'I visited a Scottish seaside village - one part was absolutely breathtaking'
Every single corner of Scotland has a huge supply of scenic and exciting destinations to explore. Whether you are after a bustling city break or a quiet or romantic getaway, you have no shortage of options.
One popular area of Scotland for day trips and staycations is the East Neuk of Fife. The coastal region is renowned for its many picturesque villages.
Scotland Now's Alexander Smail visited Crail over the weekend. Read on to find out how he got on.
'Absolutely breathtaking'
On Saturday, me and my partner were deciding how best to spend the day. The weather was relatively sunny, so we settled on a day out by the coast.
We previously visited Balloch near Glasgow, so decided to head somewhere on the east coast of Scotland this time. When it comes to seaside spots near Edinburgh, it is hard to top the East Neuk of Fife.
After looking at a map on my phone, I decided Crail was where I wanted to head. The drive to the village from Edinburgh took around an hour and a half in total, passing by lots of rolling hills and beautiful fields full of yellow flowers on the way.
It was already mid-afternoon by the time we arrived, so I figured we had no time to waste. As we looked for a parking space, I noticed a sign stating that there was an Easter craft fair at the Crail Community Hall—so that was our first destination.
The hall was once a church, and looked incredible from the outside. Stepping in, it was a hive of activity.
All around the hall, there were stalls selling all kinds of charming homemade crafts—from stained-glass art to felt magnets. I ended up picking up some 'sea mineral' exfoliating soap, and have been using it non-stop since I got home.
I could have spent an hour browsing the craft fair, but the weather was sunny and the day was ticking on. Luckily for my wallet, we left the community hall and headed to Crail's High Street.
One thing I immediately noticed walking around the centre of Crail was just how pretty the village is. There is the perfect amount of independent shops to browse without feeling too busy, and there are lovely pastel-hued cottages every way you turn.
We headed into a couple of shops and picked up a few more goodies. I bought some local East Neuk cheese from Green's deli and some incense from accessories store Fabrik.
By this point, it was after 4pm and we didn't want to spend the whole day shopping. We decided to walk down to Crail's harbour and beach, since a trip to the village wouldn't be complete without seeing them up close.
On the way, we passed the small family-run Crail Pottery studio. I love ceramics so was keen to take a look around, and to be honest I could have spent all day browsing the colourful mugs, plates, and plant pots—but we were on a mission.
Walking down the quiet winding lanes, we made one more stop before the beach—the Crail Harbour Gallery and Tearoom. Featuring a gorgeous outdoor seating area overlooking the water, we enjoyed a cup of coffee and I had a delicious slice of coffee cake while looking out over the peaceful vistas.
Once we finally reached the harbour, I couldn't believe how extraordinary the views were. I snapped plenty of pictures, but photos do not do it justice.
After sitting in the harbour and gazing at the colourful boats bobbing up and down for a few minutes, we headed down to the beach. While it is quite small, the bay is absolutely breathtaking—and there is lots of opportunity for rock pooling.
We sat and breathed in the fresh sea air for a while. As amazing as the village centre is, the panoramic views out over to the Isle of May National Nature Reserve was definitely the highlight of the day for me.
We took the long way back up to the village centre, climbing over rocks and hiking up a steep hill. Passing by colourful flowers and through more quiet lanes, we eventually made our way back to the car.
All in all, I am very happy we decided to spend the day out in Crail. I picked up some great mementos and took in plenty of magnificent coastal views.
Scotland has no shortage of picturesque seaside villages, each with their own charm. However, Crail might just be my favourite.
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