The Haven
The Haven is a lovely stone-built cottage nestling in the picturesque hamlet of Kirkton of Balmerino on the southern banks of the Tay. It enjoys a peaceful and secluded location, with wonderful views over The Tay to the Sidlaws beyond and yet is only a fifteen minute drive away from the hustle and bustle of city life in Dundee. A twenty five minute drive will take you to the historic town of St Andrews with its myriad attractions including world renowned golf courses. Perth, with nearby Scone Palace, is a mere forty five minutes drive. Many visitors will enjoy exploring the quaint fishing villages of the East Neuk of Fife which are host to a variety of festivals during the summer months. For visitors wishing to travel further afield, Edinburgh and Glasgow are about an hour and one and a half hours drive respectively from the cottage.
The Haven is an ideal base for walkers and cyclists and historians will appreciate the ruins of Balmerino Abbey, a Cistercian Monastery built in 1229, right on the doorstep.
The Haven is adjacent to Little Haven. It is a recent addition, built in stone, to retain the traditional character of its neighbour. The driveway is shared with Little Haven, but it also has its own private garden, with beautiful, uninterrupted views over the Tay, towards Dundee and the Perthshire hills.
The cottage has been sympathetically designed to merge seamlessly with Little Haven, and maintains a warm, cosy atmosphere, with oak flooring throughout the ground floor. The accommodation is over two floors. All of the rooms look out over the gardens and have views of the river.
- Sleeps - 6 (2 double, 1 twin bedrooms)
- 1 en-suite bathroom
- Shower room
- Dining hall
- Sitting room
Facilities
- Dishwasher, washing machine/dryer
- Microwave
- TV, video/DVD/stereo
- Library of books, DVDs, videos, maps and guides for walks and cycle routes
- Landscaped garden grounds
- Views of the river
- sitting room, kitchen, dining hall, garden furniture and barbecue
What’s included
Electricity, heating, cleaning/laundry products, bed linen and towels are included in the rental price. Basic staples such as tea, coffee, salt, pepper, olive oil, sugar are also included.
The official tourism website for Fife has lots of useful information on travel, where to eat, places to see and things to do.
Walking / Cycling
Little Haven is an ideal base for walkers and cyclists, and you will find a number of suggested routes, all laminated for you to take on days out. Fife has one of the UK's most comprehensive cycle networks. Explore 300 miles (500km) of cycle routes along quiet country lanes, disused railway lines and forest tracks as well as commuter routes in towns.
You can hire bikes at:
Spokes
77 South St
St Andrews
KY16 9QW
Tel: 01334 477835
Golf Enthusiasts
There are numerous world renowned golf courses within half an hours’ drive of Little Haven. Perhaps the most famous being The Old Course in St. Andrews which hosts the Open Golf Championships regularly. Carnoustie golf course is also renowned, and is again only a short journey. There are many other golfing venues in fife, catering for all golfing abilities.
www.golfscotland.info/county_fife.html
Fishing
For information on the various types of fishing available in Fife, look at
www.it-serve.co.uk/fifefishing/home.php
The following website gives details of opportunities both in Fife and further afield
www.fishscotland.co.uk/
The Arts
St Andrews is home to The Byre Theatre which is a Five Star attraction. Apart from the year round plays and musical entertainment, there is also a first class restaurant and bar which is open throughout the day and evening.
The Caird Hall in Dundee is another venue for theatrical events. www.cairdhall.co.uk
The Younger Hall music centre in St Andrews often host lunch time concerts which are open to the public.
Riding
There is a riding school in the middle of Tentsmuir Forest, offering miles of forest and beach riding, away from busy roads and traffic.
Also in the area:
Barbarafield Riding School
Barbarafield Farm,
Cupar,
Fife,
KY15 5PU
Tel: 01334 828223
Historians
You don’t need to travel far to enjoy a wealth of history, starting in Balmerino with The Cistercian Abbey built in 1229.
The mediaeval university town of St Andrews is steeped in history and is also considered to be the historic centre of Scottish religion. On a headland to the north of St Andrews stand the ruins of the city's castle, once the main residence of the bishops and archbishops of St Andrews. There is much to explore here, and when you tire, there are plenty of restaurants and coffee shops to fortify yourselves.
To find out more about this and other sites of historic interest visit:
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk and www.nts.org.uk
Dundee is home to the Royal Research Ship “Discovery”, built in Dundee to take Captain Scott to Antarctica. The ship is berthed at Discovery point and is part of an award winning visitor attraction.
Beaches
There are some beautiful beaches in this part of the world. The award winning film ‘Chariots of Fire’ was filmed on St Andrews West Sands. From that vantage point you can look across the water to the beach at Tentsmuir with its backdrop of forestry. Heading south along the coastal road from St Andrews, you will come to a series of picturesque fishing villages, which make up the "East Neuk" of Fife.
Cinemas / Leisure Centres
Both St Andrews and Dundee have cinemas and leisure centres
- St Andrews New Picture House
- Dundee Cineworld
- Dundee Odeon
- St Andrews East Sands Leisure Centre
- Dundee Leisure Centre
Restaurants & Cafes
There are numerous restaurants and cafes in St Andrews and Dundee. The closest eating place and pub to Little Haven is The Tay Bridge Halt in Wormit which prepares freshly cooked meals.
By road : Coming from the south, Kirkton of Balmerino is around 22 miles from the M90. Come off the M90 at Junction 8, taking the A91 towards St Andrews . At the roundabout, go left onto the A92 towards Dundee . After approximately 7.5 miles, turn left towards Balmerino. At the last T junction turn right towards Kirkton of Balmerino.
By rail/bus : Inter-city services to Perth, Dundee, Ladybank, Cupar or Leuchars, thereafter by local bus or taxi.
By air : Flights to Edinburgh, Glasgow, Prestwick or Dundee. Thereafter via the rail/bus network, local bus or taxi.
By Ferry : Exit the new Superfast Ferry Terminal, Rosyth, follow the motorway signs, and join the M90 (Northbound) at Junction 1. Thereafter, observe the 'By Road' instructions above.
There are a number of travel information and route planner websites which you may want to use:
We have spent one wonderful month here, it will always hold a special place in our hearts. Thank you for all your kind words and sharing your beautiful Haven with us.
The Hartley Family - New Zealand November 2008
We have so enjoyed our Christmas together in your “Havens” - perfect for a family get-together. Charming and beautifully equipped! - we even found sage in the garden (we had forgotten the stuffing!) Many thanks and we would like to come back one day.
The Nutleys - Shropshire, Scotland and Somerset Christmas 2008
We have really enjoyed our time here as always! It is great to come back to your beautiful house. We have had such a relaxing few days. Thank you so much.
Maggie, Rebekah and Bethany - Newton Stewart New Year 2008
It has been great to be back in Scotland. A family wedding caused a family reunion – we have had a super time. The Haven has been a wonderful place to stay with so much provided. Thank you very much. I have a feeling we will be back .............
Ray, Alison, Rachel and Alexander – Canada July 2009
What a lovely place. The house exceeded all our expectations in terms of style, comfort and especially the views. We hope to come back some day!
Johan, Elzabe, Wilhelm, Natasha and Sophia - South Africa July 2009
