Fife Village Proves Popular

Pittenweem makes an annual list of the best places to be for schools and community spirit.

Five places in Scotland have been named in the top 50 Best Places to Live in the Countryside, with Pittenweem in Fife on the list.

The accolade comes in part one of The Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide, which is published on Sunday March 1. The annual supplements combine data and statistics such as crime rates, house prices and school performance with the local knowledge and expertise of Sunday Times writers to compile the definitive top 50 countryside locations to make your home.

Banchory in Aberdeenshire, Jedburgh in the Borders, Polckton in the Highlands and Portree on the Isle of Skye also made the list, with Portree getting a special mention as the best for starry skies.

The locations were selected for combining desirable features such as a positive community spirit, good local shops and services, as well as access to some of Britain's most attractive outdoor spaces

Commenting on The Sunday Times Best Places to Live in the Countryside, Home Editor Helen Davies said: "Britain is home to some of the most idyllic and wild countryside, and this supplement is dedicated to celebrating the very best of rural life. We worked carefully to compile a list which combines statistical analysis with personal experience."

Readers will be able to discover their own best place to live with a digital quiz on www.thesundaytimes.co.uk