Less than an hour's drive from Edinburgh to Berwickshire nestles the small village of St Abbs. For centuries it was home to hardy fishermen braving the unpredictable North Sea for hauls of mackerel, herring and haddock. In recent times the fleet has dwindled but the harbour remains the village's focal point. A small but fully informative museum is housed in a former schoolhouse, giving vivid descriptions of the village's seafaring heritage. North of the village the cliffs rise to the highest point on the UK mainland between here and Kent, and a pleasant walk across a winding (and at times somewhat precarious) path will take you from the village to St Abbs Head lighthouse. If you are not too fazed by heights, a glance to your right will give breathtaking view of cliffs plunging hundreds of feet down to churning waves. The cliffs themselves are an important part of a designated wildlife reserve, and are home to colonies of guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes and puffins, making for a noisy backdrop to your cross-country rambling.
St Abbs is widely appreciated amongst the scuba-diving community as providing the clearest waters anywhere on the British coast. There is an absence of the muddy silt that clogs much of the shoreline further north, or south, and divers can explore the rich underwater scenery, including several shipwrecks. The spectacular seascapes led to the area becoming Britain's first Voluntary Marine Reserve, opened on 18 August 1984 by David Bellamy.
A ten-minute stroll from the village in the other direction leads to Coldingham Bay, a wide unspoilt beach of golden sands nestling between cliffs and rockier shores. In the summer this attracts day-trippers down from the Lothians, or up from Newcastle. It has become popular with surfers in the winter.
Part of the village's charm is the fact that is still relatively unspoilt, despite its proximity to Scotland's capital. There are a number of welcoming houses offering bed and breakfast accommodation, but there is only one shop, the local Post Office that doubles as general store. A recent addition to the village is a restaurant located right in the heart of the harbour, where fresh seafood is guaranteed. A couple of miles down the coast from St Abbs lies Eyemouth, a larger town, with a fishing fleet including trawlers that brave the seas far beyond the horizon. Eyemouth boasts several pubs and restaurants. Most serve food all-day and are child-friendly.
There is also a museum that is well worth a visit. Amongst its treasure trove of items related to the historical development of the town there is a poignant memorial to the 189 fishermen from Eyemouth, St Abbs, Burnmouth, Newhaven, Musselburgh and Cove who drowned during a horrific storm in October 1881. There is also a catalogue of all the incidents attended by the local members of the Royal National Lifeboat Association - all of them volunteers.
Eyemouth harbour hosts a posse of tame Grey Seals, who greedily heave themselves towards scraps of fish that can be bought on the pier.
This is one reason I love visiting St Abbs and Eyemouth. As a city dweller it is terrific to see seals and birds at close-hand. If you love fresh lobster, crab, prawns or fish, there are many outlets. There is also an excellent Chinese restaurant or two, as well as bustling pubs. A mere 50 miles from Edinburgh you are transported into a world of tranquil delights. read more