The Fishing Villages of Fife
Whilst in Aberdeenshire, I was offered the opportunity to travel down and spend a few nights in Fife. Not one to turn down the potential for more photos, I repacked my stuff and headed down to the tiny village of Lower Largo. Not exactly knowing what to do when I arrived, I spent the rest of that night researching the area. Eventually, I decided I was going to do what can only be described as a village crawl.
Of course the first place I explored, almost cheating in a way, was my base camp Lower Largo. What I loved about this place was that during the day, the tide was way out, and everyone’s back garden stepped onto a gorgeous sandy beach. However, during the night the tide came all the way in, and stepping outside of your back yard resulted in being whisked away by the sea that was creeping up your garden wall.
Time your walk right, or you might just find yourself stranded!
Lower Largo, Fife
Other than this and the friendly community atmosphere, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend coming out of your way to visit this place unless, like me, you were staying there. There wasn’t too much to see, other than a strange figurine I found myself staring at multiple times a day.
Captivating.
Malagan Sculpture, Lower Largo.
The second place I visited, whilst not technically a village but certainly deserves mention, was a town called Elie. Popular for windsurfers and sunbathers, the beach and nearby attractions were full of eager tourists. The car park next to the sandy dunes was also full of campervans who had seemingly set up base for the day, enjoying the nice beaches Elie had to offer. I went for a wander and found myself by the Elie Ness Lighthouse. Although the conditions weren’t brilliant I took some photos for keepsake. Right across from the lighthouse was Lady’s Tower; a view point built in 1770 for Lady Janet Anstruther to recover after swimming in the ocean.
Fancy a dive?
Lady’s Tower, Elie
After spending a couple of hours here I headed back to my car and moved on to the next place, St. Monans. Just as I pulled up outside Premier to grab myself a drink, it started to rain. I tried waiting it out, but only managed to get it down to a light shower before bracing myself and making my way to the harbour.
Grey skies looming over
St. Monans Harbour, St. Monan
I was actually taken by surprise by how nice this place was. I’m not sure why, but I wasn’t really expecting much, but it really delivered. The village was packed full of character and charm. Old wooden sheds, piles of lobster pots, decorated boats - there were plenty of photo opportunities contained in this small area. I remember a group of kids in wetsuits repeatedly jumping into the harbour whilst I was playing with angles, and jokingly tried to jump in front of my camera at one point. It gave me a laugh - it was the most social interaction I’d had all day!
As the weather seemed to only be getting worse as time slowly passed, I decided to call it a day and carry on with my village crawl tomorrow.
The following morning I headed to Pittenweem. This place had been recommended a lot so I was eager to get myself down and check it out for myself. However, I quickly realised that this was a massive tourist hotspot, and not very photographer friendly. Cars blocking the views, big crowds of people, queues around every building; I think most people came here for a family outing and not for the same reason as me. The lighting wasn’t helping either; bright daylight and really harsh shadows everywhere. After walking around for about an hour, I took literally two photos.
The only quiet street I could find, maybe better luck next time
Pittenweem, Fife
The place was indeed very beautiful, the conditions were just not in my favour. But with all that being said, if you find yourself in the area and interested in visiting I’d suggest coming at sunrise before the crowds gather and the lighting is soft. That way, you can be sure to minimise facing the same problems that I had. Determined to not let this bring my spirits down however, I headed home and timed my last visit for sunset.
The final place I ventured to was Crail, my favourite of all five villages. Maybe it was the change of lighting, or the reduced number of bodies creating a still atmosphere, but this place really stood out to me. I took a left at the old pharmacy and walked down a quaint road filled with rows of old fashioned cottages.
The road leading to the harbour
Crail, Fife
I sought out some compositions and fired away. Everything that came up on the back of my camera looked dreamy. It reminded me the importance of conditions and how different times of the day can affect your end results massively.
Everything just seems so much softer at sunset
Crail Harbour
As the sun slowly started going down, I got talking to another photographer who was taking some similar photos on his iPhone. We chatted a good while about equipment and where I saw myself in the future. I told him I was going to create a website, and I’m glad to say I followed through with my word! I love chatting with new people, and that really topped my day off. As dusk rolled in, we said our goodbyes and went our separate ways.
Overall, Fife is a very scenic county filled with charming towns and villages. Even the places I only passed through to get elsewhere were lovely to look at. I think really you could stay anywhere and you wouldn’t be disappointed. If you’re off for a fun day out, I’d recommend going to Pittenweem or Elie. If it’s photo opportunities you’re craving, I’d say Crail. One thing is for sure though, by the end of my trip, I’d seen enough harbours, boats and lobster pots to last me a decade!
