Day Trip to St Andrews

 Back in February we had ourselves a little day trip to the lovely town of St Andrews in North East Fife.

I usually park in the car park at Bruce Embankment, however it was full, so we ended up parking near the West Sands Beach. It was actually the car park for St Andrews Links Club House, but we didn't mind slumming it with the Porches and Beamers.

A short stroll took us to the Royal & Ancient Golf Course, where you could walk alongside the 1st and 18th fairways. In truth you can walk over the fairway if you want, try doing that when The Open is in full swing! 

Approaching the Royal & Ancient Golf Course

View towards West Sands & Bruce Embankment

Ready to Tee-off at the First Hole

No we didn't bring our clubs! in fact we don't have any clubs to bring.

We headed into the town, stopping briefly to enjoy the waves crashing on the rocks at Bruce Embankment:

Crashing waves near Bruce Embankment

Grab the surf board

Despite the lovely sunshine it was a cold and windy day, so we continued walking into town for a bit of shelter and a spot of brunch. We stopped at Bibi's Café on North Street where I enjoyed a delicious Croissant Melt with roast ham, cheese, tomatoes and poached egg, whilst Moira got stuck into Homemade Blueberry Pancakes with bacon and maple syrup. It was all very scrumptious and set us up for braving the cold wind again.

We continued along North Street to the end before turning left past the ruins of the Cathedral and heading to the pathway at East Scores. Here you got a good view across the bay to St Andrews Harbour:

St Andrews Harbour from East Scores

Moira at East Scores, St Andrews

The Ruins of St Andrews Cathedral

We headed back along East Scores towards St Andrews Castle. Looking back towards the area we came from I could see some seabirds on the cliff-face, huddled in sheltering from the wind:

Seabirds on the Cliff-face

On closer inspection I could see that these were Fulmars, not a seabird you see  very often;

Fulmars on Cliff-face

Fulmars sheltering from the wind

The photo is not brilliant, so not sure that you can make out the Fulmar's distinctive tubenose beak. It's beak is very similar to that of an Albatross but it is a much smaller bird (hence the colloquial name of the UK's Mini-Albatross). It creates a very smelly fishy oil it can eject from the tube above its beak to deter predators. The smell can linger for days on clothes, even if you wash them, so don't try and get too close for that better photo!

We carried on towards the castle:

Eddie on East Scores (safe from Fulmar snot)

St Andrews Castle from East Scores

Crashing Waves at St Andrews Castle

We stopped to watch the waves rolling in:

Looking down to the foot of the cliff beside us I noticed a couple of Black-backed Gulls resting on the rocks:

Black-backed Gulls on the rocks below

It was hard to tell whether these were Lesser or Greater Black-backed Gulls as I couldn't see the colour of their legs, but I decided they weren't big enough to be Greater BBGs.

Lesser Black-backed Gull No.1

Lesser Black-backed Gull No.2

A little further along the cliff a Drake Eider paddled in amongst the seaweed-covered rocks below: 

Drake Eider

It was followed by an Eider Duck:

Eider Duck

They met up and enjoyed a spot of lunch on the seashore:

A pair of Eiders

Time for lunch

We carried on along The Scores past the university buildings until we reached the high ground above the Aquarium. Here you get a good view across the Bruce Embankment towards the West Sands Beach.

View towards West Sands Beach

Looking back towards The Scores

Looking at the Aquarium, I spotted some waders perched on walls of the outdoor tanks, they turned out to be Turnstone:

Turnstone on Aquarium walls

Turnstone and crashing waves

I presume that with the tide being relatively high and the shoreline covered by crashing waves the Turnstone were just having some 'time out'

We moved down the hill slightly to the Bruce Embankment area, where we enjoyed watching the waves crashing against the rocks on the shoreline.

Bruce Embankment Area

Waves on the shoreline

Waves crashing into the rocks

Probably better enjoyed in action:

It was at this point that I noticed some brave/foolish (delete as appropriate) guy decided to go for a walk along the breakwater wall to the rocks out in the bay?

Obviously not worried that the waves were crashing around his feet and the fact that tide was still rising! Rather him than me.

We carried on past the Bruce Embankment to the start on the West Sands Beach. We stopped near to where the Swilcan Burn flows onto the beach; that's the burn that dissects the 1st and 18th fairways at St Andrews Old Course and has the famous little bridge that crosses the burn. Here we had a good view of the West Sands Beach made famous in the Chariots of Fire film:

St Andrews West Sands

I noticed a few birds on the beach, close to this area, some were waders and some were gulls:

Waders (and a Crow) on the beach

Mainly Turnstone (again)

Black-headed Gulls on West Sands

Black-headed Gulls (and a Turnstone)

It was getting windier and although it was still sunny we were starting to feel the cold, so we decided it was time to head home. We had a great day out in St Andrews and will do it again.

I will leave you with a last view of the beautiful bay at St Andrews West Sands:

St Andrews West Sands

 Until next time, take care of yourselves and get out there and enjoy the views and the wildlife.

Cheers

TeddyEdward