Silverburn Park

For Christmas 2021, my sister Linda gifted us a night's stay at Silverburn Campsite on the edge of Leven. The beach is just a short stroll away and we had a voucher for an eco pod. We had originally pencilled in the trip for the summer but Nicole ended up spending three months in Germany unexpectedly and the camping expedition had to be pushed back into autumn. We reserved a pod for the first Friday of my October holidays and headed there straight from my workplace.

We had previously gone camping in a tent on several occasions (including journeys to England and Wales) but ultimately Nicole decided she preferred indoor hostel accommodation. A wooden pod however was a fine compromise. We had stayed in a similar unit in Northumberland a few years back. We arrived at Silverburn around 4.30pm and were directed to our house for the night. The site has three pods plus space for regular tents and campervans. It was obviously the tail end of the season and the place was quiet. Two pods were occupied and a couple of tents stood in the field. Toilets and showers were located just a few steps away and our pod contained a microwave and mini fridge, along with heating and lighting. We unloaded our gear and decamped to Sainsburys to fetch some supplies. Linda had generously included a fire pack on our voucher and I noted the sack of wood by the firepit with no small amount of satisfaction. I have loved building fires ever since I was a small child and used to burn any old wooden furniture my folks happened to be throwing out. We also purchased a disposable barbecue from the site office and returned from the supermarket with sausages, bacon and other goodies. A visitor in the form of a friendly male ginger cat was waiting for us. As soon as we opened the pod door he went straight in and jumped on to the mattress upon the double bed. We both surmised he had been here before. Sheets and blankets weren't supplied so we had brought our own sleeping bags and pillows. The sofa inside the pod extended to form another bed, if required. The interior was spacious enough for two people but I reckoned it would be a bit crowded with three or four occupants. Mind you, during nice weather you could sit outside and the pod would simply be a place to crash. Tonight was dry but rather chilly and it was time to get the fire going. I soon cajoled a blaze from the kindling and we also lit the little barbecue. These things are a hit-and-miss affair but it generated enough heat to cook the chunky sausages and a couple of rashers. Our new-found friend was happy to sit with us at the picnic table and hoover up any scraps on offer. Darkness fell and it was nice to sit by the roaring fire and savour the peaceful atmosphere. Eventually it got too cold for Nicole and she went inside to lie down, followed by the kitty. I burned the rest of the wood and thought back to the time when we stayed at the semi-wild campsite near Inverkeithing. We bought firewood that night but foraging for additional deadwood was permitted. I was up at 5am the following day and collected a handful of sticks to raise a flame from the glowing embers in the fireplace. Fantastic memories. I'd love to go back there.

The cat had snuggled into the sleeping bags and would have happily stayed all night. We were concerned about potential toileting arrangements and decided to let him out. Our alarms were set for 7am in order to catch sunrise and the glowing ball of fire duly appeared on the horizon the following morning. Breakfast was rolls on cheese and salami and we decided to head down to the beach before the scheduled check-out time of half past ten. The trail ran through the golf course and brought us to the wide sands of Leven. It's a popular section of the Fife Coastal Path and local dog walkers are always out in force. We chuckled as a middle-aged woman (probably Polish) called after her pooch, who was named Ganja. Had we woken up in Jamaica? A refreshing beach wander was just the ticket and the peak of Largo Law was clearly visible in the distance. We often come to Leven for the birdlife and I had visited the Silverburn Estate a couple of times before. Now a growing community facility, the land was previously owned by the Russell family, who established a flax mill here at Silverburn and later ran the huge Tullis-Russell papermill on the edge of Glenrothes. Nicole worked there for a few years until the plant went into administration in 2015. It has now been flattened and presumably a housing development awaits. David Russell senior opened the Silverburn flax mill in the 1850s and the B-listed building is currently disused but earmarked for development in the near future. The campsite headquarters and adjacent café are housed within former workers' cottages, as are a couple of artisan workshops. A lottery grant of £3 million has been received for the regeneration of the old mill and the current plans outline a backpacker's hostel, along with shops and studios. Fife Council has also committed £2 million of funding. The project will create around 130 new jobs, including construction trainee placements for local young people and roles for those with mental health problems. The centre is expected to be complete by 2026, to coincide with the opening of the Leven rail link. It all sounds very exciting. Let's hope it comes to fruition. The Levenmouth area is a corner of Fife with great potential for tourism.

Upon our return to the pod, guess who was waiting for us? We learned from the site manager that the feline visitor is called Archie. He lives in Leven but spends most of his time on the campsite. We still had an hour before check-out and I read through a pamphlet giving a detailed history of Silverburn, including a foreword from the daughter of Sir David Russell - a successful businessman who had merged the family flax business with the papermaking concern to create the mammoth Tullis-Russell complex that became a major Fife employer over the next century. Just to confuse matters, his father (already mentioned) and son were also called David Russell. The flax mill had originally sourced its raw material from Russia but the outbreak of the Crimean War meant the crop had to be grown in Scotland for a while. It apparently fares quite well here. Hostilities over, trade with Russia resumed and Silverburn thrived, despite being a fairly small operation by the standards of the Victorian industrial revolution. The military requisitioned the mill in 1914 to provide uniforms for the Great War and troops were quartered on the estate. When peacetime arrived, David Russell wound down the flax operation to concentrate on his paper business along the road. Silverburn became a pleasant family retreat. Sir David had a great interest in trees and many were planted, including rare and unusual species which continue to thrive to this day. The third David Russell - who hadn't actually lived at Silverburn - gifted the estate to Leven Town Council in 1973 with the strict stipulation that the extensive grounds should remain forever as a quiet area used for the benefit of the public in general and the people of Leven in particular for nature trails, secluded parkland and organised camping. A decade later, Kirkcaldy District Council undertook a job creation Programme to reinstate Silverburn House for use as a residential centre, to be used by groups such as scouts, guides, school parties, caravan rallies etc. A stand-alone wing to the rear was used by crafters to make and show their wares throughout the summer and Christmas/New Year periods. The mansion had previously served as a day centre for patients from Stratheden Hospital, while still in the hands of the Russell family. An empty country house was no good to business-minded folk.

The newly-christened Silverburn Park attracted 20,000 visitors per year and the chief attraction for families was the mini farm and petting zoo housed within the old flax mill. Along with traditional livestock, the compound featured exotic birds, reptiles and insects. Victorian machinery was also on display. The old retting pond was retained. Unfortunately Fife Council closed all animal facilities across the county in 2002 as part of a cost cutting drive. This move saw Silverburn fall into decline and several ambitious schemes to regenerate the place never got past the drawing board. In 2013, Fife Employment Access Trust (FEAT) took over the reins and began the transformation we see today. This charity is based in Glenrothes and helps people with mental health issues return to the workplace. The walled garden has been restored as a restful place for locals to enjoy and the café opens each day at 11am. We were already on our way into Leven by then. After visiting Linda at her optician's shop, we enjoyed a bite to eat at the Caledonian Hotel on the High Street.

Regarding the paper mill, David Russell's nephew David Erdal introduced an employee cooperative, giving workers a major say in how the company was run and prioritising staff welfare. The turn of the century was a tough time for Scottish paper mills due to increased competition from Asia and many domestic operations closed their doors. Tullis-Russel diversified into high-end materials such as fancy chocolate boxes and even produced the CD inlays for a Metallica album. Land was sold to allow the creation of a biomass power plant, in return for cheap energy, which kept TR in the game for a few more years, until the end came. I look forward to seeing the proposed developments at Silverburn, and of course the opening of the Levenmouth railhead. I hope Archie lives to witness it too.