Berwickshire Coastal Path

The Route
It may seem hardly necessary to provide directions for
the coastal path other than saying walk north or south
keeping the sea on your right or left! Alongside some
very interesting facts along the way there are a number
of twists and turns through towns and villages which are
highlighted in the following guide.
Why not view the sculptures and collect Bronze Trail
Markers along the way? See page 40 43
F a c i l i t i e s a n d r e f r e s h m e n t s
B u r n m o u t h T h e G u l l s N e s t . T h e F i r s t & L a s t p u b .
E y e m o u t h C h o i c e o f m a n y s h o p s , r e s t a u r a n t s , c a f e s
a n d b a r s .
A y t o n S h o p , b a n k , P o s t O f c e a n d p u b .
C o l d i n g h a m S h o p s , t o i l e t s , P o s t O f c e , g a r a g e , p u b s
S t A b b s H a r b o u r - S h o p , c a f e s , v i s i t o r s c e n t r e ,
t o i l e t s .
C o l d i n g h a m S a n d s H o t e l , t o i l e t s , ( B e a c h C a f e a n d
B e a c h G u a r d s - s u m m e r o n l y )
R e n t o n B a r n s o n A 1 a t G r a n t s h o u s e T o i l e t s a n d c a f .
C o c k b u r n s p a t h T o i l e t s , s h o p / P o s t O f c e a n d g a r a g e .
B i r d l i f e a n d B u t t e r i e s
F r o m s p r i n g t o s u m m e r t h o u s a n d s o f b i r d s w i l l b e
n e s t i n g a n d r e a r i n g y o u n g . L o o k o u t f o r ; k i t t i w a k e ;
g u i l l e m o t ; r a z o r b i l l ; f u l m a r ; s h a g , p u f n a n d p e r e g r i n e ,
w a d e r s i n c l u d e h e r o n , t u r n s t o n e , o y s t e r c a t c h e r ,
s a n d p i p e r a n d c u r l e w .
T h e a r e a i s g o o d f o r b u t t e r i e s , e s p e c i a l l y a t S t A b b s
H e a d . T h e r a r e N o r t h e r n B r o w n A r g u s c a n o f t e n b e s e e n
n e a r r o c k r o s e . O t h e r b u t t e r i e s y o u m a y s e e i n c l u d e
c o m m o n b l u e , w a l l b r o w n , g r a y l i n g a n d t h e p a i n t e d l a d y .
T h e s i x - s p o t b u r n e t m o t h i s p r e s e n t i n J u l y .
T H E T R I P
C a n I u n d e r t a k e t h e r o u t e i n o n e t r i p ? D o I w a l k n o r t h
o r s o u t h ? D e p e n d a n t o n y o u r h o m e l o c a t i o n e i t h e r m a y
b e p r e f e r a b l e . Y o u m a y w i s h t o p l a n y o u r t r i p a r o u n d
y o u r a c c o m m o d a t i o n l o c a t i o n a n d u n d e r t a k e t h e w a l k
o n i n d i v i d u a l d a y s . A f r e q u e n t b u s s e r v i c e a l l o w s
e x i b i l i t y f o r p l a n n i n g a d a y o u t . D o w l a w h a s n o b u s
s e r v i c e b u t a t a x i m a y b e a n o p t i o n .
T w o d a y s
S t r o n g w a l k e r s m i g h t m a n a g e t h e r o u t e i n t w o d a y s , b u t
t h e r e i s s o m u c h t o s e e w e r e c o m m e n d t h r e e r e l a x i n g d a y s .
T h r e e d a y s
T a k e t i m e t o e n j o y a l l t h a t t h e t o w n s a n d v i l l a g e s a l o n g
t h e w a y h a v e t o o f f e r . T h i s o p t i o n e n t a i l s t a c k l i n g t h e
l o n g e s t d a y , b e t w e e n C o c k b u r n s p a t h a n d S t A b b s i n o n e
g o , t o a v o i d l e a v i n g t r a n s p o r t a t D o w l a w .
