Exploring Dog Friendly Fife – A Dog Friendly Week at The Nethergate

Join us as we embark on our bonniest adventures to date, exploring dog friendly Fife.

Apart from a girly weekend with uni mates to Edinburgh, [more years ago than I wish to count!] I’ve never ventured over the border into Scotland.

Yet here I was about to embark on my second visit of the year. Back in May, we toured the Scottish Highlands in our motorhome to celebrate Mr. T’s 40th birthday. However, this time the dogs and I were going it alone!

With almost an eight hour drive ahead of us, I decided to break up our journey and stop overnight in an Airbnb. A converted ‘Cowshed’ [much more glam than it sounds, I promise!] near Kirkby Lonsdale, provided the ultimate halfway house to recharge our batteries before arriving at our final destination.

The Nethergate a Dog Friendly Cottage in Kinghorn

I’ve drooled over the interior of The Nethergate for some years on social media. Not only is Tahra the hostess with the mostess when it comes to creating cosy dog-friendly holiday homes, she’s also dab-hand with a paintbrush and a whizz at DIY.

So when we were invited to stay at her gorgeous cottage in Kinghorn I couldn’t wait to experience her creativity first hand.

It’s all about the dogs

Greeted by what is undoubtedly the most dog-centric entrance hall ever, the girls and I instantly knew that our time at The Nethergate was guaranteed to be tail-waggingly good!

Coupled with the fact that the cottage is situated just a few minutes walk from a magnificent sandy beach, [actually less if you have two eager terriers in tow!] we had stumbled on doggy paradise personified!

Dogs aren’t just tolerated at The Nethergate, they have a royal invite! From luxury doggy sofa toppers to dog beds galore, they are treated like guests of honour and welcome free of charge!

There is no standing-on ceremony for our four-legged friends. As long as you ensure their paws are clean and you use the throws provided, they are welcome anywhere and everywhere throughout the cottage. Which for two pampered pooches like Winnie and Gertie is music to their little furry flappers!

With a box of dog biscuits for each of the girls, and the most scrummy slice of chocolate cake waiting for me on arrival, it didn’t take us long to feel well and truly at home.

A Characterful Gem

I absolutely adore homes with character and The Nethergate just oozes personality and charm.

From the colourful array of planted Wellington boots in the garden, to the stunning handcrafted stained-glass windows and eclectic fusion of nautical and canine artifacts, The Nethergate really is a characterful gem that leaves its guests wanting more.

Every last detail has been lovingly curated to make this cosy abode, a true Home from Home. With quirky cupboard door handles and intriguing coastal collectives, you could spend a month here and still not discover every last knickknack. It’s a true treasure trove of delights!

The cottage is accessed via the enclosed courtyard garden, behind which are two car parking spaces, complete with an EV car charger. Having our Dottymobile close by is a huge benefit when, like me, you pack everything including the kitchen sink!

Converted into a holiday home in recent years, The Nethergate is steeped in history, and despite its 18th century roots, it enjoys a light and airy feel with its plethora of quaint little windows offering glimpses of Kinghorn village life.

Set over two floors, The Nethergate occupies an elevated position on the second and third floor of this iconic corner plot.

The property sleeps up to five people and boasts a generous living area with a good-sized sitting room, large galley kitchen, and family dining room.

As well as a bathroom on the ground floor, there is a shower room upstairs, which is nestled in between a double bedroom and a zip-link super kingsize bedroom.

The kitchen is really well-equipped and has all the mod-cons you need to self-cater in style. With a full-sized dishwasher, fridge-freezer, and washing machine it has everything you need for a comfortable stay.

Tahra has thought of it all when it comes to making The Nethergate as homely as possible. You’ll find all those handy kitchen essentials that you never think to pack like clingfilm, food bags, and kitchen foil stashed away in the kitchen drawers.

The cottage benefits from an excellent Wi-Fi signal and in the sitting room and double bedroom there is a Smart television. There is also an abundance of board games and children’s toys should you need entertaining on rainy days!

Dog Walks in Fife

Having dragged their paws from under the duvet and recharged our batteries after our long drive, we were keen to get out and about and explore the local area. And what better place to start than the Fife coastal path, which is a few minutes walk from the cottage.

I’ve recently discovered AllTrails. In fact, that’s not entirely true, I discovered it a while ago! What I mean is, I’ve learned how to use it! And for someone devoid of any sense of direction, it has been a revelation! So with my trusty app in hand, (coupled with an extensive list of local recommendations, courtesy of Tahra) adventure beckoned!

If you’ve not visited Fife before, add it to your bucket list now! This beautiful county offers stunning scenery, a majestic coastline and tranquillity to boot. With miles of open countryside and the freedom to explore without hoards of tourists, it really does cleanse the soul.

When it comes to dog walks, you are literally spoilt for choice. On the first morning, we decided to investigate Kinghorn Loch. This circular route takes about an hour and a half and is a great way to gather your bearings and appreciate the beauty of the surrounding coastline.

Winnie and Gertie were particularly intrigued by the local fauna, and could happily have whiled away hours admiring the ducks bobbing about on the Loch. Meanwhile, I was keen to get back to the village as we had a date with The Doods! [Look them up on Instagram – they are the cutest duo!]

Just as I am owned by two demanding terriers, Tahra is owned by two adorable doodles. After years of chatting on social media, it was lovely to finally put a face to the name and chat all things canine! [It’s always refreshing to meet someone as dog crazy as myself!]

