Anstruther Town Hall

The red sandstone facade of Anstruther Town Hall dominates the High Street, a proper Victorian statement that speaks volumes about the town's fishing heritage. Built in the 1870s when the East Neuk was thriving on herring catches, it's the sort of building that makes you stop and actually look up instead of scrolling your phone.

You can't always get inside - opening hours are variable and it's primarily a working civic building - but the exterior alone rewards a few minutes of your time. The craftsmanship in that stonework is genuine, not the polished restoration job you'd get nowadays. Walk round the back and you'll spot how the building sits in the streetscape, fitting naturally into the curve of the High Street rather than dominating it.

It works best as part of a slow wander through Anstruther itself, ideally combined with the Scottish Fisheries Museum two minutes away or a proper fish supper from one of the chippy spots nearby. History enthusiasts and photographers will get more from it than families with restless kids, though teenagers keen on industrial heritage and Scottish architecture won't find it boring.

If you're based at one of the nearby caravan parks - Bankhead Farm, St Monans, or Sauchope Links - Anstruther is only a short drive away and worth an afternoon poke around. The town's compact enough that you won't feel you've wasted a trip if the hall's locked up.