F o u r d a y s
F o u r d a y t r i p s w i l l r e q u i r e l e a v i n g t r a n s p o r t a t D o w l a w -
t h i s i s n o t p e r m i t t e d o v e r n i g h t . T h i s o p t i o n a l l o w s p l e n t y
o f t i m e t o e x p l o r e C o v e ; C o c k b u r n s p a t h ; F a s t C a s t l e a t
D o w l a w ( e n t r y n o t r e c o m m e n d e d : u n g u a r d e d c l i f f s ) ;
S t A b b s ; C o l d i n g h a m a n d E y e m o u t h .
A c c o m m o d a t i o n
w w w . v i s i t s c o t t i s h b o r d e r s . c o m
I n f o r m a t i o n S e r v i c e - 0 1 8 3 5 8 6 3 1 7 0
T r a v e l - L e a v e t h e C a r b e h i n d !
A n h o u r l y b u s i s a v a i l a b l e b e t w e e n B e r w i c k ,
B u r n m o u t h , E y e m o u t h , C o l d i n g h a m , S t A b b s a n d
C o c k b u r n s p a t h .
0 8 7 1 2 0 0 2 2 3 3
O r
w w w . p e r r y m a n s b u s e s . c o . u k
0 1 2 8 9 3 0 8 7 1 9
B u s n u m b e r s : 2 5 3 , 2 3 5 , 2 3 6
T a x i R a n k s a n d p r i v a t e h i r e i n E y e m o u t h
a n d B e r w i c k .
C o a s t a l G e o l o g y
T h e o l d e s t r o c k s h e r e a r e S i l u r i a n g r e y w a c k e w h i c h
f o r m e d o n t h e s e a b e d s o m e 4 4 0 m i l l i o n y e a r s
a g o . T h r o u g h p l a t e m o v e m e n t t h e s e h a v e b e c o m e
i n t e n s e l y f o l d e d a n d f a u l t e d , v i s i b l e n o m o r e s o t h a n o n
G u n s g r e e n i n E y e m o u t h .
T h e D e v o n i a n O l d R e d S a n d s t o n e ( 3 4 5 m i l l i o n y e a r s o l d )
c a n b e s e e n a r o u n d L i n k i m S h o r e , E y e m o u t h F o r t a n d
S i c c a r P o i n t . T h e w h o l e o f t h e B e r w i c k s h i r e c o a s t i s
n o t e d f o r i t s g e o l o g i c a l i n t e r e s t , e s p e c i a l l y S i c c a r p o i n t
w h e r e t h e s e t w o r o c k f o r m s v i s i b l y m e e t .
P l a n t s
T h r i f t i s p a r t i c u l a r l y n o t i c e a b l e i n M a y a n d J u n e ,
g r o w i n g i n d e n s e m a t s a n d g i v i n g a w o n d e r f u l b l a z e o f
p i n k . G o r s e a d d s i t s b r i g h t y e l l o w i n t h e e a r l y s p r i n g
p e r i o d . T h e r i c h v a r i e t y o f o r a i n c l u d e s :
S p r i n g p r i m r o s e , c o w s l i p , m e a d o w s a x i f r a g e , s c u r v y
g r a s s , e a r l y p u r p l e o r c h i d ;
e a r l y S u m m e r t h r i f t , p u r p l e m i l k v e t c h , b i r d s f o o t
t r e f o i l , a n d n o r t h e r n m a r s h o r c h i d s i n w e t t e r a r e a s ;
S u m m e r r a g g e d r o b i n , m e a d o w s w e e t , w i l l o w h e r b .
S t A b b s H e a d
E A S T C O A S T F I S H I N G D I S A S T E R
B l a c k F r i d a y , O c t o b e r 1 4 t h 1 8 8 1 c o m m e m o r a t e s t h e w o r s t
s h i n g d i s a s t e r i n S c o t l a n d s h i s t o r y . A f e r o c i o u s h u r r i c a n e
d e v a s t a t e d t h e s h i n g e e t o f f t h e e a s t c o a s t t a k i n g 1 8 9 l i v e s .
W i d o w s a n d C h i l d r e n o f t h e D i s a s t e r
B y J i l l W a t s o n .
