Harbour | The Scottish Pearl

Up early on a November Saturday morning with a friend to explore Dunbar. That’s right Dunbar. I had not appreciated the drive from Edinburgh before. It was so picturesque even for a November morning. Enroute, we saw Tantallon Castle in the distance and decided to stop 😆 We were living large 😆

We were really lucky; we were the first visitors of the day and had the grounds to ourselves. Perfect.

Tantallon Castle

The castle was more impressive than I had imagined it. It was in a commanding position. The waves added to the drama of the location. It was stunning with its raw simplicity.

The Castle dates back to the 1300s. The outer wall was surrounded by an expansive area of grass; a service area where supplies were brought into the castle. Under the morning light and with the sound of the waves, it felt like s a place for quiet contemplation. Although there were several storyboards sharing the history of the castle, I did a quick search to learn more. I found an excellent write-up on the undiscovered Scotland site.

Due to all the rain, we have had, entrance into the castle structure was not allowed. As a result, we had to admire it from a distance. On this morning, the waves were high and the force as they hit the banks was quite extraordinary. It is a wonder how any of the castle structures were still standing.

It was so good to breathe the morning air.

The view of Bass rock was a wonderful sight. I wished I could have done a better job in capturing what I was seeing but hopefully I have captured its essence. It was a great start to the day.

Drifter Coffee House

After our stroll around the castle, my friend suggested breakfast at the Drift Coffeehouse. What a great suggestion that was! Great service, good food and panoramic views in a unique setting.

Dunbar Harbour

We finally made it to Dunbar and the first stop was the harbour.

The wind made its presence known. There was no doubt what time of year it was. November! At the same time, we were on the coast so it was to be expected. We were well-wrapped. We chose a small alley to get to the water.

When we arrived I was surprised by what I saw. It was so quiet and so few boats. It is usually a hive of activity but not on this day. I had not seen the harbour so inactive before. It had a very different feel.

Boats and people were few but the waves were plentiful! We had a quick look at the memorial and took in the view of what was left of Dunbar castle, then made our way to the beach.

John Muir Country Park & and Dunbar beach

I had a “thing” about seeing Dunbar beach mainly because I have not been there before and secondly a friend told me that sometimes they train horses at that location. I have had an itch to go there ever since. We drove to the John Muir Country Park as the locals advised that it was a nice walk and had good access to the beach.

We were taken by the open landscape and the share size of the beach. The tide was low which added to the sense of scale.

Of course, we had to see Belhaven Bridge, sometimes called “The Bridge To Nowhere”. As the tide was low, it did not have the same impact or effect but it was good to see nonetheless.

We both agreed we need to return in the Spring or Summer. After all, it would be nice to see horses 😆

What a great way to spend the morning!

I recently made a pitstop at Anstruther. I was returning to Edinburgh however my curiosity got the better of me.

I figured I could jump off at the harbour for an hour or two. So that is exactly what I did! Although the stop was right on the harbour, I took a quick detour to embrace the surrounding village streets.

I was met with lovely narrow alleyways that reflected its history. It was just missing the cobblestones that I have become accustomed to that grace other coastal fishing villages. It was enjoyable all the same.