Your journey today will take you north across the Forth Road Bridge to the Kingdom of Fife. Dunfermline was the capital of Scotland for around three hundred years, from the mid eleventh century, and is a town incredibly rich in history: royal, ecclesiastical, industrial and philanthropic.

During your visit you will visit Dunfermline Abbey, founded in the 12th century by David I. The Abbey was destroyed by Edward I of England during the Wars of Independence and its subsequent rebuilding was funded and supported by King Robert the Bruce who was buried in the Abbey in 1329 although his heart was taken on a crusade to the Holy Lands and later buried in Melrose Abbey. Several other Scottish monarchs are buried in the Abbey and your guide will tell you about the turbulent history of the Abbey until its demise following the Reformation in 1560.

Nearby Abbot House, with its distinctive pink walls, was the official residence of the Abbot and is now an informative heritage center with a tearoom and gift shop which you can visit at leisure.

Join your transportation for the short transfer to the Andrew Carnegie Birthplace Museum where you will see the humble cottage where this weaver’s son spent his early years. After the family moved to the United States, Carnegie went on to found a steel empire that would make him the world’s richest man. When he sold the company he turned to philanthropy and he never forgot his links with his birthplace. Local legend has it that when Carnegie was a boy, the owner of the expansive Pittencrieff Park opened it up to the townsfolk every New Year’s Day. In later life, Carnegie bought the park and gifted it to the town and the first of over 3,000 public libraries he funded was opened in Dunfermline in 1881. The library and park are still enjoyed by locals and visitors to this day. After exploring this historic town, return to the pier.