Kirkcaldy

Kirkcaldy is a town on the coast of Fife in central Scotland. Its called "The Lang Toun" due to the collection of villages that stretched along the coast. It's industrial, making linoleum, and in 2016 had a population of 50,010. Famous people from Kirkcaldy include the economist Adam Smith, the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and the crime fiction writer Val McDermid.

Understand
In 1723 Kirkcaldy was the birthplace of Adam Smith, founder of the science of economics and author of "Wealth of Nations". He's particularly associated with the laissez-faire or liberal-classical strand of economics, holding that the greatest wealth is created by the free operation of the "invisible hand" of market forces. He was also well aware of the destructive and corrupting effects of those forces, and this dichotomy is why his theories and legacy are debated to this day. For example, market forces dictate that unsuccessful businesses must fail, but what if that failure takes down a bank, railway company, energy supplier, hospital, college or city? But if we can agree upon one economic lesson from Smith it is this: if you have a £20 note bearing his likeness, then you're left holding the Old Maid, it's no longer legal tender. You need to change it at a bank for a £20 depicting JMW Turner, the current issue.

Smith's work chimed well with the 18th / 19th century industrialists who developed Kirkcaldy into a large port. Commerce was driven by the Fife coalfields, salt panning, whaling and linen. Flax was also spun into coarse floor-cloths (cheaper than carpet) that protected floors and cut out draughts, and techniques were devised to spray oil or resin onto a canvas backing, creating linoleum. This turned into a big seller, as it was durable, washable, inexpensive, and could be brightly patterned and cut to precise size. By 1877 Kirkcaldy was the world's largest manufacturer of lino, with half a dozen factories and a distinctive oily pong across town. This industry declined from 1960 with foreign competition but continues in town, other manufacturing arrived, and the port re-opened in 2011 when it was equipped to handle container freight.

Get in
See Fife for long-distance options. From Edinburgh Airport take the direct Bus 747 across the bridge to Inverkeithing for trains or Halbeath for buses.

By train
Kirkcaldy is on the east coast mainline which runs from London Kings Cross via York, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Inverkeithing to Kirkcaldy, continuing north to Dundee and Aberdeen. The Caledonian Highland Sleeper runs from London Euston reaching Kirkcaldy around 05:00 en route to Aberdeen, with the southbound train picking up around 22:30. Trains from Edinburgh to Perth and Inverness also come this way every hour or two. From Glasgow, Manchester or Birmingham, change at Haymarket.

Trains from Edinburgh run every 20 min M-Sa and hourly on Sunday via Haymarket (for airport), Inverkeithing, Dalgety Bay, Aberdour, Burntisland and Kinghorn, taking 45 min to Kirkcaldy. They continue north to Leven, or to Markinch (for Glenrothes) and Perth, or to Markinch, Cupar, Leuchars (for St Andrews) and Dundee; so each destination has an hourly service. They no longer loop west through Glenrothes, take the bus from Markinch.

has a ticket office staffed M-Sa 6:30AM-7PM, Su 8AM-9PM, toilets open same hours. There are ticket machines and a WH Smiths. There is step-free access to both platforms.

By bus
Stagecoach Bus X58 / X60 runs from Edinburgh via Inverkeithing to Kirkcaldy (70 min), and continues via Leven and the East Neuk villages to St Andrews. It runs hourly, daily.

Bus X27 runs from Glasgow via Dunfermline to Kirkcaldy (2 hr) and Leven. It runs every 30 min M-Sat and hourly on Sunday.

Bus 7 runs along the coast from Dunfermline via Inverkeithing, Aberdour and Burntisland to Kirkcaldy and Leven; M-Sa every 30 min and hourly on Sunday.

Bus X37 runs every 30 min from Glenrothes and takes 30 min. Bus 39 and Bus 32 are slower routes.

Kirkcaldy is central, enter from Hill St.

By road
From south or west, exit M90 at Jcn 2A onto A92 eastbound, then take A910 into town. This is much quicker than the coast road.

Get around
Town is walkable but quite spread out. Bus 7 takes you along the coast and the Glenrothes buses get you inland.

Bus 11 makes an hourly loop between the bus station and Chapel Fife retail park. Bus 13 starts in Lochgelly and runs hourly to Kirkcaldy, Dysart and West Wemyss.

Taxi operators include Kingdom Taxis +44 1592 737475, Helen's Taxi +44 1592 646400, and Kirkcaldy Cabs +44 1592 654321.

