Walk: Dunbar’s coastal playground

📌 Dunbar, East Lothian
★★★

🛠️ Coast path near Dunbar probably still partially closed due to erosion – local diversion available (checked April 2024)

With a leisure centre, golf course and scenic cliffs and bays, Dunbar’s local shoreline is a captivating coastal playground and a truly lovely destination for a morning or afternoon of leisure. The coast path takes in the extensive sands of Belhaven Bay (most impressive at low tide) and several rocky inlets, with distant views of Bass Rock and Berwick Law to the west. At the east end, keep your eyes peeled for kittiwakes nesting on the cliffs as you near the harbour. Dunbar’s other attractions can easily be combined with this route – the walk passes the end of the High Street.

📷 Chronological photo guide

🌍 Location

📌 Start / finish on North Road at Lauderdale Park, 10-min walk west of Dunbar town centre. Alternative start points anywhere between High Street & Belhaven Bay

🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NT 675791

🛰️ GPS coordinates: 56.003716,-2.522275

🚆🚌 Train / bus to Dunbar (join route at east end)

🚗Car park

📝 Key info

▶ 5 km / 3 mi | ▲ 40 m | ⌛ 1.5 hr

Features: 🏖️ Belhaven Bay ★★★; 🌊 Dunbar coastline; 🏰 Dunbar Castle and Battery ★★; 🏠 Dunbar ★★★ & town sights

⬤ Easy | Quiet residential street & clear paths, sometimes surfaced.

➡️ Clockwise circuit with minor detours: start – Belhaven Bay (cross bridge to explore fully) via Back Road – Victoria Harbour & castle via coast path – Dunbar town centre – start

Download file for GPS

🥾 On our last visit

Wildlife: Nesting kittiwakes, gulls (May 2021). Eiders, seagulls, kittiwakes; a seal in Victoria Harbour (April 2017).

Weather: Becoming cloudy after a sunny start, temperature in mid teens (May 2021). Sunny, cold wind, about 10°C (April 2017).

May 2021