Fife Airport

An airport in Fife? Where, exactly? This is a common response when you mention the existence of an aviation centre within the Kingdom. Even Fifers themselves cannot be relied upon to know of its whereabouts. But yes, planes - albeit very small craft - do take to the skies within my home county. Opened in 1964 as a basic grass airfield, the facilities were upgraded in 1981, including the laying of an asphalt runway.

If you drive through the former mining village of Kinglassie (near Glenrothes), a side road leads uphill to the airport facility. Used primarily by recreational flying clubs and flight training schools, the complex also features a restaurant open to the public. The eatery has changed hands a few times in recent years and has just reopened as Cloud 9 Café. Keen to check out the latest incarnation, Nicole and I took my mum there for lunch on a Friday afternoon. The location is pleasing on the eye. Green fields surround the airport and the microlight planes offer an unusual spectacle, while making minimal noise. The car-park was almost full and the only free tables were outside. Absolutely fine on a warm summer's day. The menu offers no-frills food and is reasonably priced. I ordered sausage, egg, chips and beans, along with a mug of hot chocolate. It was nice to see the place bustling and the staff worked hard to keep the customers happy. Both Mum and Nicole enjoyed the experience. Hopefully the business will be viable in the long term. Perhaps the issue is the rather isolated location. Easy to attract newcomers once or twice, but can you also build a regular clientele? Pop along if you're looking for something different that's easy on the wallet.