Leven, Fife

[Fisherman]

Spent a nice day at the Leven carpark, one of Fifes many carparks now open to overnighting.
Plenty of spaces and for a £5 donation. Leven itself is a working class town, like many suffering from a struggling High street. But they have built a new train station where you can get the train to Edinburgh for the day. The walk along the beech was really nice as you can see from the photos.

 

[TJBi]

As ever, Fife Coast & Countryside Trust fails to provide details of location. https://fifecoastandcountrysidetrust.co.uk/plan-your-trip/overnight-parking/
They show it as "Leven Promenade", where there are at least 3 Fife car parks but give no clue as to which one. It's great (NOT) that they have initiated charges for overnight parking but why can they not let us know precise locations with GPS coordinates?

 

[Fisherman]

As ever, Fife Coast & Countryside Trust fails to provide details of location. https://fifecoastandcountrysidetrust.co.uk/plan-your-trip/overnight-parking/
They show it as "Leven Promenade", where there are at least 3 Fife car parks but give no clue as to which one. It's great (NOT) that they have initiated charges for overnight parking but why can they not let us know precise locations with GPS coordinates?

I had no issues finding their ten well marked out overnight spaces. Simply drive to the end of the promenade and you cannot miss them. They are clearly marked on the ground. The other two car parks have signs up stating you had to leave by 2100hrs. But knowing Robbie Blythe if you contacted him he would get back to you, and if he reckons you have a point he would add GPS coordinates, even though most if their locations are in towns and easy to find.
But if you do wish coordinates they are available on here, and on other sites.

When you contrast what’s happening the other side of the Firth of Forth in East Lothian, I reckon they could and should learn from what Fife Coast & Countryside Trust are doing.
We spent three nights in three different carparks, Aberdour, Burntisland, and Leven, for £5 a night, a bargain in my honest opinion. And all monies collected are ring fenced to provide better facilities in future. Amongst other things Robbie is hoping to increase the amount of elsan points.

Currently they have 67 overnight spaces, but Robbie is hoping this will increase to over 100 by the end of 2025. I can only speak for myself, but I have nothing but praise for Fife Countryside & Coastal Trust, and for Robbie Blythe, if only others would look at what they have done and learn, we would all have far more options than we currently have.


Latitude
56.052078 | 56°3'7"N

---

Longitude
-3.287508 | 3°17'15"W

 

[caledonia]

As ever, Fife Coast & Countryside Trust fails to provide details of location. https://fifecoastandcountrysidetrust.co.uk/plan-your-trip/overnight-parking/
They show it as "Leven Promenade", where there are at least 3 Fife car parks but give no clue as to which one. It's great (NOT) that they have initiated charges for overnight parking but why can they not let us know precise locations with GPS coordinates?

You’re an adventurous wild camper. Why would you need coordinates to find a carpark.

 

[TJBi]

You’re an adventurous wild camper. Why would you need coordinates to find a carpark.

Because I've had enough adventures trying to find the right place. Particularly in locations where it's not easy to stop to research when you realise that you've gone to the wrong place.

I had no issues finding their ten well marked out overnight spaces. Simply drive to the end of the promenade and you cannot miss them. They are clearly marked on the ground. The other two car parks have signs up stating you had to leave by 2100hrs. But knowing Robbie Blythe if you contacted him he would get back to you, and if he reckons you have a point he would add GPS coordinates, even though most if their locations are in towns and easy to find.
But if you do wish coordinates they are available on here, and on other sites.

When you contrast what’s happening the other side of the Firth of Forth in East Lothian, I reckon they could and should learn from what Fife Coast & Countryside Trust are doing.
We spent three nights in three different carparks, Aberdour, Burntisland, and Leven, for £5 a night, a bargain in my honest opinion. And all monies collected are ring fenced to provide better facilities in future. Amongst other things Robbie is hoping to increase the amount of elsan points.

Currently they have 67 overnight spaces, but Robbie is hoping this will increase to over 100 by the end of 2025. I can only speak for myself, but I have nothing but praise for Fife Countryside & Coastal Trust, and for Robbie Blythe, if only others would look at what they have done and learn, we would all have far more options than we currently have.


Latitude
56.052078 | 56°3'7"N

---

Longitude
-3.287508 | 3°17'15"W

Thanks for the coordinates for Leven. I note that neither Fife C&CT Leven nor Aberdour is visible in the location app at the moment. Yes, one can drive along a promenade, checking out every car park on the way, but it's a lot easier to head for the right one first time, particularly if one is likely to cause inconvenience to other motorists by constantly stopping to check. Yes, provision of EDPs is a plus, but less so when available only for limited hours. I'll try getting in touch with Robbie re coordinates and see whether he can do anything.

