The rich rural scenery of North Fife, Scotland, provides variety from the historic city of St Andrews and the quaint harbours of the East Neuk of Fife. A Royal Palace in Falkland, a Folk Museum in Ceres, a National Trust Mansion House near Cupar, Balmerino Abbey, Lindores Abbey, Newburgh, Dunbog, Glenduckie, Creich, Birkhill, Ballinbreich, Abdie, Upper Flisk and more in beautiful North East Fife. Also the occasional wander.

Saturday, June 30, 2007

North Fife Highland Games Ceres. Wrestling is one of the oldest Scottish Highland Games events and is practiced by both sexes. It is fitting that it takes place at Ceres which is the oldest Highland Games venue.

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Of the Butterflies, a few weeks ago the main garden visitors were Painted Ladies, Large and Small Whites and Orange Tips. Red Admirals now predominate and vie with Hoverflies, wasps and Bumblebees for Cotoneaster nectar.

The Millennium Atlas of Butterflies in Britain and Ireland The Millennium Atlas of Butterflies in Britain and IrelandReview.By Rupert Witherow.This is a major reference work. Whatever they say it's not a light-weight book designed to be pretty or field portable. M.G. Pennington's review is excellent, just beware the newcommer that this is 100% NOT the book you use outside when trying to identify the fluttering thing you are looking at. Get another book for that (I vote Tom Tolman's work for that). This is for understanding what that fluttering thing you have already identified was all about, or where you might hope to meet a particular type of butterfly. Invaluable. There has also been at least one update published on the butterfly conservation website, though I think that's since become a book in its own right. If you have any possible interest in butterflies, get a decent field guide and get this book. You'll unlikely ever need anything else on the subject unless you gain a really deep interest.

Monday, June 25, 2007

North Fife. The wasp bike continues to grow and I hope is getting to be its final size. I am amazed at the continual all weather work the wasps put in, we see them in the garden scraping wood for building and collecting nectar from the nearby Cotoneaster shrubs. Given the close proximity to the house entrance, I thought it prudent to buy one of the books posted below, should any treatment be required. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Oh no!

Anyone looking to prevent or treat the painful retaliations of wasps, bees, and other stinging insects will enjoy and profit from this witty and informative guide. The facts are outlined in a succinct, no-nonsense format that provides all the critical information needed to stay safe from these airborne antagonists, including details on insect and sting identification, symptoms, treatment, prevention, and homeopathic remedies. Personal stories by such potential victims as gardeners, bikers, hikers, and picnickers keep the tone upbeat and light-hearted. Full-colour photos and a resource directory for further research are included.Bees and Other Stinging Insects: Bee Aware and Bee Safe (10thingstoknow about . . .)

Explores the extraordinary lifestyle of ants, bees, wasps and termites. It investigate all aspects of their behaviour as social insects - from their nest building and matriarchal habits to how their bodies work and change at each stage of the life cycle. Ages 7-10

Sunday, June 24, 2007

Shooglenifty CD.TrootsReviews,The globetrotting Scots band demonstrate their musical ability and imagination in another album packed with their trademark melodic grooves. A tune written in the Antipodes ('Excess Baggage') is arrestingly graced by an Inuk throat singer who sang with the band in the Yukon, while a Balkan horo rises in the middle of a set and 'Loreen's Tune' revels in the gentle waltzy banjo and fiddle of some Appalachian valley. Troots once again proves Shooglenifty's talent for music rooted in home traditions but with proven international appeal.Shooglenifty have been around long enough to defuse the element of surprise in their musical fusions, a process hastened by the pervasive genre-expanding influence they have exerted over the years. If it no longer packs the sheer novelty it once did, they have succeeded in continually revitalising their energised music along the way, and this fine new album reveals a notable coherence and assurance in both conception and execution.

The new tune sets, all by the band except Donald Macleod's pipe tune 'Walter C Douglas', are well up to standard. The inclusion of Inuk throat singer Tanya Tagaq Gillis (a star turn at their Celtic Connections gig which launched this disc) on the vibrant 'Excess Baggage', also demonstrates that they still have the odd new trick up their sleeve.

On Saturday we went to the Falkland Musical Festival in North Fife, to see Shooglenifty a band I had never seen or deliberately heard before. Superb, had me dancing on my pins along with the bouncing throng and much enjoyed by us all. The videoes and stills below and throughout this blog are mostly taken on my wee digital camera, excellent outdoors and in good light conditions but as with all digital cameras, has limitations in low or mixed light, even top end ones. I do like the Samsung NV7 though and highly recommend it. The blog images speak for themselves, these are considerably reduced in pixel size and prints can be phenomenal. It can be purchased through my store..

Friday, June 22, 2007

North Fife. Lochmill, Newburgh is one of the hidden gems of the town, it lies a mile or so South West.It is a very quiet, beautiful and tranquil spot where people may picnic in solitude and watch the Great Crested Grebes, Coots, Moorhens and Herons amongst others.It also provides excellent fly fishing for Brown and Rainbow Trout. Day tickets for fishing can be obtained from The Albert Bar in the High Street.

Thursday, June 21, 2007

On Sunday we went to The Big Tent Festival in Falkland Palace pastoral orchard and grounds. A brilliant, relaxed, informative and enjoyable day all round. See below posts. Click on the above link to see what you have missed.

