Former things have come to pass - River Leven Trail - 5th November 2019

A Bonfire Day walk and this was one of those walks that turned out a lot better than I expected it to. I'd always wondered why people parked at the car park at the roundabout where I turn left to Glenrothes, right to Leven and straight onto Cupar. This was where I was going to park today, but I had never been able to see why several other cars were parked there today or why the car park was nearly always full whenever I passed. I still couldn't.

I walked towards Leven until I saw a footpath sign to the left. I'd only been by the busy A915 for a hundred yards, but I was very relieved to be away from it and onto a leaf-strewn path.

Former railway line, Balcurvie. NO3500

Did you notice? The caption? The significance? The switch from NT to NO. I've not decided how or what, but feel whenever this happens, I should mark the occasion somehow; perhaps invent a rule whereby I have to photograph the exact centre of the gridsquare?

Anyway, I was now walking along part of the former East Fife Central Branch line, which was built in the 1890s  to serve coalfields inland from the coast, but never proved economically successful. It was closed in the 1960s. As well as a plethora of doocots in Fife, I was also discovering a plethora of former railway lines, which make brilliant footpaths generally, albeit often muddy.

I turned briefly into NO3400, a square I would be revisiting later in my walk, and greeted several dog walkers (perhaps the owners of some of the cars parked in aforementioned carpark?)

Former railway line. NO3400

Square NO3400 was followed swiftly by NO3401, much of a muchness, but delightful autumnal. Between photographing gridsquares and greeting dog walkers, I was creating my alphabetised list of birds and composing  a haiku about the recently positioned oil rig in the Forth which looked rather like a garish Christmas tree. I hadn't been able to make my mind up whether I liked it or not.

Oil rig Christmas tree -

Light pollution at its worst,

Scarring Firth of Forth.

or

Oil rig Christmas tree,

A friendly glow in the storm,

Warming Firth of Forth.

Former railway line. NO3401

I failed to mention at the outset that, although my walk would predominantly be along the aforementioned railway line, I was also going to take in a trig. They make such useful focal points for a walk. The one in question today was Duniface trig which looked deceptively easy to get to on the map. For future reference- always check the contour lines surrounding a trigpoint, as well as the distance from the footpath to the trig. I'm ashamed I haven't learnt this lesson yet. A steep bank stood between me and my trig as I walked northwards, looking for an opening in the ancient hedge thsat didn't involve slipping and sliding your way to the bottom.

I had to walk quite a way beyond the trig before finding such an opening and ran successfully down the muddy bank to the bottom where I followed my nose (and map) to the trig.

Duniface trigpoint. NO3501

This trigpoint actually doesn't know which gridsquare it is in. Those responsible for building it should have checked their maps first and plonked it unambiguously in one square or the other. As it is it sits astride NO3401 and NO3501, but trigpointing UK places it in NO3501 so that's good enough for me and makes it a good subject for that gridsquare.

Having bagged the trigpoint, and not being sure of a safe way of getting to Duniface farm to make this part of the walk circular, I retraced my steps to the A915, where this time I crossed by means of a tunnel.

Tunnel under A915. NO3500

I was adding to my birdlist all the time, seeing Bullfinches, Yellowhammer, Buzzard and Sparrowhawk. I continued along the redundant railway line, which follows the River Leven to its mouth, although I'm not sure the path goes that far.

Redundant rail tracks near River Leven. NO3500

River Leven near Kirkland. NO3500

 The birch trees looked resplendent in their autumn dress.

Birch woodland and former railway line. NO3500

I was loving walking through autumn like this. I love it when past and present walk hand in hand, a living reminder of the circle of life; the disused, redundant former glory joined by the continuing cycle of life, the present glory, changing throughout the seasons yet constant in that very change.

The former things have passed away. NO3500

Past and present. NO3500

I wish I could always see the colour and perspective in life as I saw today. Life in its variety, the full spectrum, its richness, its rainbow, its fading, its lying down, its giving way to new things.

Life's richness.

Life's rainbow

Life's giving way. NO3600

Life's lying down.

All too soon I was at Aberhill and away from all those rich regal colours of autumn into a world which was constantly aseasonal if there be such a word. Perhaps there is a season in industry, in fact I'm sure there is, but it is reliant on finance, a word I rarely wish to use in these blogs.

