On Sunday I visited St Andrews where I spent six years at school.
In 1969 my father's job took him to Dundee so we moved from Maidenhead in Berkshire to Wormit, a village that overlooks the River Tay in north Fife.
I spent nine months at the local primary school before my year group moved to Madras College, the nearest secondary school in Fife.
At 8.15 each day the school bus would pick us up and take us to St Andrews, twelve miles away.
After school activities – cricket, hockey and drama – were more problematic because it meant using the far less direct local bus service.
Sometimes I would hitch a lift home from a complete stranger. Outside of school hours it was often the quickest way to get home and no-one thought anything of it.
Talking of drama, in my final year I was cast in a Pinteresque short play that required the two leading characters (of which I was one) to sit and ruminate in a graveyard.
For a school play the subject matter was quite challenging. I don't recall too much about it but I do remember a scene that involved a dead baby.
Prior to the three-night run the director (our English teacher) thought it would be a good idea if we rehearsed among some actual gravestones.
As a result we ended up performing al fresco in the cathedral grounds (above).
But back to the present. After a very pleasant morning walking around town and down by the old harbour, I drove down the coast to Anstruther, a small fishing village I have written about before.
I'm constantly amazed by how many people have never visited this part of the world. On a warm sunny day it's lovely, honest!
Below: the harbours at St Andrews (top) and Anstruther (below)
