Fife as a place to live

Whereabouts in Fife are you, piemonster..?

There’s a Fifer missing from this thread – maybe you could squat in the pool house for a bit?

I’m actually north of the Kingdom in Scotland’s sunniest city (apparently)

Although I’m regularly wearing tights and getting sweaty in the Lomonds. But not with the late night Creag Mead types you understand.

In a tediously protracted and uncertain way, I’m in a not too dissimilar position to the OP where living between Perth and Dunfermline will (in theory and only possibly) make lot of sense.

Ladybank isn’t to bad for trains, is it still the murder capital of scoland perhead of population?:-)

I didn’t know that. Any hideous facts about Kingskettle, I could do with some ammunition for generally insulting friends.

I already know about the ‘Dog Lover’ up in the hills east of there.

I’ve only got my phone so this will be brief.

FIFE ROCKS

I’ve lived on and off here, near Kirkcaldy for thirty years. There’s few tiger places I’d rather be. My brother moved to Falkland last year and lives it. His wife commutes easily from Ladybank.

I will post something more substantive when I get home.

😯 at Tiger Places, I knew it was rough down Kirkcaldy way. Didn’t Tigers where on the loose.

And I still want one of Ninians sheds.

Its not that I hate fife, just its pretty boring if you don’t drive.

Piemonster, ask if their physical/mental difficulties are a result of kettle produce poisoning everyone in the village.

Kettles single greatest claim to fame is the cynical and capatilist organisation ever to take to stage under the guise of childrens entertainment…. the singiiiiiiiiiiiiiing kettle.

Thanks for all the info.

We’ve lined up to see a couple of apartments in Dunfermline. I think theres enough there to stop the Mrs going crazy when I’m working away and when I’m home we can head out in the car to do stuff.

Unfortunatly, the not driving thing is medical so me insisting would be seen as mean!!!!

I’ve just ordered roof bars and bike rack for the car so I can head out to play a bit further afield.

The singletrack collective helps again. You lot should get a van and drive around like the A team sharing opinions.

My sister was looking at a nice Victorian flat on a corner overlooking the links, at the end of the high street. Top floor with great views. Daft price. £70k. Train goes through there too.

The singletrack collective helps again. You lot should get a van and drive around like the A team sharing opinions.

We’d be too busy bickering to actually do much good.

Have a look at Blairadam woods, Pitmedden, Lomonds, Ochils for local riding.

Further afield, blimey there is loads. Too much to ever list. The commute to Bridge Of Earn will be a doddle from Dunfermline. It’s gets busy heading south, but never too bad going north from Dunfermline.

What about looking South of the bridge, South Queensferry,Linlithgow, Kirkliston(no trains but bus service can’t be that bad, not much to do though).What about becoming a neighbour of Ian Rankine in North Queensferry?

As piemonster says, plenty of local riding. Blairadam is excellent (even in the winter when it becomes Blairmudam), as is Pitmedden (Pitmudden, there’s a theme developing here) which will be a great one to stop in at on your way home of an evening. Lomond Hills are good too, don’t listen to the naysayers. As well as the Ochils, there’s also some riding out west (Dean Plantation) as well as possibly Devilla forest (although I’ve not ridden there for years, hopefully there’s less fireroad and more singletrack now).

Ian Rankine’s in Morningside is he not? along the road from J K’s old place..
You mean the late lamented Iain Banks??

kcal sorry getting my Ians mixed up! A mate worked in JK’s new pad down Barnton way, million dollar place done up by cowboys!

ouch!
There’s a bit (possibly in Iain Banks’ Raw Spirit) where he gets button-holed by some guy, who describes a great plot line “for that detective character Rebus in your books”, he had to tell him that was a different Scots author called Ia(i)n..

They still throw spears at aeroplanes in Fife.

I am now 64 years of age – having been born in Fife. I lived there for 24 years before leaving for Glasgow (where I resided for the next 40 years).