T h e s e p o i g n a n t s c u l p t u r e s h a v e b e e n p l a c e d i n E y e m o u t h ,
B u r n m o u t h , S t A b b s a n d C o v e t o d e p i c t t h e e x a c t n u m b e r s
o f w o m e n w i d o w e d a n d t h e i r c h i l d r e n l o o k i n g o u t t o s e a f o r
t h e i r l o v e d o n e s t h a t n e v e r r e t u r n e d . T h e d e a d l y s t o r m l e f t 9 3
w o m e n a s w i d o w s a n d 2 6 7 c h i l d r e n w i t h o u t
t h e i r f a t h e r s .
O f 4 5 b o a t s t h a t h a d g o n e t o s e a , o n l y
2 6 r e t u r n e d . T h e l o s s o f s o m a n y
h u s b a n d s , f a t h e r s a n d s o n s l e d t o
m a n y s u r v i v o r s l e a v i n g E y e m o u t h .
T h e p o p u l a t i o n l e v e l d i d n o t r e c o v e r
u n t i l 1 9 7 1 .
W i d o w s a n d C h i l d r e n o f
t h e D i s a s t e r J i l l W a t s o n
R M S M a u r e t a n i a
K i t t i e w a k e
C o m m o n r o c k r o s e
S t A b b s
S i c c a r P o i n t

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Berwickshire
COASTAL PATH
Cockburnspath to Berwick
28mls/45km
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COUNTRYSIDE AND HERITAGE
Environment and Infrastructure | Scottish Borders Council
| Council Headquarters | Newtown St Boswells |
MELROSE | TD6 0SA
Tel: 01835 824000 | email: [email protected]
You can get this document on tape, in large print, and various
other formats by contacting us at the address below. In
addition, contact the address below for information on
language translations, additional copies, or to arrange for an
ofcer to meet with you to explain any areas of the publication
that you would like claried.
Boats lost
Radiant, Janet, Lass O Gowrie, Sunshine, Fiery Cross,
Enterprise, Margaret & Mary, Velox, Good Intent, Excellent
Margaret & Catherine, Robinas, Pearl, Stormy Petrel,
Lily of the Valley, Beautiful, Press Home, Renown, Wave
Industry, Alice, Florida, Six Brothers, Harmony, Myrtle,
Invincible, James & Alice, Concord, Economy, Christina,
Two Sisters, Fisher Lassies, Snowden,Transcendent,
Perserverance, Guiding Star, Forget Me Not & Blossom.
Bronze Trail Markers
Twelve Bronze Trail Markers, by artist John Behm, link
the four memorial sculptures along the route.
1. Find these markers using your navigation skills or a
GPS (co ordinates on map);
2. Take rubbings on good stout loose paper with
crayons or coloured pencils. The main (Eyemouth)
rubbing needs a piece of paper of roughly A3 size,
the others are smaller.
3. Together they form a patchwork picture or collage,
within the framework found on Eyemouth
Harbour entrance wall. The collage illustrates
aspects of shing life in 1881: hard working sher
lads and sher lassies; the baiting of lines; es
under sail; the gear and the craft of it all.
You don t have to walk the Coastal Path to collect
these gifts. Undertake this challenge by car, by
foot or by bike. To promote a sense of unexpected
gift we have left the location deliberately weak.
Good luck and remember to take care near the cliffs!
The 125 Memorial Association
Are seeking to raise further funds to complete the
sculpture in Eyemouth. If you are moved by the event,
donations to help complete the memorials may be made
to the 125 Memorial Association : Registered Charity
number: SC007176 at the banks or the Post Ofce in
Eyemouth by quoting: Sort Code: 832030 Account Number:
00189909.
www.eastcoastshingdisaster.com
Berwickshire
Coastal Path
Cockburnspath to Berwick
28mls (45km)
With the second highest cliffs on the east coast of
Britain the Borders has one of the most spectacular
coastlines in Britain. This area is nationally and
internationally important for seabirds, coastal ora
and marine life.
St Abbs and Eyemouth voluntary Marine
Reserve.
marine-reserve.co.uk
National Trust for Scotland
St Abbs Head National Nature Reserve
nts.org.uk/stabbs
WAYMARKED ROUTE
It may seem unnecessary to provide directions other
than saying walk north or south keeping the sea on
your right or left! You will nd interesting facts about
the history of the landscape inside this leaet.
scottishbordersheritage.co.uk
Why not view the sculptures and collect Bronze Trail
Markers along the way?
