North Berwick

📌 Town in East Lothian
★★★

Trace a map of the British coastline to the right from Edinburgh and you’ll head roughly east for several miles before the land bulges out into the Firth of Forth. This area is often referred to as Scotland’s Golf Coast (the Fife town of St Andrews must be a bit miffed about this), with extensive beaches backed by sand dunes ideal for golf links. It’s a wealthy area full of attractive villages, small towns, magnificent castles and gentle coastal scenery, with a sunnier and drier climate than most of the country. Now we’ve sold it to you, it’s time to introduce the natural hub for the region: North Berwick. Once the site for a boat ferrying pilgrims across the firth to St Andrews, it blossomed into a seaside resort during Victorian times and hasn’t looked back. With a pair of excellent beaches, picturesque harbour, two museums, a thriving main street with gift shops galore and even an extinct volcano to climb, there’s a lot going on. Taking a boat to the amazing gannet colony on Bass Rock is a must if you’re visiting in spring or summer, and the great ruined fortresses of Tantallon and Dirleton are a few miles along the coast to the east and west respectively.

🌍 Location

📌 East Lothian

🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NT 554853

🛰️ GPS coordinates: 56.058636,-2.717316

🚶 There’s plenty to do around the town centre and beach, and it’s only a short walk to the start of our North Berwick Law route.

🚆🚌 North Berwick is at the end of a railway line from Edinburgh. There are buses from towns including Edinburgh, Dunbar and Haddington.

🚗 Parking is tricky on sunny summer weekends. Head away from the centre to find a space.

<1 mi away

>> Bass Rock boat trips ★★★★★

>> Coastal Communities Museum ★★★

>> Milsey Bay ★★★★

>> St Andrew’s Old Church (North Berwick) ★

>> Scottish Seabird Centre ★★★

>> Walk: The joy & jaw of Berwick Law ★★★★

>> West Beach (North Berwick) ★★★

<3 mi away

>> Dirleton Castle ★★★★ (3 mi ←)

>> Tantallon Castle ★★★★ (3 mi →)

>> Walk: Whelks, clams & brittlestars – Dirleton & Gullane coastal ★★★ (3 mi ←)