Rossie Estate

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Access Information for Rossie Estate

This summary outlines our provisions for visitors. If you have any specific questions or require assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact us, and we will do our best to help.

Pre-Arrival

  • Ladybank Railway Station is approximately 5.2 miles from Rossie Estate (a 69-minute walk or 10 minutes by car).
  • There is a local taxi service, and Stagecoach Fife (94A) provides accessible bus service to the estate road end.
  • Mobile phone reception in the area is limited, but you can contact us via telephone or email. See contact details below.

Brochures are available, but we currently do not offer them in Braille. We do not have wheelchairs or mobility scooters available onsite.

Directions
From Edinburgh (South):

  • Take the M90 and exit at Junction 8 towards St Andrews (A91).
  • Continue through Gateside and Auchtermuchty, then turn right onto the road to Charlottetown (1.5 miles).
  • Follow the road for ¼ mile and turn right into the estate’s middle drive, lined with lime trees.
  • Proceed to the car park and walk to the garden entrance and Backhouse Kitchen.

From Dundee (North):

  • Follow signs for the A92 towards Kirkcaldy and Tay Bridge.
  • Cross the Tay Bridge and continue on the A92 for 20 minutes until the Melville Lodges roundabout.
  • Take the A91 towards Auchtermuchty, and continue to Charlottetown as per the directions from the south.
  • Turn left into the estate’s middle drive and proceed to the car park.

Postcode for Sat Navs: KY15 7UZ.

Car Parking Facilities

  • Gravel car park with two disabled parking spaces available, free of charge when we are open.

Garden & Backhouse Kitchen Opening Hours:

  • April to September: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm (Closed Tuesdays & Saturdays).
  • Last entry and last orders at the Backhouse Kitchen: 3:30 pm.

Toilets

  • Accessible toilets are available in the Backhouse Heritage & Education Centre, located to the right of the car park.
  • Baby changing facilities are also available.

Surface Information

  • The approach to the Backhouse Kitchen involves a combination of gravel, paving stones, and a slope (note: the slope down to the garden is steeper than 1:12).
  • The Backhouse Kitchen eating area is on the same level, with 10 indoor tables (73 cm high with a centre pedestal).
  • Outdoor seating includes 3 benches (seating 6 people each) and 2×2-seater tables with a central table and chairs for 2-5 people.

Grounds and Gardens

  • Paths: The garden features grass, gravel, and whin pathways. While accessible for those with mobility challenges, please stay on the main, solid pathways, as minor paths can be rough, uneven, and boggy after wet weather.
  • Seating: There are various wooden benches throughout the garden to provide comfortable rest areas.

Assistance Dogs

  • Assistance dogs are welcome onsite. As with all dogs, they must be kept on a lead, and owners are asked to clean up after them.
  • Other dogs are not permitted in the gardens, but well-behaved dogs are welcome in the Tomb Walk and on the Backhouse Kitchen patio.

Smoking Onsite

  • All indoor areas are non-smoking. A smoking bench is provided outside the Backhouse Kitchen.

Contact Information

Local Transport & Services

  • Scotrail: Enquiries for fares and services – Scotrail Website
  • Stagecoach Fife (94A): Bus Timetable
  • Freuchie Taxis: Tel: 01337 858722
  • Car Repairs:
    • Ladybank Tyres – Tel: 01337 830932
    • The Village Garage – Tel: 01337 830402 (Located in Commercial Rd, Ladybank KY15 7JS)

Emergency Services

  • Dial 999 for Police, Fire, Ambulance, Coastguard, or Mountain Rescue.
  • Police (Non-Emergency): Tel: 101
  • Auchtermuchty Health Centre: Tel: 01337 828262

Local Amenities

  • Petrol: Bridgend Service Station, Freuchie (KY15 7HY) – Open 6:00 am – 11:00 pm.
  • Bank of Scotland: High St, Falkland, Cupar (KY15 7BZ) – Tel: 01337 857283 (Open Tuesdays & Thursdays only)
  • Nearest Cash Machine: Auchtermuchty Co-Op
  • Tourist Information: Cupar Town Centre

Important Note:
In line with guidance from the Department of Agriculture, we use foot mats at the garden entrance to prevent the spread of pests like ell worm and Phytophthora ramorum. Please walk both feet through the mat, which contains diluted Virkon, to help us protect our plants and woodlands. We appreciate your cooperation.

Document last updated January 2022.

We accept contactless card payments as well as NFC phones, Apple Pay and Google Pay, also:

  • MasterCard
  • Visa
  • American Express
  • Maestro
  • V pay
  • Visa Electron
  • JCB
  • Diners Club
  • China Union Pay
  • Discover

Well behaved dogs are welcome to the outside patio of the cafe (water provided) and the woodland walk, but not in the Gardens.

Please keep your dog on leads at all times and clean up and take home any gifts donated.

Here at Rossie we like to tread lightly and have installed an Electric Vehicle Charging Point.

This is free for visitors to charge their electric vehicles, when we are open.

The charger is 1 x 32 amp 7KW Rolec wall mounted charger – so you can charge from flat to full in 3hrs.

Located at the North end of the car park in the first steading arch (but please watch your height and width when entering) – please check in to the café before charging.

During this time please visit the Garden, Cafe & Plant Sales.

Please note we cannot accept any responsibility for your car – but can confirm the installation has been done by an accredited OLEV supplier and installer of ROLEC electric vehicle charging points done to the 17th Edition IEE Regulations and carried out to the IET Code of Practice for Electric Vehicle Charging Points.

Due to the threat to our plants, trees and woodlands, The Department of Agriculture has asked us to use Foot Mats to contain the likes of ell worm and Phytophthora ramorum. This is placed at the entrance to the garden and we would ask you to walk both feet through it, as it contains diluted Jeyes fluid to help stop the cross contamination from garden to garden. Thank you for your help & understanding.

Visitor Safety and Guidelines

Please note that some of the paths, paving, and steps can be uneven or slippery. We advise you to take care at all times while walking.

For safety reasons, we recommend avoiding walks under trees on windy days.

We welcome photography for personal use throughout the grounds; however, due to lender restrictions and security concerns, photography and filming are not permitted inside the Education & Heritage Centre.

As you walk through the grounds, please be aware that some trees, plants, fungus, and shrubs may be toxic or contain poisonous parts (such as berries, fruits, flowers, bulbs, leaves, roots, and bark). Please stay on the paths and avoid putting anything you see in your mouth. If you or someone in your party has accidentally consumed any potentially poisonous plants or fungus, contact a staff member immediately or dial 999 for emergency assistance.

Visitors should be mindful of the possibility of insect bites, including those from ticks that can carry Lyme disease. Please refer to the NHS Scotland guidance on tick prevention and safety.

Picnics are not permitted in the gardens. We kindly ask that you take any litter with you when leaving the grounds to help us maintain the beauty of the estate.

While dogs are not allowed in the gardens (except for assistance dogs), they are welcome on the Woodland Walk. Please ensure you clean up after your dog. Well-behaved dogs are also welcome on the outside patio of the Backhouse Kitchen.

Car Parking is available free of charge when the estate is open. However, we do not accept responsibility for any damage to vehicles while parked on the premises.

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding, helping us ensure a safe and enjoyable visit for all!

VISIT

Backhouse Rossie

You can book tickets for the gardens and special events, or you can arrange a tour of The Flower Barn, our weddings and events venue.

The Backhouse Kitchen (no garden ticket required), offers seasonal food and drinks and welcomes well behaved dogs on the patio.

Free visitor car parking during our open season.

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Gardens

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Kitchen

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Weddings

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