The Old Course
According to the people here, the game of golf has been "nurtured and developed for 600 years" at St. Andrews. The world-famous Old Course has hosted many historic championships through the decades, and is a favorite spot for golfers of all abilities to measure skill against rough terrain and unrelenting winds.
Naturally, it's not all that easy to get a tee time at such a renowned course. It is possible, but you'll need money and luck.
Golfers with acceptable skill levels (handicap of 24 or less for men and 36 or less for women) may apply for Old Course reservations in August for the following season. If you don't live in the area, that can be of little help. You may also enter a "ballot" for a lottery 48 hours in advance of each day the course is open. If your name is drawn, you will play at an assigned time.
Green fees for the Old Course are £60-£150 ($94-$234 USD) depending upon the time of year. Outside of the summer months, you might have to use a fairway mat.
There are five other 18-hole courses here in addition to the Old Course that cost less money to play and might be open more days. Obviously, rules and fees are designed to preserve the Old Course.
Golf enthusiasts will also enjoy the nearby British Golf Museum (admission £6)
For the casual observer who does not want to play golf, it is possible to see the clubhouse and first tee. Just use caution if play is underway.
Beaches
Several memorable scenes in the Academy Award-winning 1981 film Chariots of Fire were filmed along the wide beach just north of St. Andrews. The movie depicts two runners in training for the 1924 Olympics. It experienced a sort of revival in 2012 with the London games, and some of the scenes filmed here became part of marketing efforts.
Whether or not you like to run on the beach, it can be pleasant to walk here during the warmer months.
The wide sands and the mountains on the horizon make for some nice photographic opportunities.
The Fife Coastal Path is a 117-mile hiking route that few people cover completely, but one that offers some nice sections for hikers of all abilities and interests.
St. Andrews Castle
There has been fortification at this site above the North Sea for more than 800 years. Although only ruins remain, what is left is carefully labeled and an adjoining museum helps visitors make sense of what happened here through the centuries.
From the picture above, it can be seen that the castle doubled as a prison during the Scottish Reformation. Once that reformation was successful, the castle lost much of its importance and began to decay.
An adult admission to St. Andrews Castle costs £5.50 ($8.60 USD), but the best deal is to buy a combined admission with the nearby St. Andrews Cathedral for £7.60 ($12 USD). A visit inside the museum is included.
Be aware that the unpredictable and sometimes problematic weather conditions here can shut down both attractions on short notice. Admission tickets will not be sold within 30 minutes of closing time.
St. Andrews Cathedral
St. Andrews Cathedral is billed as "the largest and most important church in medieval Scotland." Admission is £4.50 ($7 USD) but may be combined with St. Andrews Castle for £7.60 ($12 USD).
The start of construction was probably about the year 1160. The adjoining monastery and cemetery are still prominent landmarks. After the Scottish Reformation, the cathedral was left to decay.
Historians say nearby St.
Rule's Tower (seen on the right in the picture above) might have been fitted with a beacon to alert pilgrims to the precise location of the cathedral. It's possible to climb the 107-foot tower, but during my visit the caretaker was not available to open the gate. Views from the top make the climb worthwhile.
North Sea Views at No Extra Charge
No invaders are likely to appear on the North Sea horizon. For centuries, the people of St. Andrews kept careful watch over these vistas to see if hostile forces were on the way.
Today, there are viewpoints from the St. Andrews Castle and Cathedral that show off the rocky, ruggedly beautiful coastline.
St. Andrews University
This third-oldest English-speaking university has now celebrated its 600th anniversary. It is also one of the top-ranked universities in the United Kingdom.
Most visitors do little more than walk part of the picturesque grounds. But it pays to check the St. Andrews University events schedule to see if there what is planned on campus during the time of your visit.
Dining and Accommodations
Because St. Andrews is a university town, it is possible to find inexpensive meals in a number of casual restaurants near campus. Lodging is another matter.
Many of the hotels in the town are geared for those visiting the golf tournaments. It is possible to package a hotel stay with a tee time at the Old Course. The three-star establishments here tend to charge per person. Single travelers pay a premium for their own rooms.
A better plan for budget travelers only wishing to hit the highlights would be to make St. Andrews part of a hub travel strategy from Glasgow or Edinburgh.
Another option is to look at area hostels. Hostelworld links to St. Andrews Tourist Hostel in the old town, where rates are generally under $20 USD/night.
Free Gardens and Museum
St. Andrews Preservation Trust Gardens and Museum provides a self-guided tour pamphlet in four languages for visitors who arrive from May to September. Donations are gladly accepted. The Museum provides a look into daily life here through the years with collected objects and a carefully restored home.
Market Street in the heart of the town provides shoppers with some opportunities for woolen goods and other Scottish specialties. Although some of the tourist-oriented shops tend to charge high prices, bargains can be found for those willing to invest a bit of time or buy multiple items for a lower overall price.
Note that you'll pay Value Added Tax (VAT) at most of these stores. For North Americans, that tax is fully refundable, but the procedure for recouping VAT is somewhat cumbersome and usually bypassed unless large amounts are involved.
For all its appeal to tourists, St. Andrews does not have its own train station.
However, it is quite accessible to the train system via local bus. It takes about 10 minutes for the ride between the Leuchars station the St. Andrews bus station. The bus ride can be included in the cost of your train ticket.
As you can see above, Leuchars is a small rural station with few services. But the good news is that Leuchars is only about an hour from Edinburgh's Waverley Station.
An off-peak round-trip ticket is £21 ($33 USD).
The bus service between Leuchars and St. Andrews is quick and efficient. I never waited more than a few minutes for a seat.
