Scotland Self catering Rental cottage St Monans Fife, Sea Breeze

Seabreeze,
St Monans,
Fife

Sleeps 2

The east 'Neuk' (or corner) of Fife stretches from St Andrews down a coastline graced by truly delightful villages, full of character, which face across The Firth of Forth to The Isle of May (a National Nature Reserve), the Bass Rock, and North Berwick on the East Lothian coast.

Quaint colourful houses, many of them restored by The National Trust for Scotland, tumble higgledy-piggledy down narrow winding streets to line the harbours and rocky shores - and their distinctive crow stepped gables, forestairs and red pantiles, preserve still the impression of the close-knit fishing villages totally dedicated to the sea that they formerly were. Tales of dastardly deeds - smuggling, piracy, darkest witchcraft exist alongside the recordings of Saints living in caves, miraculous cures, brave rescues from shipwrecks - the whole coast is steeped in a history and romance that you feel in the air and witness on the ground.

St Monans became one of Scotland's busiest fishing ports for very many years - Alexander Selkirk, the real-life sailor whose adventures were immortalised in Robinson Crusoe, was born just down the coast - but, from 1850 on, the fleet dwindled and the village became something of a pleasant backwater, with charming 'character' houses and a picturesque waterfront where they make a few boats - and smoke the 'haddies' you can still buy today. (There is also a well-known pub/restaurant right on the shore!)

The coast is backed by an attractive agricultural countryside that boosts very many excellent restaurants, and a wealth of great golf-courses; and it in turn is fringed by some of Scotland's finest and cleanest sandy beaches. It is a fascinating, picturesque, 'different' part of Scotland that everyone should see; with many places of interest to visit. St. Andrews and Crail Harbour are surely a 'must' - as perhaps the Secret Bunker which was meant to be the Government's HQ in Scotland in case of nuclear war - and you will not have time to explore neighbouring Perthshire, Loch Lomond, The Trossachs, Royal Deeside, which are all within an easy day's drive, unless you stay a couple of months!

Sitting Room Sea Breeze is a little gem of a house, ideally for 2 people, standing right on the west shore of the village. It has just been totally gutted and very expensively renovated from the original fisherman's house it once was, and it makes a very special 'character' house for people wanting to spend as much time comfortably inside, as they do exploring outside. A narrow house - right on the shore and with wide views out to sea - it has an exceptionally attractive, relaxing sitting-room at the top of the house (rather steep stairs to it), and a warm and cosy atmosphere throughout.