Date spot in St Andrews
Tentsmuir Forest and beach
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.
Kinshaldy, near Leuchars, about 10 miles north
Address: Kinshaldy car park, Tentsmuir, Leuchars KY16 0DR- Trip
- Outdoors
- Free
- Out of town
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)
More from our St Andrews guide
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)
St Andrews Cathedral and St Rule's Tower
The Pends, east end of the town centre
Address: The Pends, St Andrews KY16 9QL- Culture
- Outdoors
- Cheap and cheerful
- Romantic
Wander the ruins of what was once Scotland's biggest church, then climb the narrow stair of St Rule's Tower for a view over the rooftops, harbour and sea.
Why it's a good date: The grounds, with their old gravestones and towering gable ends, are free to walk round. The tower climb needs a ticket and isn't always open, so check before you go; it's worth it on a clear day.
Photo: Steven1991, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
St Andrews Castle
The Scores, town centre
Address: The Scores, St Andrews KY16 9AR- Culture
- Cheap and cheerful
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.
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.
Photo: Dbrooke1829, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)
