Friday, September 19

We started our day with a visit to Saint Andrews.  The town is known for St. Andrews University (the oldest in Scotland - founded in 1410), the Old Course golf course nearby (oldest in the world), the ruins of the St. Andrews Cathedral (founded 1160/destroyed 1559) and St. Andrews Castle (founded 1200 and a ruin since the 17th century), and the West Sands beach where the opening scenes of the Oscar-winning movie Chariots of Fire were filmed.

It is also known as the town where Prince William met Kate Middleton, future wife and Princess.  At the university museum there was a modern sculpture of a cartoon character with a crown and wearing the undergraduate gown known as Oor Willie (Scots for Our William) - thought to represent that famous former undergraduate  student. At the museum we also learned that an arsenic-based emerald green pigment used to produce 19th-century books poses a continuing health risk.

We took a walk around St. Andrews that included a look at the ruins of the castle and cathedral - and from a distance the beach and golf course.  

Then it was on to Culross village.  The National Trust owns 20 of the town's buildings and it is considered the best preserved 17th century settlement in Scotland.  It is often used as a location for film and television - including the Outlander series.  This was the case when we arrived.  The film Jack of Spades was being filmed by one of the Coen brothers and some buildings were closed including the mustard-colored merchant's home known as the "palace."  We walked around the town and visited the ruins of the Culross Abbey.


Then it was on to Stirling where we are spending the next two nights.

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