According to the people here, the game of golf has been "nurtured and developed for 600 years" at St. Andrews. The world-famous Old Course has hosted many historic championships through the decades, and is a favorite spot for golfers of all abilities to measure skill against rough terrain and unrelenting winds.
Naturally, it's not all that easy to get a tee time at such a renowned course. It is possible, but you'll need money and luck.
Golfers with acceptable skill levels (handicap of 24 or less for men and 36 or less for women) may apply for Old Course reservations in August for the following season. If you don't live in the area, that can be of little help. You may also enter a "ballot" for a lottery 48 hours in advance of each day the course is open. If your name is drawn, you will play at an assigned time.
Green fees for the Old Course are £60-£150 ($94-$234 USD) depending upon the time of year. Outside of the summer months, you might have to use a fairway mat.
There are five other 18-hole courses here in addition to the Old Course that cost less money to play and might be open more days. Obviously, rules and fees are designed to preserve the Old Course.
Golf enthusiasts will also enjoy the nearby British Golf Museum (admission £6)
For the casual observer who does not want to play golf, it is possible to see the clubhouse and first tee. Just use caution if play is underway.
Beaches
Several memorable scenes in the Academy Award-winning 1981 film Chariots of Fire were filmed along the wide beach just north of St. Andrews. The movie depicts two runners in training for the 1924 Olympics. It experienced a sort of revival in 2012 with the London games, and some of the scenes filmed here became part of marketing efforts.
Whether or not you like to run on the beach, it can be pleasant to walk here during the warmer months.
The wide sands and the mountains on the horizon make for some nice photographic opportunities.
The Fife Coastal Path is a 117-mile hiking route that few people cover completely, but one that offers some nice sections for hikers of all abilities and interests.
St. Andrews Castle
There has been fortification at this site above the North Sea for more than 800 years. Although only ruins remain, what is left is carefully labeled and an adjoining museum helps visitors make sense of what happened here through the centuries.
From the picture above, it can be seen that the castle doubled as a prison during the Scottish Reformation. Once that reformation was successful, the castle lost much of its importance and began to decay.
An adult admission to St. Andrews Castle costs £5.50 ($8.60 USD), but the best deal is to buy a combined admission with the nearby St. Andrews Cathedral for £7.60 ($12 USD). A visit inside the museum is included.
Be aware that the unpredictable and sometimes problematic weather conditions here can shut down both attractions on short notice. Admission tickets will not be sold within 30 minutes of closing time.
St. Andrews Cathedral
St. Andrews Cathedral is billed as "the largest and most important church in medieval Scotland." Admission is £4.50 ($7 USD) but may be combined with St. Andrews Castle for £7.60 ($12 USD).
The start of construction was probably about the year 1160. The adjoining monastery and cemetery are still prominent landmarks. After the Scottish Reformation, the cathedral was left to decay.
Historians say nearby St.
Rule's Tower (seen on the right in the picture above) might have been fitted with a beacon to alert pilgrims to the precise location of the cathedral. It's possible to climb the 107-foot tower, but during my visit the caretaker was not available to open the gate. Views from the top make the climb worthwhile.
North Sea Views at No Extra Charge
No invaders are likely to appear on the North Sea horizon. For centuries, the people of St. Andrews kept careful watch over these vistas to see if hostile forces were on the way.
Today, there are viewpoints from the St. Andrews Castle and Cathedral that show off the rocky, ruggedly beautiful coastline.
St. Andrews University
This third-oldest English-speaking university has now celebrated its 600th anniversary. It is also one of the top-ranked universities in the United Kingdom.
Most visitors do little more than walk part of the picturesque grounds. But it pays to check the St. Andrews University events schedule to see if there what is planned on campus during the time of your visit.
Dining and Accommodations
Because St. Andrews is a university town, it is possible to find inexpensive meals in a number of casual restaurants near campus. Lodging is another matter.
Many of the hotels in the town are geared for those visiting the golf tournaments. It is possible to package a hotel stay with a tee time at the Old Course. The three-star establishments here tend to charge per person. Single travelers pay a premium for their own rooms.
A better plan for budget travelers only wishing to hit the highlights would be to make St. Andrews part of a hub travel strategy from Glasgow or Edinburgh.
Another option is to look at area hostels. Hostelworld links to St. Andrews Tourist Hostel in the old town, where rates are generally under $20 USD/night.
Free Gardens and Museum
St. Andrews Preservation Trust Gardens and Museum provides a self-guided tour pamphlet in four languages for visitors who arrive from May to September. Donations are gladly accepted. The Museum provides a look into daily life here through the years with collected objects and a carefully restored home.
Market Street in the heart of the town provides shoppers with some opportunities for woolen goods and other Scottish specialties. Although some of the tourist-oriented shops tend to charge high prices, bargains can be found for those willing to invest a bit of time or buy multiple items for a lower overall price.
Note that you'll pay Value Added Tax (VAT) at most of these stores. For North Americans, that tax is fully refundable, but the procedure for recouping VAT is somewhat cumbersome and usually bypassed unless large amounts are involved.
For all its appeal to tourists, St. Andrews does not have its own train station.
However, it is quite accessible to the train system via local bus. It takes about 10 minutes for the ride between the Leuchars station the St. Andrews bus station. The bus ride can be included in the cost of your train ticket.
As you can see above, Leuchars is a small rural station with few services. But the good news is that Leuchars is only about an hour from Edinburgh's Waverley Station.
An off-peak round-trip ticket is £21 ($33 USD).
The bus service between Leuchars and St. Andrews is quick and efficient. I never waited more than a few minutes for a seat.
Source...