A fantastically fun few days at Morton of Pitmilly, Fife

Tucked away in what seems like the middle of nowhere Morton of Pitmilly is surrounded by acres of lush green fields and  picturesque forest, with views of the sea never far away. You may feel like there is nothing around you, and I relished that feeling for I was in need of a little peace and quiet, but the site is actually perfectly placed between the wonderful town of St Andrews and the cute little villages of the East Neuk. The subtle signs at the end of the long and winding single track road which leads to Pitmilly don't give away the gem that awaits you when you arrive. The adorable stone building which houses the reception, the pantry and the original cottages were surrounded by beautiful flowers in full bloom when we arrived, which made for some pretty photos before we had even stepped inside. 

I was invited along to Morton of Pitmilly to review the lodges but all opinions, as always, are​ my own

We were shown our  home for the next few days and got to see around the rest of the resort. The original stone built cottages circle the cutest little courtyard, with colourful flowers and carefully placed benches to ensure the best view of the surrounding greenery. In front of each door is your own little space to relax, a table and chairs to enjoy your breakfast or a glass of wine at night. One of doors also leads you to the first of Morton of Pitmilly's gems - the indoor heated swimming pool. With full length windows you can lie in the pool and admire the views or indulge in some me time in the sauna. Just next door to the pool there is also a fun playroom for the kids with games and books and next door to that, a DVD library with kids and adults games that you can take back to your cottage. Enough to keep you and the kids busy for a few days? There is loads more and that's what I really liked about staying here, we could sit back and unwind when we wanted but there was always something to do when we got itchy feet. 

What's inside?

As well as the 4 star original cottages in The Courtyard, which have between 1-4 bedrooms, in 2012 the owners built The Steading, which comprises of five 5 star boutique houses, which also range from 1-4 bedrooms. It is only a 1 minute walk between the two buildings. I was lucky enough to have a nosy around at some of the other cottages and houses and what really struck was the space, the larger ones were so spacious and the all important finishing touches, such as the pink tartan cushions and the curtains made from fabric with ancient maps, made all the difference. 

We stayed in The Den, a one bedroomed apartment in the new 5 star Steading. It is compact so ideal for a couple or if you are travelling alone. The bedroom has a big comfy king sized bed, a dressing table and flat screen TV and the ensuite bathroom has an excellent shower. The fully fitted modern kitchen has everything you need including all the cutlery and crockery, a huge gas cooker, microwave, toaster, kettle, fridge, freezer and dish washer. The three seated sofa is super comfy and there is a dining table, flat screen Tv and surround sound speakers and Ipod docking station. The large double French doors lead out to a cute little decking area with table and chair where we enjoyed our breakfast, overlooking the fields and looking out to the Firth of Forth. 

(These photos were taken from a few of the cottages and houses. Each is individually decorated.

Outside there are even more activities, we spent our first 2 hours playing (or attempting to play) tennis on the outdoor tennis court. I was just slightly distracted by the chickens in their coop though and Crusoe ended up catching the majority of the balls. We played the lawn game Cornhole too which was a first for us. It's a game that's big in the US and involves aiming to throw small beanbags in a hole. We didn't manage to squeeze the time in to play Croquet or go putting but all these activities are free while you are staying there, as is the kids playpark which as trampolines, a zip wire and some swings and other things. 

Crusoe loved the long nature walks around the 150 acre land, we spotted partridges, pheasants and even a barn owl! There are so many paths and trails that we had great evening walks (it's nearly summer in Scotland just now so at the moment it isn't getting dark until after 9pm). The brightly coloured fields of wild flowers looked magical as the sun was setting. 

A five minute walk from the cottages, up the lane, is the indoor activity centre. We left Crusoe in the outdoor kennel, with some treats which were kindly given to us as a welcome gift, while we played pool, darts, air hockey and table tennis. 

The cottages and houses are self catering and in the reception area is the amazing Pitmilly Pantry. The idea is you take what you need, jot it down on the notepad and it gets added to your tab, and it's open 24 hours. There is a good selection of food, such as fresh eggs, Janetta's ice cream, chocolate, wine, gin, chutneys etc and also a big range of frozen COOK meals that you can take back and stick in the oven or microwave. On our first night I had the Chicken Tikka and a nan bread which was delicious and Taylor had the macaroni cheese. We also picked up some eggs, croissants and pan au chocolat, then popped into St Andrews to Tesco for some fresh bread and orange juice so we could enjoy a slap up breakfast on the outside terrace looking out to the sea. Luckily it was a stunning morning and the sun was shining. Tip - Buy the croissants! They are only 50-60p each and you just pop them in the oven for a few minutes and they are to die for! You will be asked when you arrive if you want fresh baked rolls, milk or papers in the morning and if you want them they will be in your box in the pantry at 8.30am, a lovely touch. 

The village of Pittenweem in the East Neuk is only a 15 minute drive from Pitmilly and if you want to visit you might be interested in my Scottish Village Guide to Pittenweem

Quick Facts

If you are using the Sat Nav to get to Pitmilly don't take the dirt track when it tells you to, there is a tarmac drive with small signs letting you know where to go. 

Check in is at 4pm and check out is 10am. 

You can book for 2-28 days stay and there is still some availability over the summer months, although not a lot. Our 2 night stay would have cost just under £300. 

All of the outdoor activities are free. The indoor tennis  and badminton court costs £10 per hour. The gym costs £5 per person per session or £10 per person per stay and you'll need to do a quick induction first. The swimming pool is free to use. There is two luxurious spa treatment rooms, you'll find a treatment menu in your cottage. 

All the activities are open from 8.30am-8.30pm 7 days a week. 

Morton of Pitmilly is dog friendly.

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Morton of Pitmilly is ideal for family breaks, kids will absolutely love all the activities. The larger houses would be perfect for groups of friends too if you fancy a wee weekend away with your buddies. They also hold fantastic regular street food evenings with a pop-up bar which, like the site itself, is dog-friendly. We loved our stay there and loved having the choice of all those activities right on the doorstep. It's also ideal for those who want to visit St Andrews but don't want to stay in the city and while you're there you can explore the villages in the East Neuk. Kingsbarns Whisky and Gin Distillery is very close too where you can take a tour and sample some for yourself. To book at stay head to their website Morton of Pitmilly

I was invited along to Morton of Pitmilly to review the lodges but all opinions, as always, are​ my own

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