Sea Arch, Marshall Meadows
Coldingham Bay St Abbs Lighthouse Jason Baxter
B e r w i c k s h i r e
C O A S T A L P A T H
C o c k b u r n s p a t h t o B e r w i c k
2 8 m l s / 4 5 k m
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C O U N T R Y S I D E A N D H E R I T A G E
E n v i r o n m e n t a n d I n f r a s t r u c t u r e | S c o t t i s h B o r d e r s C o u n c i l
| C o u n c i l H e a d q u a r t e r s | N e w t o w n S t B o s w e l l s |
M E L R O S E | T D 6 0 S A
T e l : 0 1 8 3 5 8 2 4 0 0 0 | e m a i l : r a n g e r s @ s c o t b o r d e r s . g o v . u k
Y o u c a n g e t t h i s d o c u m e n t o n t a p e , i n l a r g e p r i n t , a n d v a r i o u s
o t h e r f o r m a t s b y c o n t a c t i n g u s a t t h e a d d r e s s b e l o w . I n
a d d i t i o n , c o n t a c t t h e a d d r e s s b e l o w f o r i n f o r m a t i o n o n
l a n g u a g e t r a n s l a t i o n s , a d d i t i o n a l c o p i e s , o r t o a r r a n g e f o r a n
o f c e r t o m e e t w i t h y o u t o e x p l a i n a n y a r e a s o f t h e p u b l i c a t i o n
t h a t y o u w o u l d l i k e c l a r i e d .
B o a t s l o s t
R a d i a n t , J a n e t , L a s s O G o w r i e , S u n s h i n e , F i e r y C r o s s ,
E n t e r p r i s e , M a r g a r e t & M a r y , V e l o x , G o o d I n t e n t , E x c e l l e n t
M a r g a r e t & C a t h e r i n e , R o b i n a s , P e a r l , S t o r m y P e t r e l ,
L i l y o f t h e V a l l e y , B e a u t i f u l , P r e s s H o m e , R e n o w n , W a v e
I n d u s t r y , A l i c e , F l o r i d a , S i x B r o t h e r s , H a r m o n y , M y r t l e ,
I n v i n c i b l e , J a m e s & A l i c e , C o n c o r d , E c o n o m y , C h r i s t i n a ,
T w o S i s t e r s , F i s h e r L a s s i e s , S n o w d e n , T r a n s c e n d e n t ,
P e r s e r v e r a n c e , G u i d i n g S t a r , F o r g e t - M e - N o t & B l o s s o m .
B r o n z e T r a i l M a r k e r s
T w e l v e B r o n z e T r a i l M a r k e r s , b y a r t i s t J o h n B e h m , l i n k
t h e f o u r m e m o r i a l s c u l p t u r e s a l o n g t h e r o u t e .
1 . F i n d t h e s e m a r k e r s u s i n g y o u r n a v i g a t i o n s k i l l s o r a
G P S ( c o - o r d i n a t e s o n m a p ) ;
2 . T a k e r u b b i n g s o n g o o d s t o u t l o o s e p a p e r w i t h
c r a y o n s o r c o l o u r e d p e n c i l s . T h e m a i n ( E y e m o u t h )
r u b b i n g n e e d s a p i e c e o f p a p e r o f r o u g h l y A 3 s i z e ,
t h e o t h e r s a r e s m a l l e r .
3 . T o g e t h e r t h e y f o r m a p a t c h w o r k p i c t u r e o r c o l l a g e ,
w i t h i n t h e f r a m e w o r k f o u n d o n E y e m o u t h
H a r b o u r e n t r a n c e w a l l . T h e c o l l a g e i l l u s t r a t e s
a s p e c t s o f s h i n g l i f e i n 1 8 8 1 : h a r d - w o r k i n g s h e r
l a d s a n d s h e r l a s s i e s ; t h e b a i t i n g o f l i n e s ; e s
u n d e r s a i l ; t h e g e a r a n d t h e c r a f t o f i t a l l .
