Blebo Craigs

Blebo Craigs is a small village in the heart of rural Fife. The village contains around one hundred houses located on the south facing slope of the hill. Blebo Craigs is around five miles from the famous golfing town of St Andrews. The village has a great community and often village events are run in the village hall. Events include everything from small productions by local children, talks on a wide range of subjects and such social events as quiz nights and Burns suppers. There is also a yearly open gardens event in which many visitors come to Blebo Craigs to wander round the many wonderful gardens and appreciate a cup of tea from the village hall.

Notable features

The village backs onto a marvellous wood which is free for everyone to walk in and enjoy at their leisure for all sorts activities including horse riding, walking and biking. Among other notable things in the village it has a very prominent red telephone box located at the top of the main road into the village. This phone box has become somewhat of an icon and is a frequently used landmark for directions. The area of forest between the two hamlets, known as Kemback Woods, is one of the most popular mountain biking destinations in Fife.

History

The village has several historical features, namely a large quarry which can be found in the woods, from which stone was used to build many of the sandstone buildings in the area. There are two large houses on the hill also; these are Blebo House and Kemback House. Both are fine buildings and have had various well known owners. Two in particular have been D.C Thompson of D. C. Thomson & Co. Ltd writers of the The Beano and William Low owner of the food retailer. Also just down the hill from Blebo is a small hamlet called Kemback where a very peaceful historical graveyard is located.

Connections with Dundee

Mill workers in Dura Den and Kemback originally from Dundee forged social connections with families still in the Angus town. The Boys Brigade, 17th Company (1919 onward), then 5th Company (from the mid 1930s onward) held camps in the small wood and fields opposite at the east end of the village until the mid 1980s. It was felt the country air was a break from the polluted coal-dust atmosphere in the streets and congested air inside the jute mills in Dundee at the time. Weekend and summer camps were setup, with the support of the village and local farmers. Occasional disasters (for example 1973) mean the boys staying in the village hall whilst the summer camp fields dried out. A large collection of camping photographs are held by 5th Company, Dundee, and a film from 1953 is held in the Scottish National Film Archive.

Economy

There is not a lot in Blebo Craigs by the way of economy. However the village supports a locally run post office which is located in the village hall and run several mornings a week. Historically the village had a pub however this is no longer used and has been converted into a house.