People have lived in the Kingdom of Fife for at least the last 7000 years. They have farmed the land, fished from its coast and dug for its plentiful coal, in doing so they have shaped the land and been shaped by it. Although most Fifers live in the large towns of Kirkcaldy, Dunfermline and Glenrothes, the Kingdom is largely rural, and even urban areas are well served by open spaces and parkland. It is a proud boast that for visitors and residents alike, you are never more than a 10 minute drive from the countryside. There are National Nature Reserves at Tentsmuir and the Isle of May. The RSPB has a nature reserve at Vane Farm reserve at Loch Leven. We are fortunate to have some of the most stunning coastal areas to enjoy: our many ‘Blue Flag’ beaches, views across the Forth and Tay rivers, and historic fishing villages or salt-burghs. The Kingdom is rightly famed for its historic towns such as Culross, Dunfermline, Falkland and St Andrews, but the visitor can be assured that there are many equally picturesque and historic communities across Fife. A genuine pleasure for any visitor is to simply explore the Kingdom.

The interplay between the Kingdom’s natural environment and its long and diverse heritage affords the visitor an unique range of experiences and pleasures. Equally, as Fife is reasonably self-contained, a visitor can easily combine wildlife and heritage experiences. For example, a walk along the coastal path from Dysart to West Weymss offers a visitor opportunities to learn about salt making, observe how architectural features such as ‘crow-step’ gables and ‘pantiles’ are evidence of the Kingdom’s trading and cultural links with the low countries, see evidence of the area’s mining heritage, in the spring enjoy a walk through woodland teeming with bluebells, watch for seabirds and dolphins, admire the courage of a group of fishermen who lost their lives trying to save their community from a mine during WWII, and finally see the castle where Mary Queen of Scots first met Lord Darnley.