Crail Food Festival in Fife

Crail Food Festival, which had a highly successful debut last summer, is to take place in the middle of June. Crail, which is located on the East Neuk of Fife just south of St Andrews, provides a great venue for such an event and can easily be reached from Edinburgh and Edinburgh Aiprort should you be looking for a short break ahead of the summer holidays.

The event, which brings together local and regional exhibitors, chefs, and musicians, pulled in over 2000 visitors in 2011.

The festival had an opening supper concert followed by two days of food tasting, sampling, cookery demonstrations, music and family fun.

Dedicated to showcasing local produce and promoting local Companies, the event received around £5,000 in grants from Fife Council , Comic Relief , and the Scottish Community Foundation.

It also had support from Scotland Food & Drink, which contributed towards the creation of a “Taste Of Fife “ food hall and a harbour Seafood Café.

The organisers said that the event generated local and national press coverage, up to 20% of visitors were from outlying areas, and visitor spend exceeded £15,000.

This year’s festival will take place from June 15th to 17th and you can find out more on the Crail Food Festival Website

Short Breaks in Fife

If you're looking for some accommodation how about booking online and DIRECT at the following four hotels all within striking distance of the Food Festival?

• The Old Manor Hotel, Lundin Links
• Lundin Links Hotel, Lundin Links
• The Inn at Lathones, Largoward 
• The Crusoe Hotel, Lower Largo

Cairngorms Photo Competition

Great photo competition from Aviemore and Cairngorms partnership - seems like a good idea maybe we should have a Scotland's For Me one?

Knockomie Plough to Palate Tour

Great to see some creative thinking going on up in the Speyside area as part of the wonderful Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival. The Festival is themed on Whisky, Food, Music and the Heritage & Culture of Speyside, the 2012 Festival will offer a wide array of quality events between the 2nd and the 9th of May.

Our old friends Penny and Gavin Ellis at the wonderful Knockomie Hotel are producing a Speyside ‘Plough to Palate’ Tour on Sunday 6th May 2012 bringing together Moray's beautifully natural landscape with generation-spanning family tradition.

The tour begins at Newlands Farm, Rafford, where father and son work over 400 hectares of prime Moray countryside, pushing the boundaries in developing excellent new beef production techniques.

Guest will then travel in luxury to Benromach Distillery, Forres. Operated by Gordon & Macphail, the whisky from this small distillery incorporates the crystal clear water that runs from the Romach Hills into Sanquhar Loch.

Next to Knockomie Hotel, Forres, with local produce on the menu at this highly reputable venue. Lunch inclues a welcoming whisky cocktail & wine.

And what tour would be complete without sampling the alternative 'Spirit of Speyside' in the tranquil atmosphere of Pluscarden Abbey?

This ‘Plough to Palate' prestige tour runs from 10am - 5pm, Sunday 6th May.

Throughout the tour your expert guide will skilfully illustrate how his family history is interwoven with Speyside's food and drink heritage. For you, this tour will be a worthwhile investment; ensuring that your memories of Moray and Speyside are treasured forever.


This tour is priced @ £90.00 per person inclusive of all travel, tours and lunch and it is bookable through the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival Website.

And of course if you're looking to tie in some accommodation you can stay over at the Knockomie Hotel and book direct for best available rates.

The Second Annual Dundonald Games Kilted Golf Classic!

We've been sent information on a great fun golf event and this year it has even more reason to play as it's going to help a young Ayrshire girl get the treatment she needs in The States.

The 2012 Dundonald Games Kilted Golf Classic in Ayrshire is unique eighteen hole handicap stableford event has become a little more special this year as all proceeds from the event will go towards The Vanessa Riddle Appeal.

All of us living and working in Ayrshire - and indeed beyond - will be well aware of the magnificent community support given to raising funds to help give Vanessa Riddle receive the treatment she needs.

We ourselves have been taken aback by the work put in by so many of all ages and we are therefore delighted that Dundonald Links have been so generous in hosting this event which this year will see all proceeds go to the appeal.

The event itself will again be played over the quite magnificent Dundonald Links golf course in Ayrshire on the west coast of Scotland just 24 hours ahead of the annual Dundonald Games - the only difference between this and any other stabelford event is that Kilts are Compulsory!

The day is about enjoyment and added to the golf you will have access to the practice area and free range balls as well as Nearest the Pin, Longest Drive and the handicap stableford event - the four man team is a better ball stableford so you can even carry the odd non handicapper.


Find Out More and Reserve your Place Now

Golfing in Scotland Away From The Crowds

We often get carried away in Scotland with the presence of our big name courses and occasionally dredge up that awful phrase the Hidden Gems when talking to visitors.

But if we can avoid cliches there really is so many wonderful places top play golf with names that you've never heard of. In Argyll you could play Dunaverty; or Dragon's Tooth near Fort William; Tain or Golspie in the North Highlands or you could hit one of my favourite places The Isle of Arran and play one of seven great courses featured on the Golf Arran website.

I've only played Brodick and Shiskine but my neighbour plays every year in a company outing and swears by it. It is simply different and if experiences are what travel is about then golfing in Arran has to be on the bucket list.

Find out more about the golf on Arran and then investigate the produce, the Island Beers and Whiskies and maybe discover some live music along the way. Oh yeah and there's some great Ice Cream too!