Y o u d o n t h a v e t o w a l k t h e C o a s t a l P a t h t o c o l l e c t
t h e s e g i f t s . U n d e r t a k e t h i s c h a l l e n g e b y c a r , b y
f o o t o r b y b i k e . T o p r o m o t e a s e n s e o f u n e x p e c t e d
g i f t w e h a v e l e f t t h e l o c a t i o n d e l i b e r a t e l y w e a k .
G o o d l u c k a n d r e m e m b e r t o t a k e c a r e n e a r t h e c l i f f s !
T h e 1 2 5 M e m o r i a l A s s o c i a t i o n
A r e s e e k i n g t o r a i s e f u r t h e r f u n d s t o c o m p l e t e t h e
s c u l p t u r e i n E y e m o u t h . I f y o u a r e m o v e d b y t h e e v e n t ,
d o n a t i o n s t o h e l p c o m p l e t e t h e m e m o r i a l s m a y b e m a d e
t o t h e 1 2 5 M e m o r i a l A s s o c i a t i o n : R e g i s t e r e d C h a r i t y
n u m b e r : S C 0 0 7 1 7 6 a t t h e b a n k s o r t h e P o s t O f c e i n
E y e m o u t h b y q u o t i n g : S o r t C o d e : 8 3 2 0 3 0 A c c o u n t N u m b e r :
0 0 1 8 9 9 0 9 .
w w w . e a s t c o a s t s h i n g d i s a s t e r . c o m
B e r w i c k s h i r e
C o a s t a l P a t h
C o c k b u r n s p a t h t o B e r w i c k
2 8 m l s ( 4 5 k m )
W i t h t h e s e c o n d h i g h e s t c l i f f s o n t h e e a s t c o a s t o f
B r i t a i n t h e B o r d e r s h a s o n e o f t h e m o s t s p e c t a c u l a r
c o a s t l i n e s i n B r i t a i n . T h i s a r e a i s n a t i o n a l l y a n d
i n t e r n a t i o n a l l y i m p o r t a n t f o r s e a b i r d s , c o a s t a l o r a
a n d m a r i n e l i f e .
S t A b b s a n d E y e m o u t h v o l u n t a r y M a r i n e
R e s e r v e .
m a r i n e - r e s e r v e . c o . u k
N a t i o n a l T r u s t f o r S c o t l a n d
S t A b b s H e a d N a t i o n a l N a t u r e R e s e r v e
n t s . o r g . u k / s t a b b s
W A Y M A R K E D R O U T E
I t m a y s e e m u n n e c e s s a r y t o p r o v i d e d i r e c t i o n s o t h e r
t h a n s a y i n g w a l k n o r t h o r s o u t h k e e p i n g t h e s e a o n
y o u r r i g h t o r l e f t ! Y o u w i l l n d i n t e r e s t i n g f a c t s a b o u t
t h e h i s t o r y o f t h e l a n d s c a p e i n s i d e t h i s l e a e t .
s c o t t i s h b o r d e r s h e r i t a g e . c o . u k
W h y n o t v i e w t h e s c u l p t u r e s a n d c o l l e c t B r o n z e T r a i l
M a r k e r s a l o n g t h e w a y ?
S e a A r c h , M a r s h a l l M e a d o w s
C o l d i n g h a m B a y S t A b b s L i g h t h o u s e - J a s o n B a x t e r
B e r w i c k s h i r e C o a s t a l P a t h
T h e R o u t e
I t m a y s e e m h a r d l y n e c e s s a r y t o p r o v i d e d i r e c t i o n s f o r
t h e c o a s t a l p a t h o t h e r t h a n s a y i n g w a l k n o r t h o r s o u t h
k e e p i n g t h e s e a o n y o u r r i g h t o r l e f t ! A l o n g s i d e s o m e
v e r y i n t e r e s t i n g f a c t s a l o n g t h e w a y t h e r e a r e a n u m b e r
o f t w i s t s a n d t u r n s t h r o u g h t o w n s a n d v i l l a g e s w h i c h a r e
h i g h l i g h t e d i n t h e f o l l o w i n g g u i d e .
W h y n o t v i e w t h e s c u l p t u r e s a n d c o l l e c t B r o n z e T r a i l
M a r k e r s a l o n g t h e w a y ? S e e p a g e 4 0 4 3




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ofwomenwidowedandtheirchildrenlookingouttoseafor
Dowlaw(entrynotrecommended:unguardedcliffs); Thesix spotburnetmothispresentinJuly.
theirlovedonesthatneverreturned. Thedeadlystormleft93
StAbbs;ColdinghamandEyemouth.
womenaswidowsand267childrenwithout
Plants theirfathers.
