📌 Cove, Scottish Borders
★★★
Cars, crowds, modern technology… all things you’re unlikely to find at Cove Harbour, one of the most charming, “secret” spots on Scotland’s southeast coast. Cove has been a haven for fisherman since the 17th century, first as a natural harbour and then with stone-built improvements, and is still in use today by a couple of small vessels. There’s not much to do here and that’s half the charm of the place; instead, it’s the perfect location from which to just sit and admire the coastal scenery, listen to the waves lap at the breakwaters, or watch the boats bob on the tide. Access to the south side of the harbour (with a sandy beach at low water) is through a long tunnel through the headland. Side chambers in the depths of the passage used to store the day’s fresh catch as well as smuggled contraband, though they’re now blocked off.
🌍 Location
📌 Off minor road 10-min walk east of Cove village, Scottish Borders
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NT 785717
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 55.938209,-2.345170
🚌 Bus to Cockburnspath (1 mi via Berwickshire Coastal Path)
🚗 Car park at 🧭 NT 780717 / 🛰️ 55.938175,-2.353664
📝 Key info
⌚ Always open
🎫 Free
💬 From the car park it’s a 10-min walk (each way) gently downhill to the harbour on a good track. Midway, forking right through the tunnel leads to the beach instead (⬤ Easy).
