by “The return of the railway to Levenmouth – the home of Robinson Crusoe – after half a century opens up this forgotten corner of Fife again,” says Andy Duff.
Leven was one of the most popular resorts in Scotland. Now the railway is breathing new life into this land of big skies, sweeping waters and tight-knit communities, with direct trains (from 2 June) crossing the Forth from Edinburgh in an hour.
Duff, from the Largo development trust Communities Together, sits proudly in a microcosm of Levenmouth: The Aurrie, an old Baptist church which he has resisted turning into flats or holiday homes, as it were. de rigueur further along the coast in the tourist honeypot of East Neuk.
Instead he transformed it into a community space serving Lower Largo, Upper Largo and Lundin Links with events and a cafe.
“This whole coast from the far east here to Wemyss in the west is getting a boost from the eight mile railway, with new businesses and upgraded footpaths and cycleways. Our community is right behind it. In July our Largo Arts Week will be bigger than ever, with 60 local artists opening their doors,” he says.
Levenmouth has been dormant for many years since the collapse of its traditional industries in the 1980s and the Levenmouth Rail Link offers hope of redemption for the area and its network of towns and villages.
I’m staying in postcard-perfect Lower Largo at The Crusoe, a castaway-themed boutique hotel that makes the most of the wide Forth estuary that blesses south Fife. Think Cornwall on Forth. And Crusoe.
Adorning the walls is the story of raffle explorer Alexander Selkirk, who was born in the village and the real-life inspiration of Daniel Defoe. General Manager Ross Myddleton – as I tuck into a Crusoe Burger just meters from the surf – says: “The new trains are an opportunity. We have already seen an increase in bookings and a refurbishment which will double the number of bedrooms.”
Heading back east I walk along the Fife Coastal Path, one of Scotland’s most dramatic long walks, which passes through Levenmouth. This artery is almost as impressive in its own ways as its more impressive sibling, the West Highland Way.
Consider a fringe of empty beaches, golf courses and waters once trampled by Viking longships and Cromwell’s fleet, where you often see more seabirds and cetaceans than people. The new rail line drops you right in the middle of some of the most dramatic stretches of footpath.
I enjoy the community green lung of Silverburn Park on the edge of Leven. A mental health charity has transformed the woodland coastal park. There are walking trails, a wildlife pond, a campsite with glamping pods and the best scones in Levenmouth at the Cottage Window Café. It aims to “grow the minds” of locals and visitors alike, with huge plans afoot to transform an old B-listed flax mill into an event space.
Further east into Leven itself, the return railway aims to halt post-industrial decay, bringing up the love of the beach resort, immortalized in the artist’s ‘Singing Butler’ local Jack Vettriano, a painting associated with the romance of the Fife Riviera.
Today’s art star is ‘Postie’, a brightly colored Scottie dog sculpture. Leven loves this temporary art project and such a burst of fundraising has found it a permanent home adorning Leven’s waterfront. There are even plans for an outdoor sauna at the beach.
Revival and romance hang in the salty air. From the railway end the wide beach and the arcade and the retro Beachcomber fun cafe reflect the past, but the change of Leven cannot be changed, with a new Italian restaurant in the main square and dynamic businesses, like the Khee lifestyle store.
Owner Rebecca Moncreiff raves about “a wave of fresh blood washing into Leven, with bright new delis and wine bars coming and another chance at the town.”
Then there is the Levenmouth Le Céile Hub, run by local charity Brag Enterprises. The complex has a crazy indoor golf course, escape rooms and a cafe, and a new gaming center is being added. At nearby Base, the post-industrial décor echoes Leven’s history, while creative bistro dishes reflect Leven’s more contemporary side.
Fittingly, the Fife Heritage Railway is a community-driven project that boosts the Levenmouth Rail Link. Vintage diesel and steam trains that used to run on the old main line rumble right next door to the new Leven station.
“You can step on the new trains and go straight back in time to the glory days before the line closed in 1969,” said Audrey Unwin from the heritage railway. “Leven has a much brighter future and we are proud to welcome our new visitors to it.”
West of Elm along the Fife Coastal Path – and accessible by buses around the new railway – is Macduff Castle. Yes, Macduff of Shakespeare’s Macbeth fame.
This rugged redoubt hangs on a cliff looking across the Forth towards Edinburgh.
Levenmouth’s final boost comes at Wemyss Caves, which include some of Scotland’s finest Pictish caves. A guide from Saves Wemyss Ancient Caves Society shows the dazzling symbols and figures literally and metaphorically.
Levenmouth is a coast alive with things that rarely go unnoticed by visitors – this is a Scotland far removed from the over-touristed excesses of Skye and the North 500 Coast.
Having hopped back on the handy new shuttle bus that runs from Leven train station back to The Crusoe, I am greeted by the statue of the birthplace of Alexander Selkirk.
He was inspired to an adventurous life on the high seas by looking out over the Forth and the big skies of this slice of central Scotland that he often has a view of.
I sit with a copy of Robinson Crusoe, scanning the waters for dolphins and seals, while Levenmouth awaits a new generation of explorers on Scotland’s newest railway.
Scotrail Trains start running from Edinburgh to Lehman on 2nd June
