In the latest in our series on the UK's best ferry routes, NORMAN MILLER takes in the diverse attractions of Rosyth and the pretty port of Zeebrugge

ROSYTH
The port which gives Scotland its only ferry link to mainland Europe is also the gateway to the ancient Kingdom of Fife, which once ruled the country from the former capital Dunfermline. Just a few miles from Rosyth, this historic town offers an array of attractions, including the tomb of Robert the Bruce inside magnificent 1,000-year-old Dunfermline Abbey.

Have lunch nearby in 15th-century Abbot House Heritage Centre, then visit the charming Victorian cottage housing the birthplace museum of tycoon and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie.

A bracing stroll through vast Pittencrieff Park provides not only a mix of tamed beauty and rugged glen, but also grand views of the Forth bridges, a reminder that the town is only a dozen miles from Edinburgh's magnificent blend of historic grandeur and cosmopolitan buzz.

Stay: Davaar House Hotel, Dunfermline (01383 721886/www.davaar-house-hotel.com) offers doubles from £90 per night (two sharing), B&B.

Info: Dunfermline Tourism: 01383 720999/ www.visitdunfermline.com

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THE FERRY
Norfolkline (0844 499 0007/www.norfolkline.com) operates three weekly overnight sailings from Rosyth to Belgium on the Scottish Viking, a modern ferry with 107 en-suite cabins.

The ship has a range of restaurants and bars to keep you refreshed on the 20-hour crossing, as well as evening entertainment and a large-screen cinema.

Fares from £160pp return for a car and two people (sharing an inside cabin). Foot passengers from £270 return per adult, children free.

ZEEBRUGGE
The Belgian port is one of the fish capitals of Europe, with a legendary seafood market near the ferry quay and a clutch of appealing restaurants, ranging from elegant bistros to traditional fishermen cafés.

Work up an appetite exploring the dunes and wide beach that embrace Zeebrugge or the town's excellent Maritime theme park, which includes a chance to get inside a Russian submarine. Many visitors make a beeline for medieval Bruges, just inland from Zeebrugge.

Break away from the crowd to discover the Flanders coast by staying in De Haan, Knokke-Heist or De Paan. These popular resorts, all linked to Zeebrugge by coastal tram, put an upmarket sheen on seaside pleasures ranging from sandy lounging to adrenalin watersports.

Their pretty Belle Epoque architecture is complemented by an array of fine restaurants such as Bartholomeus in Knokke, one of six Michelin-starred restaurants along this stretch of coast. Blankenberge, meanwhile, is famed for mussel restaurants, including Oesterput.

Stay: Manoir Carpe Diem (dialling from the UK: 0032 59 233 220/www.manoircarpediem.be) in De Haan offers doubles from £125 per night (two sharing), B&B.

Info: Visit Flanders: 020 7307 7738/www.visitflanders.co.uk