Every year, I look forward to the sunny weather.
And every year, I worry about how we’re going to entertain the kids.
Summer brings a mix of excitement and fear: excitement that we can finally get out of the house, and fear we might have to drag the children against their will to join us.
My two are obsessive gamers – so the great outdoors can sometimes feel as mythical a world to them as the ones they explore on their computers.
When we’re looking for a staycation, ensuring there’s enough to keep these two fidgety nine-year-olds entertained is our top priority.
So admittedly, a couple of nights at a small park in a sleepy seaside village was a step into the unknown.
Our two-night weekend trip was to Sauchope Links Holiday Park in Crail, the most easterly point on the East Neuk of Fife.
It’s a part of the world I’ve always wanted to explore – so I can’t explain why it’s taken me a decade of living in Dundee to travel the 20 minutes beyond St Andrews for a look.
I wish I’d done it 10 years sooner.
Sauchope Links is at the end of a country lane on the outskirts of the village.
It’s small-scale – you won’t find a bar or restaurant here – but there is an outdoor pool open during July and August.
There is a small shop inside reception (open 9-5), a playpark and a games room with pool and table football.
Access to beach at Sauchope Links
But what it lacks in bright lights, it makes up for – and then some – in natural beauty and location.
Our Seabreeze lodge was modern and roomy enough for the four of us.
The park also has smaller cabins, pods and a range of static and touring pitches.
Just yards away was a virtually deserted stretch of beach – some sand but mainly rocks and rockpools – which was perfect for the young ones to go exploring.
We could have spent a day just looking at all the nooks and crannies along this unspoilt piece of coast.
Back at the lodge, a deck overlooking the water – with views across the islands between Fife and East Lothian – and an electric hot tub helped us wind down further.
You could even hear the waves lapping up on the shore as you drifted off to sleep in the comfy and spacious beds.
When it came to keeping ourselves busy for our weekend stay, I’ll admit the weather played a huge part.
We were lucky to enjoy one of the sunniest days of the year during our visit.
It made finding things to do easy – get to a beach and let the wee ones loose.
We took the chance to see as much of the East Neuk as we could.
First, though, we had to sample the area’s famous seafood – and a visit to Crail Fish Bar was in order on Friday night.
‘Fabulous’ seafood in East Neuk
The chippies in Anstruther are the region’s most famous but online reviews suggested Crail was just as good – and we were not disappointed.
The food was tasty and as fresh as it comes.
Saturday took us on a wander to quaint Crail harbour – where live lobsters are cooked fresh at the Reilly Shellfish shack – and a beautiful sandy cove.
It reminded me of childhood trips to Cornwall.
We’d return here later in the day to soak up the rays and go splashing around in the wonderfully clear water.
A road trip took us down to Elie, where you can find the renowned Ship Inn overlooking the beach.
The bay is stunning with clear, shallow water in many parts.
The East Neuk has become a leading area of Scotland for its produce – and the farm shops at nearby Bowhouse (which runs a monthly market) and Ardross showcase great food and drink.
After popping into Pittenweem – where there’s a spectacular clifftop crazy golf course, playpark and the famous tidal pool – it was on to Anstruther.
It’s a hive of activity with its busy marina and bustling bars and restaurants.
We couldn’t resist sampling more fish and chips and, of course, ice cream.
The kids found their third beach of the day here, just yards from the shops on the esplanade, while I wandered up the street for a look at independent outlets like cider specialist Aeble, just a few yards from the sandy seafront.
There’s so much more you can do in Anstruther that we didn’t manage – from the boat tours around the Isle of May (one of the pretty islands we could see from our lodge) to the Scottish Fisheries Museum, or a trek along the Fife Coastal Path that runs the length of the kingdom’s coastline.
Our Saturday evening meal took us back to Crail and the Golf Hotel for traditional pub grub.
A soak in the hot tub was the perfect remedy to a day spent exploring.
A nice bonus was the late checkout, which was trialled by Largo Leisure at its parks during May and June.
We didn’t need to hand our keys back until 5pm on Sunday. It made for a more relaxed departure.
You can never guarantee sunshine in Scotland – even in Fife – and rain may have put paid to some of our plans.
But with Scotland’s Secret Bunker a short drive away, the delights of St Andrews – including its aquarium – just up the road, and the likes of Dundee, Leven and Kirkcaldy all within an hour, you’re not short of options for places to go.
Either way, it was enough to convince two hyper kids that, sometimes, it’s worth taking life at a Crail’s pace.
Sauchope Links Holiday Park is run by Largo Leisure Holidays, which has locations across Scotland. See website for prices and booking.