Recreation in Falkland & Newton of Falkland

What's New?

FREE golf for local kids! 02 Feb 10: Falkland Golf Club is offering a fantastic opportunity for local primary school girls and boys to join the club FREE of charge and for P4 to P7 children to receive FREE COACHING and participation in junior competitions.

Community Spaces

In Falkland both residents and visitors enjoy the quieter pleasures of sitting "watching the world go by."  There is plenty of comfortable seating throughout the village: in the High Street; Parish Church; Cross Wynd (well signposted with amenity maps); throughout the Falkland Estate; next to the Duck Pond and alongside the ample paths, which have been widened to provide disabled access.

Cycling

Like most of the Howe of Fife, Falkland is a safe cycling environment for beginners and the more experienced and professional riders. Falkland is a main stop on the 15.5 mile Ladybank - Auchtermuchty - Falkland Kingdom of Fife Millennium Cycleway route, which has recently been extended to include a direct cycle path from Pillars of Hercules to Strathmiglo (an excellent 3.4 mile off-road route that's ideal for families walking or cycling with young children).

Surrounding Falkland village there are also quiet local roads, forest paths on Falkland Estate plus more demanding off road routes. There is a specially designed mountain biking track in the woodlands on the lowers slopes of East Lomond (access gained from the Falkland to Leslie hill road). Falkland Mountain Bike Club report it, 'a thrilling challenge'.

>  More on Walking & Cycling in Fife 

Fishing

Ballo Trout Fishery, only 2 miles from Falkland in Leslie, offers year round bank and boat (fly only) fishing for rainbow, steelhead, blues and wild brown trout.

> More local fishing

Golf

Fife is famous for its golf courses and Falkland's picturesque golf course offers a relaxed and friendly welcome to visitors and parties. As well as being the only inland, 9-hole course in Fife, the relatively flat course has several burns that meander through it, a challenging par 5 on the second hole, and outstanding views of the Lomonds. The course offers reduced rates for juniors and the clubhouse has a bar and some catering facilities.

> More golfing opportunities locally

Horse Riding

Horse Riding opportunities are welcomed in designated areas of Falkland Estate. Contact Falkland Centre for Stewardship for more details. If you're looking for riding lessons, see Highfield Equestrian in nearby Collessie or Barbarafield Riding School near Cupar.

Leisure classes

Falkland & Newton boast a series of recreational classes that support its sports and outdoor organisations. Most operate from the village hall. These include

• Falkland Yoga classes
• Musical Steps - activity sessions for pre-schoolers, Friday mornings
• Pilates Classes: Newton of Falkland - Sunday evenings
• Ladies Fitness Class -  Monday evenings
• Karate classes - Tue & Fri evenings, adults and kids

> More Fitness and execrcise classes in the area

Open spaces

To the West of the village, on the periphery of the Falkland Estate is West Loam Play Area at Balmblae. This is a pleasant, sheltered, easily supervised area for families and children with swings, slides, seating and a picnic area plus accessible bridges over a safe burn, suitable for paddling. Older children can make good use of the playing field behind Falkland Primary School. There is a football pitch and swings near to St Johns Works too.

Sports clubs & health

If you want to participate in organised sport, in a team or as an individual, then chances are there's something in this community to suit you. Falkland is home to the

• Falkland Tennis Club, Mini Tennis Club and Falkland Palace Royal Tennis Club
• Falkland Bowling Club
• Falkland Cricket Club 
• Falkland Golf Club and Ladies Golf Club
• Lomond Victoria Amateur Football Club 
• Lomond United Amateur Football Club
• Falkland Curling Club
• Stag Inn Curling Club
• Shukokai Karate Academy, and
• Fife Fire Cheerleaders 
• Fife Athletic Club (organise the Lomond Hill race and other athletic events)
• Howe of Fife Rugby Football Club

Walking

Falkland is the ideal base for a recreational walker. From lowland strolls through Falkland Estate, to day-long hikes around Fife's highest peaks, the Lomond hills, there's something to suit everyone. Here are some of our favourite walks in the area:

Falkland's Hidden Walk: an easy 1.7 mile walk from the village uphill through the forested Douk Plantation with great views of Falkland.

There are a network of pleasant walks in the 1900 ha Falkland Estate including

• Arraty Den and Crags
• Drumdreel Woods
• Douk Plantation
• Gilderland
• Kilgour Crags
• Maspie Den and Waterfall
• Royal Walk

The Centre for Steweardship sells an interpretative 'Four walks Guide' to the area, and organises some seasonal guided walks  too - watch the events calendar for these. Some paths are wheelchair accessible. Download a map of Falkland Estate paths and landscape features here.

The Lomond Hills Regional Park also offers a variety of walks of varying difficulty. Craigmead Car Park gives good access for walkers to both the East and West Lomond Hills. It has a picnic area and information boards. Beware of the toilets - though provided, they are seldom open for public use. This car park is useful for access to the recently extended Mapsie Den walk (down hill).

The Ramblers Association - St Andrews & North East Fife organise fortnightly walks throughout NE Fife for thsoe who wish to explore further afield.

More local walking and cycling routes