Leo du Feu - Landscape, Art, Nature, Birds: June 2023

Wednesday, 7 June 2023

Scotland By Rail - Cupar & walk to Ceres village

A railway day out to Cupar earlier this year. A damp day, but I like that. What an interesting place I found Cupar to be and what a lovely walk out into the countryside and over the hill to the village of Ceres, footpath all the way.

Cupar is just what I like. Historic, old and interesting buildings pulling my eyes all over, alleys and wynds to explore. Good charity shops, cafes, bakers. A museum & heritage centre. Countryside nearby and a riverside walk through the centre of the town.

Before I caught the train I was in my studio (Burntisland Station Studio) - contact me to find out when next Open Studio will be or to arrange a visit) looking at one of my favourite art books - The Coast Road Diaries by Kate Downie - knowing I was going to be visiting her (stunning) studio in Ceres later on. This day I was especially drawn to a large painting, The Burren Lime Path. The colours and the cool fitted well with the weather.

Kate Downie, The Burren Lime Path, oil on linen, 85x130cm.
The Coast Road Diaries published by The Scottish Gallery, 2009

On the train I made my own sketch through rain streaked window, later I realised the colours had turned out very similar to those in The Burren Lime Path.

Alighting at Cupar. Note the signal box.

Cupar is part of Fife's Artline, as is my own Burntisland Station Studio.

Read more about us here - www.theartline.co.uk/venues/cupar

And in the latest edition of artwork newspaper, page 4 - www.artwork.co.uk

From the bridge by the railway station, looking down on the river Eden, note the riverside walk.

But I didn't go down there yet, I explored the town first.

Four or five charity shops later, down to the river.

Blackthorn was in full blossom (sloes follow blackthorn blossom, I grow them in our hedge at home).

Here stalked a heron.

And a small furry mammal.

Then walking south out of the town, past a big Tesco and an ALDI and onto Ceres Road. Stay on the pavement as you pass the entrance to Cupar Golf Club then whole length of cemetery.

Shortly after the cemetery wall ends the road angles slightly left and you cross carefully over to get onto the footpath. Next stop is Ceres village, off road all the way from here.

This blackthorn was glowing in the damp. Blackthorn flowers come out before their leaves do so you seem them set strongly against dark spinkey wood. Hawthorn flowers come out after their leaves do so you see them set against a background of green.

Walk uphill uphill. At this first junction continue straight on, not right. Detour right to explore old earthworks. A short while later you can detour left to explore Owlet Wood.