You never know what you will find on a walk. A stride out from Kingsbarns beach car park – taking on the seven-and-a-half miles of the Fife Coastal Path to St Andrews – led to a close encounter with a wee Terrier named Peggy. The rest, as they say, is history … or at least the history of a brilliant restoration project at Boarhills.

It is almost seven years since the Boarhills & Dunino Community Trust acquired what was then a very dilapidated doocot. The 17th century B listed building was purchased under Scottish Government’s Community ‘Right to Buy’ legislation with financial support from the Scottish Land Fund and Fife Council – to make a community green space.

Doocots – or dovecots in other UK locations – are well known features in many rural areas of Scotland. The very idea of a doocot – a home for doves or pigeons – dates back thousands of years. The first examples were converted caves before the Romans began building towers on their rooftops. What else have the Romans ever done for us?

The earliest surviving doocots in Scotland date back to the late 1500s and they burgeoned on estates through the 17th and 18th centuries, especially on the east coast across Fife and East Lothian. They popped up on land producing fine crops which gave an excellent source of food for feathered friends. As time ticked by, many doocots were incorporated into steadings as the pigeons ensured a year-round source of fresh meat and eggs, in particular, they added variety through the winter.

Hair raising?

A little digging online reveals all manner of other ingenious uses: gathered droppings made an excellent fertiliser and were also used in the production of gunpowder as well as in the leather tanning and cloth dyeing. Some believed that pigeons had medicinal properties too – and so the same found their way into a variety of cures, ranging from fighting the plague to solutions for baldness. We digress!

Back to Boarhills …

We followed the Fife Coastal Path where is leaves the beach just north of Johnnie Bay and meanders upstream along the south side of Kenly Water. That’s where we met Peggy – the character on this Blog’s feature image.

At first, we didn’t know her name. The wee white and brown terrier was barking at us from the other side of the burn. A few hundred yards further and she crossed the water to join us. Peggy had a collar and disc with a phone number. Dialed – no reply. But then we got as call back from Peggy’s owner who was very thankful. Peggy had headed off on a walk … but she knew her Terrier territory and wandered with us happily uphill until we heard Louise, her owner.

Louise was very grateful and walked with us – back towards her home on the east side of Boarhills village. As we approached, Louise asked if we’d ever visited the Boarhill Doocot. We hadn’t – and were very happy to take a breather, be shown the restored building … and to be given a tiny tour.

Back to life …

Louise explained that the 17th century doocot is not only of local importance to the community but also to Scotland’s national heritage.

It had been in a very sorry state for many years – unsafe and fenced off for the safety of people entering the site.

But now? The small rock keeping the door closed was rolled away and Louise led us inside – eyes adjusting from the bright April day to the dark, stillness of the doocot.

The restoration work is wonderful – not only making it safe for any visitors but also for recreating the building to its former glory.

There’s information inside with links to the project’s website that explains more on the project’s undertaking. The community trust commissioned an architectural feasibility study and obtained a specification of works for the restoration. That went to tender and allowed the project to be costed accurately resulting in funding applications to proceed.

Today, the Boarhills Doocot is a testament to community action – a fabulous restoration that has breathed life back into the building and also created a natural landscaped hub for those visiting – whether ambling from the village or, as we were doing, trekking the Coastal Path. The Trust and their volunteers have committed hundreds of hours to clearing the land around the Doocot, planting bulbs and trees – and making it attractive and accessible.

They hope that, in time, more will make use of the site – not only enjoying the building, its setting and wildlife but also as a destination for regular events, workshops and activities.

We will return – in June. But that’s another story for another day.

Need more?

You can find more on the Community Trust’s page via this link. For a precise location, these coordinates will open the Doocot’s pin on Google Maps.

Unless you are walking to the site (along the Fife Coastal Path), you can get there by car to Boarhills as well as by bus: at the time of writing, it is the ’95’ from St Andrews and it takes just under 20 minutes from the town to the village. When you get there, take the track towards the Coastal Path and you’ll find the Doocot on your left hand side.

For those coming by car or bus, take a little extra time to walk the Coastal Path to the north and you’ll discover Buddo Rock (below, left).

As the Fife Coast and Countryside Trust site says: “The prominent stack, called Buddo Rock is situated is made of sandstone and was once part of the cliffs which sit behind it. Being of a harder material it is more resistant to erosion.”

 

Photo credits: we would like to thank Louise Roger and Mathilde Rice for the images of the Doocot exteriors. All other images are StAndrewsNow copyright.

Thanks for reading.

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