Coastal walks
The Coastal Path starts at Berwick upon Tweed and extends to St. Abbs, in all about 24 km (15 miles). White Craggs lies more or less at the halfway point, so you can start from here and go north one day and south the next! A
bus service connects Berwick and St. Abbs via Burnmouth and stops outside our house.
Route
After leaving Berwick, the path crosses the Border into Scotland to reach Cowdrait, Ross and Partanhall which make up Lower Burnmouth. From Upper Burnmouth, the path continues to Eyemouth, Coldingham and St. Abbs.
Berwick upon Tweed
The fortified town of Berwick has changed hands from England to Scotland and back no fewer than 14 times. The splendid town walls date from the 16th century. None other than Nicholas Hawksmoor was responsible for the Barracks (1711-21).
Robert Stephenson's Royal Border Bridge (1850) soars above the old Berwick Bridge of 1611 with its 15 arches.
Burnmouth
Burnmouth's harbour was built in the early 19th century. The local geology (visible at low tide) reveals the intensely folded, faulted and banded rocks composed of Silurian grey mudstones and siltstones which were formed on the sea bed some 440 million years ago.
Eyemouth
Fast Castle, on the cliffs above Eyemouth Harbour, inspired Sir Walter Scott's The Bride of Lammermoor. The harbour sheltered smugglers and enabled the flight of many a disaffected Scot to the safe haven of France. The 16th century Fort was even garrisoned by French troops.
Coldingham
The Benedictine foundation of Coldingham was established in 1098 by Edgar, King of Scots. He was the son of Saint Margaret of Scotland, a Saxon princess who, fleeing from the invading Normans, was shipwrecked in Scotland.
She was rescued by King Malcolm III, who married her. Renowned for her piety, she brought the Benedictines to Scotland.
In 1473 it became identified with the
Templars of Rosslyn Chapel in Edinburgh (of Da Vinci Code fame), and there are some Templar tombstones to be seen.
St. Abbs
St. Abbs was founded in 640 by Saint Ebba, sister of King Oswy of Northumbria, after whom the village is named. Many thousands of seabirds, including fulmars, guillemots, kittiwakes and puffins nest on the high cliffs.
