Home Report Anstruther

Anstruther is a pleasant fishing village on the north shore of the Firth of Forth in the East Neuk of Fife, with a population of about 4000 residents. It’s about 9 miles south southeast of St Andrews. Uniquely, the town comprises two settlements, Anstruther Easter and Anstruther Wester, which are divided by a stream, the Dreel Burn.

Founded as a fishing village which continues to today, it’s no surprise that the town has award-winning fish and chip shops – the most notable being the Anstruther Fish and Chip Bar – that are popular with locals and day-trippers alike.

Many of the town’s residents work in East Neuk or slightly further away towns such as Leven, Methil and Buckhaven, but a significant number also commute to Kirkcaldy, Glenrothes, St. Andrews, and even Dundee. Transport links are relatively good by car, with the A917 and B9131 being the main routes for onward travel further up or down to other towns in Fife. The town has no railway station or line of its own, so residents need to rely on car or bus transport to get around.

As for amenities and things to do in the town, Anstruther has plenty of the usual chain stores and independent shops you would expect. More notably though, there is plenty to see and do nearby amongst the stunning coastal region, such as visiting the Isle of May by boat where puffins, seals and other amazing wildlife can be seen. The coastal location also gives the opportunity a range of outdoor activities at the local activity centre, such as sea kayaking, canoeing and archery. Back on the mainland, another attraction given the town’s fishing history is the fascinating – and award-winning – Scottish Fisheries Museum. Adjoining Anstruther is Cellardyke village, which is known for its beautifully preserved old fishing port and unspoilt scenery.

The town is also a popular pitstop for walkers on the 117-mile-long Fife Coastal Path, which is a fantastic walking experience stretching from the Firth of Forth to the Firth of Tay taking people across a range of wild and urban routes through the various coastal and coal mining towns in Fife, all the way to St. Andrews and beyond. Anstruther is also home to Scotland’s only true-scale model Solar System. The model, which shows the Sun and planets and the distances between them all at the same scale of 1 to ten thousand million, is located mostly in the town centre. It stretches almost 600m from the Sun to Pluto. For golf enthusiasts, the town is home to a 9-hole golf course, and there are many world-class golf courses to enjoy nearby, such as Kingsbarns and The Old Course at St Andrew’s.

In terms of local education then, the local primary school is Anstruther Primary, while Waid Academy provides secondary education to pupils in the town.