Unfortunately, owing to family circumstances, I was swayed into leaving Glasgow and returning to Fife. I subsequently moved to a nice house in Glenrothes. The area is nice and clean; more so than Glasgow. However, if I am going to be honest, I find the Fifers to be dour and straight faced. Friendliness is not a characteristic you should expect in this part of the UK.

After having lived for so long in Glasgow, I now feel out of place in Fife. All things in life are relative; which is why I would advise anyone thinking of living in a new environment to ‘sample the wares’ before moving.

I miss the humour of Glaswegians so much; the more civilised way of driving adopted by the Glaswegians (based on common sense). In Fife, especially in Glenrothes, a great number of the natives don’t bother to use their indicators. Lane lines seem to provide a difficulty; they don’t seem to understand why they are painted on the road surface. Most motorists can’t seem to keep within their own respective lanes. Perhaps they think that the paintwork on the road surfaces is graffiti!

I could go on, but I won’t. Suffice to say that during my initial 24 years in Fife, I simply took for granted all that was around me. Thankfully, I eventually moved to Glasgow and experienced life elsewhere. Incidentally, I will be moving back to Glasgow after the winter (of 2013/2014) has passed.

Didn’t think I would ever say this about the place of my birth, but it’s true – sadly. No doubt, some will disagree with my comments – and they’re entitled to do so. However, it will be interesting to see just how many of them are non-fifers.

Lived in Clackmannanshire and commuted via Dunf to Edinburgh and recently moved to Stirling. Love it! Great Riding from your doorstep, decent little places like Bridge of Allan, Doune and Callendar all easy to reach. Train journey to Glasgow or Edinbrugh 1hr and trains leave every ½hr. Now has Waitrose and Sainsburys, two decent bike shops and a cinema. People are friendly.

I am now 65 years old, having been born and bred in Fife. Left there when I was 24 years old. I then spent the next 41 years of my life in Glasgow. Having reached retirement age, I subsequently (and unfortunately) decided to return to the land of my birth(only a few months ago).

I have now settled/been in Fife for a total of 7 months, however, still feel as if I am a stranger in a strange land. Having sampled life in Glasgow for the last 40 years, I can honestly say that the natives of Fife have a distinct lack of humour; or, as they would say in ‘Still Game,’ a humour bypass.

If you have a low humour threshold, then Fife is your natural destination. If you can’t understand what the white (lane line) markings on the road surface actually signify, Fife is the place for you. If you drive like ‘Dick Dastardly’ in the ‘Wacky Races,’ especially at roundabouts, Fife is DEFINITELY for you.

During my latest stay in Fife, I have spoken to various people (from other parts of Scotland & England), all of whom agree with my comments shown above.

I find most people who have spent more than 39 years in Glasgow tend to suffer from memory loss, post everything twice and drive like my Grandad on a Sunday 😉

EDIT – @ Newcroft – Happy birthday for sometime last week 🙂

Wow newcroft – only ever made two posts – both on this thread – the latest one resurrecting it from a week ago. Is this some kind of Fife anti spam? You don’t work for the tourist board do you, repelling ‘furriners’ at the border?

Hi flowerpower,

Thanks for your reply. The difference between you and me is that I ventured beyond the boundaries of Fife; whereas, you have not, or so it would seem.

Since my return to Fife, I have spoken to many people about my concerns, and (would you believe it) the only ones who agree with me are the Scots who are not native Fifers? I admire your defence of the natives of Fife,however, I would recommend that before attacking your fellow Scots, you should venture beyond your familiar environment (comfort zone).

I have ventured there; you have not.

Wow – that indeed is a MIGHTY big axe that you have to grind 😯

I’m no Fifer, I’m not even Scottish. Moved to Scotland 7 years ago and presently stay just over the border in Clackmannanshire.

Maybe you should broaden your posting history, I have a feeling that this thread here might suit you.

Merry Christmas x

I can add very little to this, other than to say that Methil is a dump. I have to go there with work regularly, and it’s hard to find anything positive to say.

That is all.