Campsites in St Andrews, Fife

6 bookable campsites within 15 miles of St Andrews Sorted by distance

Why visit St Andrews?

Scotland’s oldest university

The oldest – and, by many accounts, the prettiest – of Scotland’s four ancient universities is located in St Andrews. This storied seat of learning – which is in fact the third oldest university in the English-speaking world – was founded in the early 1400s and still preserves many of its original buildings, terminology and traditions. If visiting on a Sunday, you may see students in full academic regalia walking along the pier after the weekly service at St Salvator’s Chapel. Other curiosities are on display all year round at the university-run Wardlaw Museum, home to a fascinating collection of artefacts that spans six centuries. 

St Andrews beaches

Wander across the fine sandy beach at West Sands to recreate the famous sprint scene from ‘Chariots of Fire’, or arrive at the end of the day with your camera to take photos of spectacular sunsets over the St Andrews cityscape. Closer to the harbour and the centre of town, the smaller but still pretty East Sands is well worth a visit too. It’s also home to the Cheesy Toast Shack – an excellent pick-me-up to warm you after a chilly dip or paddle in the North Sea – and is a few minutes' walk from fish and chip shops, seafood restaurants and cafés where you can either eat in or buy a takeaway for a picnic on the beach. 

The home of golf

As well as hosting the oldest university in Scotland, St Andrews is also home to the oldest golf club in the world. The game first emerged on the east coast as an aristocratic pastime in the 15th century and was actually banned by King James II, who worried that the game could lead Scotland’s menfolk to neglect their military duties. 

St Andrews’ first golf course was laid out here in the 1550s, and in 1754 the St Andrews Society of Golfers was created to hold the town’s first annual golf tournament. The spectacular seaside links have remained in place ever since, making St Andrews alongside Gleneagles – Scotland’s premier destination for golf fans. 

The best things to do in St Andrews

  • Explore the seaside remains of St Andrews Cathedral, once the largest church in Scotland, where visitors can see an outstanding collection of relics, climb 12th-century St Rule’s Tower and inspect medieval sculptures 

  • Head to St Andrews Castle, just down the road from the cathedral, to walk through 13th-century battlements, dungeons and secret passageways

  • See what’s swimming at St Andrews Aquarium on the town's north-facing coastal cliffs. Come face to face with seals, sharks and sea spiders and learn more about marine ecosystems both in Scotland and around the world

  • Take a walking tour of St Andrews Golf Course for guided commentary on the history of the club and some spectacular views over the Fife coastline 

  • Take your first steps in the game of golf or improve your technique in a laidback environment at St Andrews Indoor Golf Centre, a weatherproof way to give golf a go during your stay

  • Blow away the cobwebs and surround yourself with fronds and foliage at St Andrews Botanic Garden, a historic 18-acre park on the southern edge of town 

Unexplored St Andrews

Walking in Fife

St Andrews was once an important pilgrimage site and is located at the end of the Fife Pilgrim Way, which was once about as popular as the Camino de Santiago. Many of the bridges, roads and ferries in Fife were originally established to allow the faithful easy access to the bones of St Andrew, which were brought to the city in the medieval period. 

St Andrews is also located on the Fife Coastal Path, much of which is accessible by public transport. For a moderate but very scenic coastal walk, take the bus from St Andrews to Kingsbarns and walk back into town, passing golden sands, peaceful farmland and dramatic rock formations along the way. 

St Andrews ghost tours

St Andrews feels totally different after dark, when ghosts are said to roam the narrow streets and alleyways of the old town. Whether you’re a true believer or more of a sceptic, the St Andrews Ghost Tour will take you on an unforgettable walk around some of the city’s most haunted sites, mixing spooky stories with historical accuracy and interesting facts about real-life bloody episodes from the past. 

Dunino Den 

A short drive outside St Andrews, Dunino Den is another supernatural spot to explore. This woodland oasis is associated with fairies and was a long-standing place of pagan worship before Dunino church was built on the site in 1240. You may or may not spot sprites and spirits as you wander through the woods, but keep an eye out for the ancient pre-Christian altar stone, Celtic crosses carved into the rocks by long-gone worshippers and ribbons placed in the trees by their modern-day counterparts.

Here’s how

Campsites and holiday parks in St Andrews come in all shapes and sizes, so whether you’re looking for local family-friendly sites or a St Andrews break with electric pitches, Pitchup’s got you covered. And it's not all about tent camping – you can also find places to park your motorhome or caravan, and some rather smart St Andrews glamping options. There are lots of tick-box filters on this page to help you find exactly what you’re looking for. Popular options include:

There’s a lot more to see in the local area too – see what’s on offer across Fife, expand your search to Lothian in the south or check out every single one of Pitchup’s campsites in Scotland

 

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