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

The Man Who Planted Trees. Falkland,North Fife. By PUPPET STATE THEATRE COMPANY. The story is fictional but full of truth, written by Jean Giono is also known as "The Man Who Planted Hope and Reaped Happiness". In 1957 Giono wrote, "I Wrote this story to make people love trees, or more precisely to make people love planting trees. Of all my stories it is one of the ones of which I am most proud. It has never earned me a penny and for that reason it accomplished the very purpose for which it was written."But this much more than a story about forestry: it is a wonderful parable of life - the tale of a human being who saw a need and decided not to ignore it but "put things to right".Maybe we all have a supply of acorns hidden away somewhere.....

North Fife. Scottish Ecological Design Association.The Scottish Ecological Design Association (SEDA) was set up in 1991 'to promote the design of communities, environments, projects, systems, services, materials and products which enhance the quality of life of, and are not harmful to, living species and planetary ecology'.

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

North Fife, Pillars Organic Cafe. The Pillars of Hercules Organic farm lies close to Falkland and has been producing organically grown foods for many many years, long before it became fashionable. The holding has grown with the times and has an excellent shop and cafe.

We often pop across to Crail in Fife to buy freshly cooked crab, sometimes lobster and to enjoy the quiet harbour and adjoining beach. The East Neuk of Fife has many interesting and beautiful places in which to dwell.

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Try this North Fife Rhubarb Jam, it's a real treat. Approx:- 2 Kilos of preserving sugar ( contains pectin),1 Kilo of skinned and cut pieces of rhubarb,1 Kilo of fresh strawberries halved or quartered, depending.3 or 4 heads of Elderberry flowers, just the flowers.Put half the sugar and all the ingredients ( not the Elderflowers )in a pan and set aside over night.bring to a boil and simmer, add the remaining sugar, stir from time to time and test, when a sample sets on a cold plate it's ready to pour hot into sterilised jars. At This point put in the Elderflowers, stir, Enjoy.

Castle Campbell has to be one of the most picturesque castles. It is an impressive ruin built where the burns (streams) of Care and Sorrow join, and is overlooked by Gloom Hill. The castle was originally known as Castle Gloom.

The castle was originally a property of the Stewarts, but passed by marrriage to Colin Campbell, 1st Earl of Argyll, and Chancellor of Scotland. He had the name of the castle changed by an act of Parliament to Castle Campbell in 1489. The Marquis of Montrose tried to take the castle in 1645, but failed. Despite his failure, the 8th Earl of Argyll had Montrose hung, drawn, and quartered in 1651 for the attempt.

Cromwell's forces occupied the castle in 1653, and only part of the castle was restored after it was burnt by Monck in 1654. Shortly thereafter, the 9th Earlof Argyll was condemned for treason. He escaped to start a rebellion, but was captured and executed in 1685. Campbell Castle was sold in the early 19th century to the Taits, who then sold it in 1859 to the Orr Family. In 1948, the castle went to the National Trust, although it is administered by Historic Scotland.Castle Campbell was quite obviously built in three stages. The rectangular tower was the earliest stone building (from the 15th century), and was built on the site of a much earlier motte castle. The tower has four stories, of which three were vaulted. The original tower had two entrances, one of the ground floor and the second on the first story. The north wall has no openings at all in the first two stories, not even windows. In the 16th century, a second, square tower was added next to the original tower, with a spiral staircase allowing access to all floors.

The second period of building was in the late 16th century. The main work was a range of buildings on the southern range. Later, a shorter range of buildings was added to the east and the curtain wall completed the courtyard.

The hall on the first floor of the rectangular tower is vaulted and has a prison in the thickness of one wall, reached through a hatch in the stone floor of the room above. The current roof was added during one of the restorations and is not original, but it has helped keep the tower in good condition.

Every year we leave this stand of Marguerite Flowers until finished. Along with other plants in this meadow section of the garden they are cut down to reveal the gooseberry plants which they have protected from birds.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

It's here that we met Deirdre Munro, our guide. Deirdre was very welcoming and informative in her capacity as a Fife Ranger and because of, we spent a very educational afternoon to the delight of us all. Along the way we heard the song of Skylarks, Pipits, observed Brown-Lipped Snails, Burnet Moths, Painted Lady Butterflies and out at sea Shelducks with young, Cormorants, Gannets, Arctic Terns, Seals and more. Sadly of the pics below I seem to have captured only a rear view of Deirdre. Maybe a full frontal in the future. Anyway, Deirdre many thanks.

This is one of the beaches where Garnets (not rubies) are to be found and indeed in a short while we found one and also a clear dark blue stone which could be sapphire. The stones arise from the erosion of Volcanic basalt rock which form part of Ruby Bay.

Lady Janet Anstruther, wife of the Laird of Ardross and Ellie estate, built Lady's Tower at Ruby Bay as her summerhouse and changing room for use when she went sea bathing. She sent a bell-ringer around the town each time she went swimming to warn the townsfolk to keep away!

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About Me

In 1979 I moved To North Fife from the Borders originally for a year, became captivated and have loved being here ever since. In a word magic. The climate, peoples, environment, air. views, All is quite wonderful and maybe on my blog you too can get a feel of that and enjoy too. I am art and craft trained from 11 years old leading me to photography/giclee printing from my studio in The Steeple Newburgh North Fife. All Photographs subject to copyright