide to date ideas in St Andrews

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