 

[caledonia]

Maybe What Three Words or a post code but why coordinates? It’s a car park in Fife not a remote spot in the middle of nowhere. Will you need someone to guide you back into the space when you get there?

 

[Budgie]

Omg currently at Kirkcaldy shore car park, feel sea sick

 

[TJBi]

Maybe What Three Words or a post code but why coordinates? It’s a car park in Fife not a remote spot in the middle of nowhere. Will you need someone to guide you back into the space when you get there?

Depending on the space and objects in the vicinity, it can be helpful to be guided in.
Coordinates because they are precise, unlike postcodes, and can be used with pretty much any satnav, unlike W3W.

 

[caledonia]

Depending on the space and objects in the vicinity, it can be helpful to be guided in.
Coordinates because they are precise, unlike postcodes, and can be used with pretty much any satnav, unlike W3W.

Ahhh Satnag. Paper maps

 

[mariesnowgoose]

Ahhh Satnag. Paper maps

Makes me contemplate intrepid folk, Cal, and you've reminded me of my Dad. Taught me to read ordinance survey maps from about age seven

Cycled on his tod all around Ireland in 1934 at the age of 17 on an old bone shaker pushbike with 3 gears. He belonged to a cycle group in Northumberland at the time. They were a bunch of lads who would think nothing of cycling anywhere up to 100 miles a day on these heavy old bikes (when they weren't working or at school). Dad was living at home and working as a telegram boy at the time, think he'd saved his wages up to get the ferry over etc.

Don't know if he had any Irish road maps with him (can't ask him now, he died in 1994 ).

The hospitality of the Irish lived up to its legendary status, apparently.

Think he had a tent of some sort with him - would have very basic back then, might even have just been a bit of tarp! If he ended up somewhere remote when it was nearing dark he would just pitch up wherever he could find a flat spot - or a hedge! - but he was regularly offered a bed, or a space to sleep for the night by almost everyone he bumped into and got talking to on his travels. No Air b'n'b's back then and not many guesthouses or hotels either.

He was fed and watered by a lot of the locals too, even though many were dirt-poor farmers. Nearly always spuds, maybe some bacon and sometimes whatever vegetables they were growing for themselves. He said the generosity extended to him was overwhelming.

That was nearly 100 years ago, so obviously it's daft to compare with modern travel. But it does make me smile a little when everyone wants to be given the exact "pixel" they are going to end up parking on...

Constant bum-wiping has been on the rise for a while nowadays. Don't get me wrong, the technology is amazing and brilliant, it's just that we are sometimes a little too dependent on it. And if we ever lost access to it on a large scale, the words "stuffed" and "chaos" spring to mind...

 

[caledonia]

Makes me contemplate intrepid folk, Cal, and you've reminded me of my Dad. Taught me to read ordinance survey maps from about age seven

Cycled on his tod all around Ireland in 1934 at the age of 17 on an old bone shaker pushbike with 3 gears. He belonged to a cycle group in Northumberland at the time. They were a bunch of lads who would think nothing of cycling anywhere up to 100 miles a day on these heavy old bikes (when they weren't working or at school). Dad was living at home and working as a telegram boy at the time, think he'd saved his wages up to get the ferry over etc.

Don't know if he had any Irish road maps with him (can't ask him now, he died in 1994 ).

The hospitality of the Irish lived up to its legendary status, apparently.

Think he had a tent of some sort with him - would have very basic back then, might even have just been a bit of tarp! If he ended up somewhere remote when it was nearing dark he would just pitch up wherever he could find a flat spot - or a hedge! - but he was regularly offered a bed, or a space to sleep for the night by almost everyone he bumped into and got talking to on his travels. No Air b'n'b's back then and not many guesthouses or hotels either.

He was fed and watered by a lot of the locals too, even though many were dirt-poor farmers. Nearly always spuds, maybe some bacon and sometimes whatever vegetables they were growing for themselves. He said the generosity extended to him was overwhelming.

That was 100 years ago, so obviously it's daft to compare with modern travel. But it does make me smile a little when everyone wants to be given the exact "pixel" they are going to end up parking on...

Constant bum-wiping has been on the rise for a while nowadays. Don't get me wrong, the technology is amazing and brilliant, it's just that we are sometimes a little too dependent on it. And if we ever lost access to it on a large scale, the words "stuffed" and "chaos" spring to mind...

Something to be said for the simple more frugal lifestyle. My Grandfather was a sawmiller and traveled all over Scotland in a living wagon following work. I used to love listening to his stories.

