Pittenweem Tidal Pool

Rock pools at Pittenweem are the sort of thing you stumble upon at low tide and lose an hour to without realising. Located just along the coast from Anstruther, this stretch of Fife shoreline reveals shallow pools packed with starfish, anemones, crabs and the occasional small fish when the sea retreats. It's proper coastal detective work - the kind that keeps children engaged far longer than you'd expect, turning over stones and peering into crevices while the wider East Neuk landscape stretches behind you.

The appeal is straightforward: it costs nothing, requires no booking, and depends entirely on tide times. Check the tide tables before you go - you want low tide for maximum pool access. Allow an hour or two depending on how seriously you take the rock-pooling mission. Wear sensible shoes; the rocks are slippery and unforgiving. Bring a small net if you're keen, though most people are happy simply looking. It's genuinely absorbing for families with young kids, though anyone with a casual interest in marine life will find it worthwhile.

If you're staying at St Monans Holiday Park just under a mile away, or basing yourself at one of the caravan parks dotted around Elie and Kilrenny, this is an easy walk or short drive. It works brilliantly as a half-hour stop between exploring the wider East Neuk - Anstruther harbour, the coastal walks - but the pools themselves reward a proper investigation if the tide is right. Best visited on a calm day when the water is clear. Rough seas churn the pools murky and turn the whole thing rather pointless.