The Secret Bunker

The Secret Bunker in the East of Fife has been open to the public for 24 years, but I hadn't really thought of visiting until I saw some photos on Instagram and realised that it would not just be interesting to military history buffs.

I was a bit nervous about visiting because I sometimes get a bit claustrophobic (I've had to abandon attempts to climb various towers on holiday because of tight stairwells and low headroom) but the bunker didn't cause me any problems of that sort. In fact, it feels very like being inside a school (something I'm used to, having worked in one since the very year the secret bunker opened to the public!), with similar sized corridors and rooms. I didn't even really notice the lack of windows at all.

The first surprise I got when going down the long corridor into the bunker was that I was greeted by two cats! It was a bit disconcerting to see something moving at floor level in my peripheral vision as I was taking a photo, and my first thought was that it was a rat! I was very relieved to see it was two cats, who would presumably deal with any rat or mouse problems there might be!

My main reasons for visiting the bunker, after seeing it on Instagram, were all the old technology and typefaces, dating from the 1950s when it was built until the 1980s when it was decommissioned. I was not disappointed!

It was a really thought-provoking place to visit. It got me thinking about what life would have been like for those in the bunker if it ever had to be used for its intended purpose as a command centre in a nuclear war.