SEACLIFF, EAST LOTHIAN

FACTFILE

Distance: 1¼ miles

Time: 1 hour

OS Landranger 67  

                                    

Start / finish point: Go 3½ miles south of North Berwick on the A198 and turn left at Auldhame (half a mile after the turning for Tantallon Castle, on a right hand bend). A private road/track leads to a barrier on the left where you have to pay £2. About half a mile further on park at a large grassy area on the left as the track bears right. (Ignore parking spaces passed before this.)

Spend time outside when you don‘t need to? In the depths of winter? Yes!

I’m not suggesting it is a good thing to linger in a blizzard or stand still in pouring rain but winter can bring some fantastic weather. Crisp cold days with a low sun in the sky are in many ways more splendid than scorching hot days in June. The world is wrapped up, quiet as it rests between the old and new years.

If all that sounds a bit poetic for you the other reason to go outside is to perk yourself up with a brisk walk, preparing yourself for the Christmas excess, or recovering from it afterwards.

This is a short beach walk, perfect for taking the dog or with small children. Why the beach in winter? Well, with bigger waves than summer they look even more spectacular and let’s face it, there aren’t many days you are in your swimsuit anyway, so any extra jumper is all that is needed.

This walk has the added attraction of some brilliant views. At the far end of the beach are the towering cliffs on which is perched the dramatic Tantallon Castle. The ruins of this 14th century stronghold are looked after by Historic Scotland and can be visited after the walk (not on Thursdays and Fridays in winter) but it is best viewed from the beach.

The looming bulk of Bass Rock, just off the coast, seems bigger than when viewed from North Berwick because it is only half as far away. It is “one of the Twelve Wildlife Wonders of the World” according to Sir David Attenborough, although the gannets which make it so, more than 100,000 of them, are not due to return from Africa and the North Atlantic until February.

To start this walk leave the parking area by a sandy path which starts next to some derelict toilets. This goes between trees and bushes for a short distance before reaching the beach from where you immediately get a jaw dropping view of Bass Rock.

Go left along the beach to reach The Gegan, a tiny harbour carved from the rocks at the end of the 19th century by a laird of Seacliff. Beyond is Tantallon Castle.

Leave the rock harbour and walk back along the beach, past the path which leads to

the car park, to find a smaller beach with more rocks and stones on it round to the right.

Just before this you may notice a cross on top of an outcrop of rocks, this is known as St Baldred’s Boat and was named after an 8th century missionary who lived in East Lothian and at times survived in a hermitage on Bass Rock as well as a small cave above the beach, passed on the drive to the parking area.

From the far end of the beach, through the trees you can catch sight of the ruins of Seacliff House which burned down in 1907.

After spending time admiring the crashing waves, skimming stones or simply soaking in the views, return to the car park after a bracing walk to beat the winter chills.