Accommodation ThriftisparticularlynoticeableinMayandJune, Of45boatsthathadgonetosea,only
www.visitscottishborders.com growingindensematsandgivingawonderfulblazeof 26returned. Thelossofsomany
InformationService-01835863170 pink.Gorseaddsitsbrightyellowintheearlyspring husbands,fathersandsonsledto
period.Therichvarietyoforaincludes: manysurvivorsleavingEyemouth.
Travel - Leave the Car behind!
Springprimrose,cowslip,meadowsaxifrage,scurvy Thepopulationleveldidnotrecover
AnhourlybusisavailablebetweenBerwick,
grass,earlypurpleorchid; until1971.
Burnmouth,Eyemouth,Coldingham,StAbbsand
earlySummerthrift,purplemilkvetch,birdsfoot
Cockburnspath.
trefoil,andnorthernmarshorchidsinwetterareas;
08712002233
Summerraggedrobin,meadowsweet,willowherb.
WidowsandChildrenof
StAbbsHead
theDisasterJillWatson
RMSMauretania
Kittiewake
Commonrockrose
StAbbs
SiccarPoint
Or
www.perrymansbuses.co.uk
01289308719
Busnumbers:253,235,236
TaxiRanksandprivatehireinEyemouth
andBerwick.
THE TRIP
CanIundertaketherouteinonetrip?DoIwalknorth
orsouth? Dependantonyourhomelocationeithermay
bepreferable.Youmaywishtoplanyourtriparound
youraccommodationlocationandundertakethewalk
onindividualdays. Afrequentbusserviceallows
exibilityforplanningadayout.Dowlawhasnobus
servicebutataximaybeanoption.
Two days
Strongwalkersmightmanagetherouteintwodays,but
thereissomuchtoseewerecommendthreerelaxingdays.
Three days
Taketimetoenjoyallthatthetownsandvillagesalong
thewayhavetooffer.Thisoptionentailstacklingthe
longestday,betweenCockburnspathandStAbbsinone
go,toavoidleavingtransportatDowlaw.
Four days
FourdaytripswillrequireleavingtransportatDowlaw-
thisisnotpermittedovernight.Thisoptionallowsplenty
oftimetoexploreCove;Cockburnspath;FastCastleat
Facilities and refreshments
Burnmouth TheGullsNest. TheFirst&Lastpub.
Eyemouth Choiceofmanyshops,restaurants,cafes
andbars.
Ayton Shop,bank,PostOfceandpub.
Coldingham Shops,toilets,PostOfce,garage,pubs
StAbbsHarbour Shop,cafes,visitorscentre,
toilets.
ColdinghamSands Hotel,toilets,(BeachCafeand
BeachGuards summeronly)
RentonBarnsonA1atGrantshouse Toiletsandcaf.
Cockburnspath Toilets,shop/PostOfceandgarage.
Birdlife and Butteries
Fromspringtosummerthousandsofbirdswillbe
nestingandrearingyoung. Lookoutfor;kittiwake;
guillemot;razorbill;fulmar;shag,pufnandperegrine,
wadersincludeheron,turnstone,oystercatcher,
sandpiperandcurlew.
Theareaisgoodforbutteries,especiallyatStAbbs
Head. TherareNorthernBrownArguscanoftenbeseen
nearrockrose.Otherbutteriesyoumayseeinclude
commonblue,wallbrown,graylingandthepaintedlady.
Coastal Geology
TheoldestrockshereareSiluriangreywackewhich
formedontheseabedsome440millionyears
ago. Throughplatemovementthesehavebecome
intenselyfoldedandfaulted,visiblenomoresothanon
GunsgreeninEyemouth.
TheDevonianOldRedSandstone(345millionyearsold)
canbeseenaroundLinkim Shore, Eyemouth Fort and
Siccar Point. ThewholeoftheBerwickshirecoastis
notedforitsgeologicalinterest,especiallySiccar point
wherethesetworockformsvisiblymeet.
