Fife Castles - Aithernie Castle Traditional Cache
Fife Castles - Aithernie Castle
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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A short walk to visit the ruin of an old Fife castle. This cache is not suitable for buggies as it involves crossing a field drain / ditch.
Aithenie estate was located on the Cupar Road just North of Leven between Sconnie Parish and the Montrave estate. The estate with its now ruined castle had an important ecclesiastical and secular role in Fife’s history. It is a fine example of how Fife properties were subsumed by the crown to give to servants and toadies for services rendered.
The estate was granted by the Earl of Fife to the nuns of North Berwick in 1160 and remained in their hands until 1587 when Prioress Margaret Home agreed to James VI’s secularisation of the property for her kinsman ambassador to the English court, Sir Alexander Home; later it became a free barony of North Berwick, and the property was sold on Home’s death in 1608. The list of subsequent owners of Aithernie reads as a roll call of prominent Fife families from the Scots of Scotstarvit to the Wemysses of Wemyss.
Recommended parking at the top of the access road, signed Pilmuir Cottage, at approx N56 13.413 W002 59.900 - (park to the side of the road to allow for access) walk down the road and pass to the left of a small paddock which contained 4 Alpaca’s or Llamas, (long legged, long necked woolly things that look like stretched sheep!), at the time of writing - see picture in gallery. There is only one main obstacle to overcome, a field ditch. I found a good crossing point by walking down the outside of the paddock for about 10 metres. You will see a felled tree and a large tree stump on the other side. The field is in use however the farmer does not plough down to the field’s edge. Walk around the edge of the ploughed area towards the castle.
You can also access this cache from parking on the main road however this is a busy road with very limited parking and I personally wouldn't recommend this.
The cache is a traditional cache with a box full of goodies, log book and a pencil.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Haqre fgbarf
Treasures
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