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I originally meant to climb Largo Law while walking the Fife Coastal Path back in 2018, but it turned out to be the weekend of the Beast from the East, when it was as much as I could do to slither from Lower Largo to Elie. So it's been hanging about on my list for a long time, but every time I've thought about it more recently, I've thought 'no, I'll leave it for when the Leven trains start'.
Well, the Leven trains have started - I wasn't sure what it would be like on the very first day, but the forecast was good for Fife and bad for further west, so it still seemed like a good plan. I originally set out to catch the 11:20ish train at South Gyle, but got held up in a Lidl's queue, and decided to wander off to the Gyle and try again at Edinburgh Gateway an hour later, which worked.
- New train
The train was well used but not as packed as I thought it might be - an uneventful journey along the usual Fife line as far as Kirkcaldy, and then on to arrive by the river in Leven.
- Levenmouth
I was quite tight for time now if I was going to be back in Edinburgh by 6:30, so no hanging about in Leven, just off along the promenade, and then across the sands heading towards Largo - good firm walking out on the sands, although occasionally a burn to walk through.
- Along the beach
At Lower Largo the beach turned into rocks, and a little path led up above the shore and eventually up to the road - if the trains wanted to come back to Largo they've got a very good bridge waiting for them.
- Lower Largo
The junction with the main road was the only place I regretted forgetting to bring a map, but the little road heading uphill obviously wasn't the way the bus went, so I headed along the main road and round the corner to where the hill was rising above Upper Largo.
- Upper Largo
2:40 at the car park, and I had to be on a 3:55 bus (from an unknown location, because the nearest bus stop was closed) if I wanted to make it onto the train just before 5 - was it worth trying? It was quite tempting just to decide that I'd have a lovely walk along the beach and go to the pub, especially since it was a warm day and I'd forgotten to bring any water, but I'd waited a long time for this hill!
The signs put me off as well - I'm never keen on people trying to invent access laws of their own - but I was there now. One track led in from the road to the back of the farm buildings, and then another, very dry and dusty, on at right angles past a little wind turbine to the foot of the hill.
- Approaching Largo Law
The very lowest part of the path winds through gorse and foxgloves, but most of it is just a straight steep line up through the grass - dry and crumbly earth again, despite the amount of rain recently, and I was looking at it thinking that it wouldn't be very pleasant to come down.
- Gorse and foxgloves
It wasn't all that pleasant to go up, either, especially thirsty, although I did start to settle into the climb. The advantage to steepness is gaining height quite quickly - views out along the coast.
- Halfway up
Towards the top of the climb it became one of those slopes which could be hiding anything from the top to another half of the hill - as I got closer to it there was at least not another whole climb looming above, but coming over the curve of it I realised I'd forgotten that there were two tops.
- The real top
Never mind - it wasn't that far, just down a slope and over a stile and up another slope to the trig point.
- Largo Law summit
It was a bit hazy, but it was a nice viewpoint - green patchwork farmland, the view over the Forth, and another glimpse of sea to the north.
- Farmland and a glimpse of the Tay
- Craig Rock and the Forth
The descent from the top back to the little dip was over short smooth grass, and after a few steps I just sat down and slid down it - the last time I remember doing that was on East Lomond, so it must be a Fife thing!
I did make an attempt to walk down the main path like a civilised being, but it was loose and dusty and slow, and although the grass beside it was longer I decided just to go for the slide - it was quick and easy and enjoyable, and even if I ended up landing on a thistle I'd have had my fun while it lasted (I didn't, but I may have had a glancing encounter with some nettles).
Where the path went back into the gorse bushes I had to take to my feet, but it was easier walking by then. And then hurrying along the tracks and down the road and past the closed bus stop to try to find the right place - the bus was a minute or two past due by then, but obviously still somewhere in the long queue waiting to get through the lights at the roadworks.
I forgot to take a picture at the carpark sign on the way back for the timing, so I only know the time I made it to the bus stop - but from the carpark it must have been pretty close to 40 minutes up and 25 down, which doesn't seem like bad going, even if I couldn't have done it on my feet.
Back in Leven I had about 45 minutes before the train - they haven't sorted out the bus and train times yet, if they intend to - so I wandered off along the main street, full of stalls trying to pack up without blowing away, to find a pint. Leven seemed to have been having a good day, whatever part of it hadn't gone off to Edinburgh for the day, and I'd quite enjoyed my last Fife hill, even at high speed!