Having enjoyed a leisurely lunch and a tasty bite to eat at Tornado Bagel, a cute dog-friendly cafe in Kinghorn, it was time to hit another beach!

Tahra is the fount of knowledge when it comes to the local area, and I came away from lunch with a wish list of places to visit as long as my arm!

Dog Friendly Beaches in Fife

Living in landlocked Wiltshire, the beach is such a novelty. And to me, nothing beats the feeling of the sand in between your toes and the sound of the waves lapping on the shore.

There are so many beautiful beaches in Fife, and the great thing about visiting out of season is that many of the dog restrictions are lifted, which means we could explore to our heart’s content.

Inevitably, my fascination with shorelines means that whenever we are somewhere coastal, I find myself indulging in some kind of metaphorical beach hunt, where we are on a mission to ‘collect’ as many as possible.

During our stay we managed to notch up a total of six beaches, not bad going in just four days!

Amongst our favourites has to be Kinghorn which is right on the doorstep. This golden stretch of sand offers the perfect place for morning and evening zoomies and is dog friendly all year round.

If the tide is in your favour, you can walk from Kinghorn to Pettycur Beach, and all the way along to the golden sands of Burntisland. Unfortunately, when we were there, the tides were too high, but it means it’s a good excuse to return another time!

Dog Friendly Places in Fife

Fife isn’t just about beautiful beaches and stunning scenery. It also has its fair share of historical landmarks.

Culross

About half an hours drive from Kinghorn is the village of Culross (pronounced Coo-ross). Famed for its cameos in the popular TV series Outlander, this timeless National Trust village makes for a memorable mooch about.

With narrow cobbled streets and a hotch-potch of colourful centuries-old buildings, bearing pan-tiled rooftops, it’s like being transported back in time.

Though popular with tourists, the village has managed to retain its architectural beauty and the streets of Culross have remained unaltered for over 200 years.

For those of you who regularly read my blogs, you will know that the dogs and I are rather partial to a coffee and cake stop! Disappointingly, whilst I passed a couple of very inviting looking dog-friendly cafes in Culross, they were both closed on the morning of our visit. Clearly, someone up there is trying to tell me to lay off the calories! [For which my thighs are, no doubt, eternally grateful!]

East Neuk

Determined to explore as much of the area as possible, we followed the advice of our trusty tour guide (aka Tahra!) and headed along the coast to East Neuk.

This cluster of charming fishing villages stretches from Elie and Earlsferry to Crail and Kings Barns.

Once the heart of Scotland’s East Coast fishing trade, these pretty coastal villages are now a tourist hot spot. And with only a few miles in between each village, it is easy to visit several in one day.

Adorned with brightly coloured houses, winding cobbled streets and quaint little harbours, these quaint coastal villages are picture-perfect in every way.

Anstruther

Our first stop of the day was Anstruther. This is the largest of the villages in East Neuk and is renowned for its bustling harbour, seafood restaurants and the Scottish Fisheries Museum.

With plenty of eateries to choose from [including the apparently legendary Wee Chippy] and a smattering of independent boutiques, it’s the perfect spot for a ‘wee daunder!’ [As the locals would say!]

Crail

Just along the coast from Anstruther is Crail and I have to say, for me, this was the jewel in the crown. Slightly less commercialised than its neighbouring counterpart, it exudes a rustic charm.

With vibrant boats bobbing about in the harbour and colourful creels waiting patiently for their next catch, this quintessential village oozes calm and tranquillity.

After a tasty bite to eat at The Crail Harbour Gallery and Tearooms, (which comes highly recommended) it was time to get going on our whistle-stop tour and make our way along the coast to St Andrews.

St Andrews – The Dog Friendly Capital of Fife

Just ten miles from East Neuk, the university town of St Andrews is the dog-friendly capital of Fife.

This famous town is a hive of bustling streets, historic architecture, and when we visited lots of painted dog sculptures! [They must have known we were coming!]

Despite the average demographic being incredibly young (due to the student population), and in turn, making me feel uncomfortably old, it didn’t detract from its beauty.

They clearly love their canine companions in St Andrews, and I lost count of the number of places displaying dog friendly signs in their windows.

Besides its cobbled streets, relaxed vibe and abundance of independent shops, what I love about St Andrews is its coastal juxtaposition.

So after a mooch around the town, trying to locate every dog sculpture we could lay our paws on, we headed for West Sands Beach.

This golden stretch of sand extends for almost two miles and is famed for being the opening set for the film Chariots of Fire.

Backed by sand dunes and the world-renowned golf course, the dogs and I had a lovely time strolling along the sand and posing for the obligatory beach babe shot!

A Fond Farewell

As we packed up our belongings, ready to head South for another overnight stop at our cosy ‘Cowshed,’ I was genuinely sad to be bidding farewell to The Nethergate.

We had packed in so many adventures to our four-day stay and made countless treasured memories along the way, but there is still so much of Fife that lies undiscovered.

It really is a county that captures your heart. We will definitely be back to explore some more of this beautiful part of Scotland.

If you fancy booking a stay at The Nethergate, then you can get in touch with Tahra via her website.

For lots more photos and videos of our holiday in Fife check out the story highlights on our Instagram page.

Join us on our next adventures, when we will be exploring the other end of the country as we head to Mousehole in Cornwall.

Woofs and Wags

Kate, Gertie and Winnie

xox

*We were offered a complimentary stay in return for an honest review.