Aberhill Industrial Works.NO3700

I came to Sawmill Bridge which crosses the River Leven at the point which marks theboundary between the parishes of Scoonie and Wemyss.

Sawmill Bridge,Aberhill. NO3700

River Leven at Aberhill. NO3700

I was pleasantly surprised to see a sign for Dam Wood, a millenium forest for Scotland, and entered another autumnal wonderland.

Dam Wood. NO3700

I had only one more square to gain today as I was walking back through the same squares, but on the southern side of the river, so was seeing things from a different perspective - always a good idea literally and metaphorically.

I passed Burn Mill Dam and paused to hear the great rush of water here.

Burn Mill Dam, Kirkland. NO3600

The river was quite flooded due to recent heavy rainfall.

River Leven in full flow. NO3500

It was so flooded in fact that  I could not follow my intended course which was as close as possible to the river. I had to be content walking quite a distance from it in parts.

Soon I was within sight and sound of the A915, a road I was very familiar with and a bridge I'd driven over many times, earlier today in fact on my way here.

Road bridge over River Leven. NO3500

I'd hoped to be able to walk underneath the road bridge to the other side, but that didn't seem possible. This was the bit of the walk I was unsure about. From my old map it looks possible to walk to the distillery and hospital from here, but in reality it is not as simple. I crossed the busy road and walked down to Cameron Bridge, from where I photographed the distillery and the bridge.

Cameron Distillery.  NO3400

Cameron Bridge. NO3400

I then walked back to the entrance of the distillery and contented myself with a photograph thereof for my final gridsquare, the only NT one of the day.

Entrance to Cameron Distillery. NT3499

It had been a walk with many links - the visible links of bridges, railway lines, tunnels and the river the invisible link between NO and NT, and the more ethereal link between the past and the present, between the seasons, between the natural and the manmade world and between redundant and useful. All these connections are important and are what make this world such an interesting place. Who would have thought a few gridsquares could contain so much!

Number of new gridsquares: 7
Number of miles walked: 6
Number of trigpoints bagged: 1
Walk worth repeating: Yes, would also like to explore the continuation north of the railway line.
Highlights: all the connections, River Leven, autumn glory

Preserved by Salt - St Monans to Anstruther via Abercrombie - 3rd November 2019

Once again, today's walk was focused on the Covenanters, or at least I thought it was. I had tried to park at Abercrombie Church a few weeks before in order to visit what I thought was a ruined church associated with the Covenanters. I had failed to find anywhere suitable to park, so decided to create a route which passed the ruin - and this was it.

So, quite excited at the prospect of a ruined church, I parked at St Monans and began my walk north, hoping the black cloud in front of me would choose a different route.

Short John Silver, St Monans. NO5201

I crossed the A917 and saluted Short John Silver before joining the road to Abercrombie, where I walked alongside ploughed fields, which the gulls were enjoying.

Ploughed field and gulls at Craigiewells. NO5202

At the little village of Abercrombie, I turned sharp right, past some bungalows and Abercrombie Farm to the B942, which I crossed.

Abercrombie. NO5102

I was in NO5103 for a few hundred feet as I walked alongside some old haystacksk, getting excited as my destination drew near.

Path to Abercrombie Church. NO5103

The tiny ruin of Abercrombie Chapel measures a mere 46.5 feet by 23 feet. During my research I had read that the minister of Abercrombie during the Covenanting times was Robert Wilkie and that he had been confined to his parish in 1662 for refusal to conform to espicopacy. What I didn't realise until much later after this walk was that Abercrombie and St Monans were, at that time, the same parish, having been co-joined in October 1646. This means that although the parish was called Abercrombie, the church was the one at St Monans. Apparently, on 20 March 1663 Robert Wilkie 'depairted out of this life att Abercrombie, and was interred att Abercrombie the 24 of March, in the day tyme.' (The Chronicle of Fife: Being the Diary of John Lamont of Newton, from 1649) I have since been to look for his grave at St Monans, but the search was in vain.

Abercrombie Church. NO5203

I sat on a bench here for some time with a cup of tea, listening to birdsong and the song of the centuries absorbed by these old stone walls. Then I resumed my walk reflectively.

I was in the grounds of Balcaskie House and the trees were resplendent in their regal colours.