 

[alcam]

Makes me contemplate intrepid folk, Cal, and you've reminded me of my Dad. Taught me to read ordinance survey maps from about age seven

Cycled on his tod all around Ireland in 1934 at the age of 17 on an old bone shaker pushbike with 3 gears. He belonged to a cycle group in Northumberland at the time. They were a bunch of lads who would think nothing of cycling anywhere up to 100 miles a day on these heavy old bikes (when they weren't working or at school). Dad was living at home and working as a telegram boy at the time, think he'd saved his wages up to get the ferry over etc.

Don't know if he had any Irish road maps with him (can't ask him now, he died in 1994 ).

The hospitality of the Irish lived up to its legendary status, apparently.

Think he had a tent of some sort with him - would have very basic back then, might even have just been a bit of tarp! If he ended up somewhere remote when it was nearing dark he would just pitch up wherever he could find a flat spot - or a hedge! - but he was regularly offered a bed, or a space to sleep for the night by almost everyone he bumped into and got talking to on his travels. No Air b'n'b's back then and not many guesthouses or hotels either.

He was fed and watered by a lot of the locals too, even though many were dirt-poor farmers. Nearly always spuds, maybe some bacon and sometimes whatever vegetables they were growing for themselves. He said the generosity extended to him was overwhelming.

That was nearly 100 years ago, so obviously it's daft to compare with modern travel. But it does make me smile a little when everyone wants to be given the exact "pixel" they are going to end up parking on...

Constant bum-wiping has been on the rise for a while nowadays. Don't get me wrong, the technology is amazing and brilliant, it's just that we are sometimes a little too dependent on it. And if we ever lost access to it on a large scale, the words "stuffed" and "chaos" spring to mind...

Spent a lot of time in Ireland a few years ago just when the celtic tiger was about to be unleashed . Many parts were dirt poor then , must have been primitive in your dad's day .
p.s. where do you find these bum wipers ? Asking for a really nice , but needy person

 

[Fisherman]

Makes me contemplate intrepid folk, Cal, and you've reminded me of my Dad. Taught me to read ordinance survey maps from about age seven

Cycled on his tod all around Ireland in 1934 at the age of 17 on an old bone shaker pushbike with 3 gears. He belonged to a cycle group in Northumberland at the time. They were a bunch of lads who would think nothing of cycling anywhere up to 100 miles a day on these heavy old bikes (when they weren't working or at school). Dad was living at home and working as a telegram boy at the time, think he'd saved his wages up to get the ferry over etc.

Don't know if he had any Irish road maps with him (can't ask him now, he died in 1994 ).

The hospitality of the Irish lived up to its legendary status, apparently.

Think he had a tent of some sort with him - would have very basic back then, might even have just been a bit of tarp! If he ended up somewhere remote when it was nearing dark he would just pitch up wherever he could find a flat spot - or a hedge! - but he was regularly offered a bed, or a space to sleep for the night by almost everyone he bumped into and got talking to on his travels. No Air b'n'b's back then and not many guesthouses or hotels either.

He was fed and watered by a lot of the locals too, even though many were dirt-poor farmers. Nearly always spuds, maybe some bacon and sometimes whatever vegetables they were growing for themselves. He said the generosity extended to him was overwhelming.

That was nearly 100 years ago, so obviously it's daft to compare with modern travel. But it does make me smile a little when everyone wants to be given the exact "pixel" they are going to end up parking on...

Constant bum-wiping has been on the rise for a while nowadays. Don't get me wrong, the technology is amazing and brilliant, it's just that we are sometimes a little too dependent on it. And if we ever lost access to it on a large scale, the words "stuffed" and "chaos" spring to mind...

The Irish take some beating when it comes to hospitality.
My dad was Irish, and he was very much of that ilk.
I remember a trip to Donegal many moons ago staying in a cottage for a week.
We were given peat and coal to heat the place, by the lady my aunt worked for.
She rented the cottage out to tourists.
When we arrived I asked her what I owed her, and she said we will sort that out when you leave.
On the day we were leaving I asked her what I owed her, and she said don’t be silly you were our guests. No amount of persuasion would make her take a penny.
On that same trip I wanted to do some sea fishing from a boat.
But the local boat was full.
So they contacted a boat owner in Burtonport who said he would take me out.
Well when I got there I was alone, this was his day off, but he said.
“Now we can’t have a man coming here all the way from Scotland and not getting a days fishing now can we”
His boat could have easily have taken 12-15 anglers.
He charged £20 a day, I offered him more but he would only take the £20.
When we got back to the port I was waiting for my lift to come back for me.
He turned up with a pint of Guinness, and thanked me for a great day.
To say I was humbled would have been a massive understatement.

 

[BigEus]

I have used the car park at Elie several times and think it's an absolute bargain. Facilities are just what you need and you couldn't get a better location. Credit where its due to Fife Council.