near Falkland

 Im Grumpy. I spent the morning writing the blog and lost it. AAARRGGHHH

The gremlins have arrived. I cannot turn this photo 😆😆

Thanks to Margaret Miller and Margaret Nikolic for organizing and doing the recce for today’s walk.

Nine of us headed for Falkland in three cars and we met up in the main car park. Falkland was very busy and parking places were like hens' teeth. I wish I’d taken a speeded-up video for YouTube. Several of us pointing, calling and giving best advice to the drivers about spaces which were about to become free. There were many circles made of the car park, 3/5 point turns, and a couple of illegal parking places occupied by two of our own !

Eventually, we set off, Margaret Miller leading us down the High Street/East Port and across the busy A912 into the countryside.

Right away we were flanked by fields of gold. With the Lomonds behind us, it seemed like we were making for Newton of Falkland, but none of us was exactly sure. There was a sign which said Laigh Road (checked the Scots dictionary later – it means ‘low-lying’) so we opted for that. It was a glorious day for a walk and the agricultural landscape all over the Howe of Fife was beautiful. This part of the county is famous for farming and produce is plentiful ; fruit, vegetables and all kinds of grain. I snapped a pic through the trees when I saw the combine harvester at work.

People suffering from hayfever would be most uncomfortable, but the rest of us absorbed the good company, conversations, exercise and the beauty of God’s tapestry surrounding us. I think Cupar’s vast rolling farmlands must balance out the ecological footprint of Fife. 👏👏

There were no benches though. And not even a wall on which to rest our rears, so by the time we were on the return section of the circular walk, we were peched and thirsty.

We had booked the Covenanter Hotel for our refreshments, and we were politely served teas and coffees and yummy fruit scones. A fair price was paid. We set the date for our next walk – 13^th September – and suggested that, if suitable with the owners, we’d like to visit Margaret Simpson’s cottage at Kettlehills.

On leaving, we surveyed the square. I always thought it is an impressive town square for a wee place  like Falkland. There’s the Church of Scotland for starters (sadly just put up for sale) built by one Onesiphorus Tyndall-Bruce. No kidding. He was also responsible for the Bruce fountain slap bang in the middle of the road. Really awkward to manoeuvre your car around. And a monument in his memory stands beside the kirk. By far the most magnificent buildings are the 13^th century Falkland Palace and gardens. The Palace has an extraordinary history which I ought to, as a Fifer, have a sound knowledge of. But it’s sparse. Currently, and after a long connection with Stuarts, the Palace is under the stewardship of Ninian Stuart, and the upkeep is the responsibility of the National Trust for Scotland. There is still a Catholic worship service in the chapel within the Palace every Sunday.

And the last notable landmark in the square is the 18^th century Covenanter Hotel. I always thought there was something Presbyterian about this building but after researching, I see that it has actually always been a pub. It was used in the TV Outlander series of late, so it has become a hostelry of some fame.

Back to the present, it was time to return home. We said our wee prayer in the carpark and asked God to hold us in the palm of his hand until we meet again.

 

 

Update…update….update

Margaret is delighted that the walkers would like to visit the cottage 👏