After half a century off the rail network – and decades of local campaigning – the Fife seaside town of Leven is once again accessible by train, raising hopes of an economic revival in the area.
The south Fife seaside was once a popular daytrip destination for families coming out of Scotland’s central belt cities, but the train service through to Leven was closed to passengers in 1969.
The £116million Levenmouth Rail Link, funded by the Scottish Government and delivered by Network Rail and ScotRail, opened this month, re-establishing stations at Leven and Cameron Bridge, with an initial hourly service running to and from Edinburgh Waverley via Kirkcaldy.
To mark this occasion, The Crusoe Hotel, an award-winning restaurant with rooms in Lower Largo, Fife, has created a bespoke ‘Crusoe Castaway Train’ package to encourage sustainable travel and inspire city dwellers to visit the south coast of Fife.
The package includes an overnight stay in one of The Crusoe’s sea view rooms with breakfast, two rail tickets from Edinburgh Waverley to Leven train station and private transfers to and from the hotel.
The Crusoe Hotel, which re-opened in 2021 after an extensive refurbishment, is described as a community hub on the Lower Largo harbour, with seven luxury bedrooms with ensuites and sea views, including The Largo Pier suite with a claw foot bathtub and private balcony.
The restaurant’s chefs aim to showcase local produce, including vegetables and herbs from Largo Estate and Barnett’s family bakery for bread. Winnaway Fishermen, of nearby Pittenweem, supply squid and langoustines, while The Crusoe has its own boat for a resident local fishman to bring in fresh fish to the harbour daily.
Since opening The Crusoe has several awards – in 2023 it won AA Guest Accommodation of the Year for Scotland, and was named Romantic Hotel of the Year at The Scottish National Hotels of the Year Awards. This year it was named by The Times as one of the five best hotels in Scotland.
