Walk: St Abb’s Head – sensational seabird city

📌 St Abbs, Scottish Borders
★★★★

The shattered volcanic cliffs of St Abbs Head are the finest jewel of the Borders coastline, and this energetic circuit from the pretty fishing village (and filming location) of St Abbs explores them to the full. Each spring and summer the headland hosts tens of thousands of nesting seabirds, and a visit at this time of year is truly a feast for the eyes, ears and nose: this much guano creates quite a stink! Whatever the season, the fascinating geology, cliffs, sea stacks and shingle bays are worth lingering for, with a tranquil inland lochan in store for the return leg.

📷 Chronological photo guide

🌍 Location

📌 Start / finish at St Abbs harbour

🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NT 919673

🛰️ GPS coordinates: 55.899118,-2.130788

🚌 Bus to St Abbs

🚗 Car park (charge) – or free options nearby

📝 Key info

▶ 7 km / 4 mi | ▲ 150 m | ⌛ 2 hr

Features: 🏠 St Abbs ★★; 🏠 St Abbs Visitor Centre ★; 🌊 St Abb’s Head ★★★★; 💧 Mire Loch; 🦢 St Abb’s Head nature centre

⬤ Moderate | Clear but often steep or rough paths for the coastal section (easier options further from the cliff edge) with unguarded drops next to the path – a fair amount of ascent and descent. Narrow, clear path for return along Mire Loch. Minor roads and pavements beyond Mire Loch.

➡️ Anticlockwise circuit: start – St Abbs – St Abbs Visitor Centre – coast path to St Abb’s Head – West Hurker – southwest side of Mire Loch – nature centre – St Abbs Visitor Centre – start

Download file for GPS

🥾 On our last visit

Wildlife: Seabirds: guillemots, razorbills, shags, kittiwakes, fulmars, gulls. Mute swans and mallards on Mire Loch. Sheep and lambs on return section.

Weather: Temperature in mid to high teens, mostly sunny, fairly light winds.

May 2019