The kinnessburn duck ducks

The Kinness Burn doesn't announce itself with fanfare, but walk along this modest waterway just outside St Andrews and you'll spot what locals call the duck ducks - a charming spot where mallards gather in surprising numbers, especially come autumn and winter. It's nothing fancy: a stretch of burn with bankside vegetation and the birds going about their business, but there's something genuinely pleasant about it. The walk there is the real draw. You're heading through the outskirts of St Andrews, away from the golf courses and student bars, into something quieter and altogether more real. Allow half an hour for a proper potter about, longer if you've got a camera and patience. Kids will get a kick out of spotting the ducks, though don't expect them to stay entertained for hours. It's more of a "en route to somewhere else" stop than a destination in itself. Bring bread at your peril - local advice tends towards just watching them. Staying in the area? St Andrews Holiday Park sits less than a mile away, and Craigtoun Meadows is barely further - both solid bases for exploring Fife. The Kinness Burn won't compete with your main attractions, but as an excuse for a morning walk before heading to the beach or town, it works perfectly well. Free, naturally, and open whenever you fancy strolling past.