See

 * Old Kirk is on Kirk Wynd a block north of the shopping centre. Its western tower from around 1500 is the town's oldest building, though most of it is early 19th century. It ceased to be used as church in 2008 and is now a performance and event space.
 * is the council offices, built in 1956 as a sort-of Nordic, sort-of neo-Classical low rise. The main entrance is west off pedestrianised Wemyssfield.
 * is the ruin of a castle built in 1460 at a time when gunpowder and artillery were getting the better of early medieval castles; so it was built to withstand cannon shot and to be an artillery platform itself. It was also to be a comfortable residence for the wife of James II, but he'd no sooner planned it when he got blown up by one of his own cannon. ("It's people that kill, not cannon!" so no legislation was passed.) The castle ceased to be a residence after Cromwell wrecked it but, in an appropriate coda, it was used as an ammunition depot in the First World War. The ruin is free to stroll any time.
 * Ravenscraig Park is the woodland east from the castle to Dysart. The large car park is reached by ignoring Satnav, which is trying to take you to brownfield Ravenscraig near Motherwell.
 * is a small harbour that fell on hard times once the pit closed and coal shipping ceased. The village was then merged into Kirkcaldy and much of it swept away for bland housing estates, but a historic core around the harbour has been preserved. See the Tolbooth, Town Hall, Pan Ha' (cottages by the salt pans), St Serf's church tower of 1500, and Dysart House. The Carmelite Monastery just north is still active, but in a modern building. Don't go searching for Dysart Castle, as that's near Thomastown in Ireland, and according to its famous resident Bishop Berkeley, it may not even exist if no-one happens to be looking at it.
 * is a small harbour that fell on hard times once the pit closed and coal shipping ceased. The village was then merged into Kirkcaldy and much of it swept away for bland housing estates, but a historic core around the harbour has been preserved. See the Tolbooth, Town Hall, Pan Ha' (cottages by the salt pans), St Serf's church tower of 1500, and Dysart House. The Carmelite Monastery just north is still active, but in a modern building. Don't go searching for Dysart Castle, as that's near Thomastown in Ireland, and according to its famous resident Bishop Berkeley, it may not even exist if no-one happens to be looking at it.

Do

 * What's on? For local events read Fife Today or listen to Kingdom FM on 95.2 and 96.1.
 * Kings Theatre is central on the Esplanade, +44 1592 564481. The town cinema closed down many years ago.
 * is a pleasant green space, with swans on the lake and rowing boat hire.
 * Beach: the main beach is sandy, stretching east of the harbour to Ravenscraig Castle. There are shorter, more shingly sections east to Dysart. Two miles south of town is Seafield Beach.
 * Golf: Kirkcaldy GC is on Beveridge Park. North of town is Dunnikier Park GC surrounding Oswald House, see Sleep.
 * Football: Raith Rovers play soccer in the Scottish Championship, the second tier. Their home ground is Stark's Park (capacity 8800) on Pratt Street half a mile southeast of town centre.
 * Rugby: Kirkcaldy RFC play in Scottish National League 2, the amateur game's third tier. They play at Beveridge Park south side of town.
 * Links Market is a travelling fairground that occupies a mile of the Esplanade. It's held for six days in April.
 * Highland Games: Bowhill Highland Games are held in September at Wallsgreen Park Bowhill, with the next on Su 15 Sept 2024. And see Glenrothes for those held in June at Markinch.
 * Links Market is a travelling fairground that occupies a mile of the Esplanade. It's held for six days in April.
 * Highland Games: Bowhill Highland Games are held in September at Wallsgreen Park Bowhill, with the next on Su 15 Sept 2024. And see Glenrothes for those held in June at Markinch.

Buy

 * Mercat Shopping Centre is the large retail block between the bus station and the sea front. Postings Shopping Centre on its north side has closed down.
 * Rejects at 123 St Clair Street towards the ice rink is a huge department store specialising in second-hand and DIY furnishing. It's open M-Sa 10AM-4:30PM, Su 11AM-5PM.
 * Chapel Fife is an edge-of-town retail park at the junction of A92 and A910, with B&Q, M&S, Halfords, Currys and the like.
 * Farmers Market was traditionally on the last Saturday of each month in the square next to the Townhouse. It's nowadays sporadic, and more regularly held in St Andrews and Cupar.

Eat

 * High St is the main strip, with Duchess of Kirkcaldy, Maxin Chinese, La Valente fish & chips, EDA Turkish, Dehlicious, Pommy's (below), The Prince Indian, Amritsar Tandoori, Annapurna Gurkha, and La Gondola.

Drink

 * The High Street strip includes Novar, O'Connell's, Penny Farthing, Exchequer, Wheatsheaf Inn, The Wynd, Betty Nicol's, Heritage Bar and Harbour Bar, plus Duchess of Kirkcaldy and The Robert Nairn mentioned above.

Sleep

 * Ashgrove B&B on Nicol St south of the station is dingy.
 * Ashgrove B&B on Nicol St south of the station is dingy.
 * Ashgrove B&B on Nicol St south of the station is dingy.
 * Ashgrove B&B on Nicol St south of the station is dingy.
 * Ashgrove B&B on Nicol St south of the station is dingy.

Connect
Kirkcaldy has 4G from all UK carriers. As of Oct 2021, 5G has not reached this area.

Go next

 * The coast improves east of Leven, with a series of picturesque fishing villages: Elie, Pittenweem, Anstruther (for boat trips to Isle of May) and Crail.
 * St Andrews is an attractive medieval university town.
 * Glenrothes is a humdrum "New Town", but north of it are the Lomond Hills, and Falkland Palace and gardens.