Thursday, July 11, 2013

5 St Andrews Summer Must-Do's

Warmer weather has finally arrived for the first time in the past two years. We had a glorious week in March of 2012, but that was about it. So, here's a tribute to our first "summer" in St Andrews with five must-do's!

1) Hike the Fife Coastal Path.

This stretch of seaside trail is 117 miles long. We've hiked different sections, but most commonly enjoy the 5 miles to the Fairmont Hotel and back along the Castle Course. A rugged coastline with beautiful flowers and stunning views,  when the weather gets above freezing. Not convinced? Take a look:

 
2) Open the windows.
 
When the winter months are spent keeping every ounce of heat in our stone-walled flat, nothing is more satisfying than opening the windows on a hot day. Sadly, screens are uncommon in Scotland, so letting in the warm air means the flies and bees are unwanted guests. Garrick even hangs out of his office window every once in a while.

 
3) Go swimming.
 
My brave husband jumped off the St Andrews pier into the North Sea a couple of weeks ago. Without a wetsuit. I'm satisfied that I've gone up to my ankles in this frigid body of water, but some find it quite refreshing. So, if you're desperate, I guess you can swim when it gets warm enough. (Please note: Garrick slept for about three hours after jumping in. It sucked the energy right out of him!)
 
4) Stay out late.
 
Sometimes we're in our pajamas by 6pm in January. It's a long and dark month. So, the seemingly endless summer days are much appreciated. Our energy levels practically double. We're much further north than Seattle, so we enjoy light until 11:30pm on some evenings. This photo was taken at midnight on this year's summer solstice:

 
And this photo was at about 9:30pm at the St Andrews Castle:

 

5) Celebrate America's independence.
 
We celebrated another international 4th of July this year on East Sands. We grilled out and enjoyed sparklers, roasted marshmallows, and even fire jumping. In attendance were Germans, Brits, Canadians, Americans, and Koreans. Most of our UK friends wished us a happy 'separation' day, but we were able to put aside our differences and enjoy a beautiful evening. ;)


 
St Andrews, you are lovely in the summer. 

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