Elie
Next stop after St Monans was Elie. This village curves around a stretch of golden sand and is a very popular destination. One of the highlights is Lady’s Tower, built for Lady Janet Anstruther, the daughter of a Scottish merchant in 1770. This was put in place to provide her with someplace to change while bathing and to relax after her swim. It’s a stunning location, right on the cliff edge overlooking the sea. There is a well-trodden path to get there and it’s easy to find. I was lucky to be there with no one else about so this meant I could step inside, alone. It certainly fired my imagination. I could just imagine being transported back in time, wondering if I turned around would I discover I was back in the 1700’s. The tower has that sort of vibe. As a vantage point for simply sitting down and watching the waves on the Firth of Forth, it’s ideal. As a beach hut, it certainly makes a statement. We often talk of hidden gems in Scotland, and this is certainly one of them. Yes, it’s a ruin, but the simplicity of the design and how the shading of the stonework changes depending on the light, this is one of my favourites.
After visiting Lady’s Tower, I walked a little way along the coast to the Elie Ness Lighthouse. This is an impressive, brilliant white structure, again on an ideal vantage point, on a piece of land jutting out into the Firth of Forth, sitting between Inchkeith and the Isle of May. Built to allow sailors to see the cliffside, it dates from 1908 when it was lit on the first of October. It was restored in 2010 and the lighthouse and the Lighthouse Keeper’s cottage alongside it are maintained by the Elie Ness Historical Society. The lantern has been upgraded to cast a light of 17 miles in length. It was closed when I was there so didn’t get the chance to go inside.
I need to mention the local pub, where I had an excellent cup of coffee. I was driving, so I couldn’t have a pint of beer. The pub is called The Ship Inn which is an apt name for a pub on the shore. It’s actually a very common name for a pub in Scotland, and indeed in the United Kingdom. I mention it though because of the gents toilets. The urinals are a line of plumbed in tin buckets attached to the wall. I had to laugh. Only in Scotland.
The Fiction Factory 