Seaside Living in Leven, Fife
Seaside living in Leven, Fife -- in Scotland -- can be an attractive thing for the tourist or explorer. It is a seaside town in the council area of Fife, which sits between the Firth of Tay and the famous Firth of Forth. It also lies at the mouth of the River Leven, which gives this town of 8,100 people its name. Leven is part of a conglomeration of five towns, called the Levenmouth conurbation. This gives the area a total population of 35,000 people.
The word Leven comes from the ancient Pictish language meaning "flood." There is a nearby loch, called Loch Leven, which is the town's and the river's flood -- or overspill -- lake. The town's earliest history can be traced back to the mid-11th century, when a parish church was founded. First mention of an actual town called Leven is found in two different mid-15th century historical records relating to work needing to be done to certain buildings.
The town's fortunes grew with the coming of the
railway, in 1854. It linked Leven with nearby Thornton Junction and made both Aberdeen and Edinburgh accessible to townsfolk. Consequently, it became a popular vacation destination for visitors from western Scotland and Glasgow. The rails eventually closed down, though, and since the late 1960s, there has been no activity of note.
Like other areas of Scotland, the region is attempting to tie its fortunes to the rich golfing heritage of the country. One of its two courses is sometimes used as a qualifying course for the British Open, when its played at the Old Course at Saint Andrews. It is also a notable region for golf courses, in general. There are at least 7 of them in and around the Levenmouth conurbation.
Fife is the council area in which Leven resides. It has a current population of around 362,000 people. It is also home to Saint Andrews, the town known as the home of golf and one of the oldest universities in Europe. Both Leven and Fife highlight classic Scottish culture and a way of life that's notable for its attachment to the ancient Scottish past.
Find your next Leven hotel - here. |