It was a really slow January for me. It did not help that I had a wicked cold that lasted weeks but hey! I’m back and with that, I am attempting to resume my walks in the bonnie capital, Edinburgh. So on this brisk morn, Princes Street gardens were my destination.
On my way to Princes Street gardens, it was uplifting to see bulbs surfacing and early blooms making an appearance. Daffodil season is not that far away. The promise of Spring just feels good.
As always, with many of the trees bare this time of year, there was an excellent view of the surrounding buildings. Even with the absence of foliage, the castle looked grand.
A reflective stroll at the gardens took me to a carpet of snowdrops in early bloom. The scent was invigorating.
What a pleasant walk. Lots of evidence that Spring is not that far away. I can’t wait.
I was reminiscing as I waded through old photos. I loved my St Abb pics and decided to write a post to share that experience with you.
This hike actually started in Coldingham Bay in the Scottish Borders. Our destination was St Abbs Head as shown in the above maps.
When we arrived at Coldingham we quickly passed the beach and headed across the dunes to St Abbs harbour.
We made a short stop at the village. The village was originally known as Coldingham Shore, the name St Abbs was adopted in the 1890s. The new name was derived from St Abbs Head, a rocky projection located to the north of the village which is where we were heading.
The village is a small picturesque fishing village which is still active today.
As we stopped we took in the views from the lookout point. The gulls were in full form. It was such a invigorating view.
After that stop we continued journey to St Anbs Head, periodically stopping to take in the coastal views
The landscape was breathtaking.
The sheet openness and coastal undulation of the land surrounding us was mesmerizing.
We finally go there. It was awesome.
When seeing a place like this you are reminded how small we all are in the grand scheme of things. What a magnificent view. In fact views.
We stopped for lunch and then slowly made our way back but this time we spent time at the beach.
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.
Bass Rock
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 😆
Edinburgh is certainly not short of trails. We have our pick which is a wonderful plus for living in the city. On this occasion, I wanted to do a short walk and so I decided to walk the Warriston path.
As I walked across what was once a bridge for trains, I could see the cemetery. It was a little overgrown but still visible.
I couldn’t help but admire the ivy overgrowth on the remaining structures of the old railway. They looked like natural coats bracing for the upcoming winter.
Perhaps that was related to my mood! A coat was very much necessary for this walk 😆
We were exploring the Northern coast of the Isle of Lewis. Having visited the beaches in Harris we were intrigued by Lewis’ offering. We had already visited Dalmore Bay. On this trip, we headed to Bosta Beach.
Bosta beach is located on a small island that is linked to Lewis via a bridge. So it is really another small island called Great Bernera.
Below is a brief description of our destination:
Bosta (Bostadh) Beach is situated on Great Bernera – a small island connected by a short bridge to the north of the Isle of Lewis.Set in a valley, the beach is made up of fine, pale golden sand. Numerous islands in the bay and beyond break up much of the Atlantic swell making this much more sheltered than other north coast beaches. Bosta is also home to an Iron Age village which was only recently discovered after it emerged from the sands following a storm. Along with the well-preserved village is a replica house, complete with thatched roof, overlooking the beach.
Isle of Lewis has beautiful beaches too! we were off to explore one or two. On this journey, Dalmore Bay (Traigh Dhail Mhor) was our destination.
Dalmore bay is located on the north coast of Lewis across Stornoway. Below is a more formal description taken from The Beach Guide:
Set on the exposed north coast of the Isle of Lewis the next stop is Iceland. This secluded section of the coast takes the full brunt of the Atlantic swells. The beach is made of a good stretch of golden sand flanked by rugged cliffs. At the north eastern end of the beach are a couple of sea stacks.
As we approached the bay we could hear the water. We noticed that there was often a burial ground near the coast. I have since learned that is because the land near a beach is easier to dig compared to the rocky inland locations.
It was windy and the water was “ choppy”. The waves were strong. The beach was lovely. Beautiful white sand and crystal clear water. A little cold but lovely nonetheless.
