View allAll Photos Tagged fifecoastalpath
This isn't the most normal angle taken of the old sea-farers houses at Pan Ha, Dysart, but I like it anyway.
Information on the history of Dysart can be found in the new Dysart Trust website www.dysart-trust.org.uk This outline website will be populated with information and photos in the coming months.
Disappointingly, these have been reclad - bringing welcome thermal improvement, I'm sure - but bringing in a rather horrid fleshy colour scheme.
They were previously white, with rather fetching Corbusianesque red, blue & yellow painted balconies :-(
Windy, lovely location, ill better this composition in weeks to come. Plenty photo opportunities here!
One of a set of 6 photos at the same location using different lenses and filters to create slightly different images.
We are now looking at the south end of the main block, from beside the earliest range of buildings at the south end of the promontory.
The first castle to appear on what is one of the best defensive locations on this stretch of coast was probably built by Sir Alan Durward in the mid 1200s. Alexander III is known to have spent part of his childhood staying with his half-sister, who was married to Durward, at their castle at St Monans. This seems to be the most likely location for that castle. In the mid 1400s the lands here was owned by Sir John Kinloch, and it then passed to the Sandilands family, who were to be lairds for the next 150 years. They extensively renovated an existing castle on the site, possibly the one dating back to Sir Alan Durward.
A slightly closer view of Newark Castle, selected for comparison with the picture that follows - a drawing made of the castle ~120 years ago. As is clear to see, the building is not in good condition and deteriorating rapidly.
The headland in the distance is at Elie - some of the roof-tops of which can be seen between the remains of the castle walls. There are two buildings visible on the headland: the lighthouse, which is difficult to see because it is white, and a castlelike tower. This is known as the Lady's Tower and was built for Lady Janet Anstruther, who lived at Elie House. The story goes that it was built for her to change in when she went swimming and when she did so a bellman would walk through the streets warning local people to stay away! I am not sure whether this was to preserve the lady's virtue or because she was a frightening sight with her gear off!
View of St.Andrews Fife. Looking north from the Crail Road. The North Sea can be seen right centre with the famous West Sands top right.
For a brief period, the Fife Coastal Path heads inland to avoid a difficult section of coastline around the village of Boarhills. Instead, the path strikes a course through by the Kenly Water, treating walkers to around a mile of woodland and field walks before dropping them back down to the coast. Once the woodland ends and the Kenly Water flows into the North Sea, the path returns to the beach.
Once you step onto the beach, you'll spot this small ruin in the distance and if you venture over to it, you'll find that it's full of junk, including milk cartons, fruit shoots and beer cans. If it wasn't by the coastal path, it wouldn't be worth checking out.