Oak Tree in Balcaskie Estate. NO5203

Balcaskie Estate. NO5203

Balcaskie House. NO5203

I crossed the Dreel Burn and followed a path round Balcaskie House to the eastern entrance. A car drove past me and did not seem to question my presence, so I felt safe. I am never quite sure with these big estates.

Eastern driveway to Balcaskie House. NO5203

As I approached the driveway's end I could see closed gates and began to wonder  how I would get through them. There was a little lodge there too which looked inhabited. Was I about to be embarrassed? I needn't have worried; there was a little button to press and hey presto, the gates opened. There are two doocots attached by a low wall to the gate piers.

Doocots and gate piers, eastern entrance, Balcaskie House. NO5303

The drive continued past Inch Farm and the beech hedge was glorious.

Eastern driveway to Balcaskie House. NO5303

I emerged onto the minor road to Pittenweem at South Lodge and turned north, following the road for a hundred yards or so before turning right to Easter Grangemuir, a big concern.

Balcaskie, South Lodge, NO5403

Easter Grangemuir. NO5404

I passed two walkers here so was able to see which route they had taken round the farm as there were several signs warning about machinery etc.

Once past the farm I entered NO5504 briefly.

Towards Easter Grangemuir. NO5504

I then continued southwards onto Milton Mill, enjoying the colours of autumn.

Track at Milton Mill. NO5503

I was approaching Anstruther Wester now and followed the Dreel Burn and went underneath a bridge. which once carried the Leven-Crail-St Andrews-Leuchars ('Fife coastal') route of the former North British Railway over the Dreel Burn.

Old Railway Bridge, Anstruther Wester. NO5603

I photographed, but did not cross, the last bridge over the Dreel.

Last bridge over the River Dreel, Anstruther Wester. NO5603

Where the Dreel meets the sea. NO5603

I walked to the church, now Dreel Halls, before heading towards the coast for my return route.

Dreel Halls, Anstruther Wester. NO5603

Anstruther is a most attractive town.

Dreel Tavern. NO5603

High Street West, Anstruther Wester. NO5603

The town is rich in fishing history and still has its memories and dreams, as a sign reminded me.

Full of Dreams, NO5603

I left Anstruther to its dreams and continued westwards past the Golf Course and Billow Ness.

Billow Ness. NO5602

Before long I caught my first glimpse of Pittenweem beneath a threatening sky.

Pittenweem from the east. NO5502

I sat at Pittenweem harbour with my lunch and the boats for company.

Pittenweem Harbour. NO5502

Then I left this attractive fishing port to continue westwards on the last stretch of my walk.

West Shore, Pittenweem. NO5402

There was little to photograph in the next square, other than the coast path itself.

Fife Coastal Path near Croal Farm. NO5302

Then I approached the windmill and the Saltpans at St Monans, my last gridsquare of the day.

St Monans Windmill. NO5301

St Monans Saltpans. NO5301

There were nine saltpans here in the 18th Century. A  wooden pipe drew sea water into the pans. Furnaces were used to boil the water using coal (for which a waggonway was in place). It is said egg white or bull's blood was added to remove impurities from the water. Each boiling could take four hours. Women and children carried the coal to the furnace and salt back from the furnace. it was heavy and dirty work. The salt was exported from St Monans harbour. The waggonway went out of use in 1794 due to an underground fire which reduced the amount of available coal. The pans were finally abandoned in 1823.

I love imagining the hubbub of life here in those industrious times. I can easily visualise the coastline peopled by those hard-working men, women and children. No doubt it was a noisier and dirtier time. I've often wondered if it were  happier time too; there's no way of knowing the answer to that question of course unless time travel becomes an option for no one person can live in both the 18th and the 21st century.

I passed a lone walker who was accompanied by a bottle of something and a St Bernard Dog. He hung around for a while whilst I explored and photographed these interesting environs. There was one more thing of interest on my walk today, something else which evoked more sounds from the past, the echos of people screaming and water splashing - the St Monans Lido. No doubt this too was a source of endless fun for the locals and an important way of safely learning to swim. I'm not sure if it is still used, but I don't see why it shouldn't be, if you're that way inclined.

St Monans Lido. NO5301

Oh, well, I guess that's my answer . . .

Resisting the urge to swim, I turned to face the other way and headed back to the safety of my car.

Number of new gridsquares: 16
Number of miles walked: 8.8
Walk worth repeating: Yes, 
Highlights: Abercrombie Church, Pittenweem, Anstruther, St Monans