Tuesday 22 October 2024--My thoughts about making return visits to this place or that run into a very sobering wall when I consider Anstruther. I stayed three nights here in 2009, and Ron and I spent one night in 2014, a quick stop meant to give Ron a sense of what might be possible here. That was ten years ago. I'd be very lucky, I think, to have ten more trips to Scotland in me at this point. Those idle promises to return should perhaps be considered more carefully, and given a bit more urgency when warranted.

Our plans for today and tomorrow are to take walks along the Fife Coastal Path, which runs 116 miles from Kincardine, where the River Forth widens into its firth, all along the shoreline to Newburgh, where the River Tay does the same. We start out westward today, with a goal of reaching Elie and Earlsferry (two villages merged into one). It's a hike of about six and a half miles, which is a tad long for me these days, but there are opt-outs for me at the picturesque fishing ports of Pittenweem and St Monans, if my feet hurt too much. It helps that the trail is generally very flat, although there's a spot or two where erosion of the shoreline forces us into a wee bit of up-and-down. Relocation of these short stretches of trail is ongoing.

Happily, I go the distance, sore feet and all. We have a pint at the Ship Inn, which is very nice and seems to be very popular. Perhaps another time (hopefully not in ten years) we can book a table for dinner, and walk the beach and explore the village beforehand. The number 95 bus, which we are taking back to Anstruther, runs hourly, late into the evening.

Dinner this evening is at the Anstruther Fish Bar, which was named UK Best Fish & Chip Shop a few years back, and has won many other awards. We retire to the Ship Tavern after, for a few pints.