“Sometimes I just need to get away, listen to the sound of the waves, feel the cool breeze on my face, and realise everything is really ok”

Due to Lockdown No2 which for us here in Scotland states that one cannot travel outside of their district we are stuck in Fife! Not too a bad place to be stuck in I guess as we have thousands of walks right here in our pocket.

The mountains have been calling us but for the past several weeks which now feel like an eternity we have been unable to go as we are abiding by the rules and doing the right thing – did you know we actually now have legal travel restrictions whereby you can be fined for travelling outside your area!

So Lockdown No2 has presented us with a sink or swim scenario, we could either embrace or dismiss it. We chose to embrace it and over the past few weeks we have been exploring our coastal area. A walk by the sea is special in all sorts of ways.

A bracing sea breeze, waves crashing against the rocks and soaring seabirds are just some of the reasons to walk by the sea…what more can one want. We have golden sands, clifftop views, dazzling wildlife and fascinating historical sights and stories all on our doorstep.

With paths winding over and around the undulating coastline, I find it incredibly peaceful walking beside the vast vista of blue and the sounds of sea resonating all around,….its little wonder why coastal walks are a top choice for many.

So off we went and here are some of my favourites!

Largo, a village in Fife, is a lovely little spot with a coastline of over 2.75 miles along Largo Bay.

After undertaking the coastal walk we decided to walk down to Lower Largo and wander the quirky streets of this ancient fishing village admiring some of their ‘street art’, feeling quite energized and inspired by it all.

Lower Largo is worth the exploring. We found ourselves in the midst of 20th Century housing and the historic core of the village before reaching a remarkably attractive village centre which backs onto the sea with a very unusual rivermouth harbour.

As we wandered through some of the oldest parts of Lower Largo, the narrow Main Street winding its way along the shoreline, we had one final surprise in store.

We strolled past a pair of ‘ordinary’ looking stone cottages fronting the side of the road and at first floor level there was a life size bronze statue of Alexander Selkirk, whose adventures were used by Daniel Defoe as the inspiration for his novel Robinson Crusoe.

Selkirk’s statue stands on the site of the cottage in which he was born.

We revisited Largo on another occasion to undertake the last of our big hills in Fife to summit…our final Fife hill, although I could have been here as a child as we possibly hiked up every single hill in Fife and beyond!

Largo Law…..once a Munro? This was once a large active volcano but now the eroded remnant which once formed the centre of a much higher mountain is only 965ft.

Hills often have traditional stories associated with them and Largo Law is no different! One story tells of a gold mine hidden under the hill…we never found the gold…only mud…lots of mud!

We hiked up relatively quick until we reached the trig point before we retraced our steps.

The views across the Forth were pretty vast, we saw Bask Rock and across the waters to the Pentlands.

St. Andrews is another favourite of our seaside towns to walk around and its situated in such stunning surroundings.

It also has a renowned beautiful coastline as well as being known for its many golf courses, including the Old Course…off course! Today was a very beautiful day and as we walked we were also entertained by groups of windsurfers bracing this fine December day.

I love the architecture in St Andrews. It slightly reminds me of a miniature Edinburgh as we walk along the many narrow medieval back streets with gorgeous traditional buildings and old historical ones.

Crail is another favourite of mine and is one of the many picturesque East Neuk harbours, small but absolutely lovely.

As we wandered the harbour walls it’s impossible not to take in the amazing views.

I just love the ambiance of this small fishing village, the colours of the cottages and the little winding roads to the harbours its quaint and peaceful.

As well as wandering these beautiful shores we have even braved the sea, dipping our toes or should I say submerging our bodies in these waters whilst cliff jumping of the coastline of Elie…Life certainly is a Beach!!!