EAST COAST FISHING DISASTER
BlackFriday,October14th1881commemoratestheworst
shingdisasterinScotlandshistory. Aferocioushurricane
devastatedtheshingeetofftheeastcoasttaking189lives.
Widows and Children of the Disaster
By Jill Watson.
ThesepoignantsculptureshavebeenplacedinEyemouth,
Burnmouth,StAbbsandCovetodepicttheexactnumbers
Pettico Wick
Cockburnspath to Dowlaw 7mls (12km)
Cockburnspath is the terminus of the Southern Upland
Way which leads walkers to, or from, Portpatrick,
212 miles(340km) away in Dumfries and Galloway.
Recently the village has been connected to the John
Muir Way which leads walkers through East Lothian to
Musselburgh, on the fringes of Edinburgh.
Pease Bay
This Site of Special Scientic Interest is managed by the
Scottish Wildlife Trust as a Nature Reserve. Look out
for woodpeckers, treecreepers, dippers and various tits
and nches. Roe deer and red squirrels have also been
known to make this reserve their home.
Siccar Point and St Helens Church
A revolutionary moment in the history of geology came
in 1788, when James Hutton, James Hall and John
Playfair took a boat to Siccar Point where they found
horizontal layers of red sandstone overlying older,
steeply pitched sedimentary rocks known as greywacke.
The site conrmed Huttons theory that the Earth was
much older than six thousand years, the age (4004 BC)
computed from the Bible by Bishop Usher in 1654. We
now know that the Devonian red sandstones were laid
down some 345 million years ago in desert conditions
and overlay the eroded surface of highly folded Silurian
sediments which had formed 80 million years earlier on
the bottom of a long-vanished ocean.
Dedicated to the mother of Emperor Constantine,
St Helens Church served the former parish of
Aldcambus which was united with Cockburnspath after
the Reformation of 1560.
Dowlaw to St Abbs 6mls (10km)
Fast Castle
Fast Castle occupies a dramatic, sheer-sided rock
jutting out into the sea. Stumps of masonry represent
the nal stage of a castle which was visited by Mary
Queen of Scots in 1566 and captured by an English
force in 1570. Entry is not recommended due to the
unguarded cliffs and the site is best viewed from the
higher ground on the landward side. Sir Walter Scott
later set part of his novel, Bride of Lammermuir here,
calling it Wolfs Crag.
Admiralty Distance Poles
Two sets of poles over a measured mile enabled
shipping companies to test the speed of ocean going
vessels. The Cunard liner RMS Mauretania was
launched in 1906 and reached 25.73 knots, making her
the largest and fastest ship in the world and securing
the mail contract with America for over twenty years.
Tun Law
At 500ft (150m) this is the highest cliff on the
Berwickshire coast, also the site of two Iron Age forts,
which are represented by defensive banks and ditches
on the landward side.
Pettico Wick and St Abbs Head
A favourite venue for divers, the cove of Pettico Wick
has magnicent views of the coastline. The jetty was
built to land supplies for the lighthouse prior to the
road and this was also the location of an early salmon
shing station. Beyond St Abbs Lighthouse is Kirk
Hill, site of the 7th century monastery of St bba and
a later chapel. St Abbs Head National Nature Reserve
is famous for its many thousands of seabirds and wild
coastal plants.
GunsgreenHouse.org
St Abbs to Eyemouth 3mls (6km) (a short but popular section)
Coldingham
In the early 700s the rst English historian, Bede, wrote about a place
named urbs Coludi or Coluds fort and the village of Coldingham
represents the settlement of the descendents of Colud. The fort is
now identied as Kirk Hill on St Abbs Head, which is named after a
royal princess, bba of the royal house of Northumbria, who set up a
monastery of monks and nuns there. The present priory of Coldingham
dates back at least nine centuries to 1098 when it was established by King
Edgar for Benedictine monks from Durham. Men from Fishers Brae in
Coldingham worked their boats fromSt Abbs shore before the harbour
was constructed. They carried their creels (lobster pots) down the Creel
Path.
Coldingham Bay is an award-winning beach lying about a mile from the
village and its sheltered sands are popular with holidaymakers in the
summer months when the Beach Caf is open and Beach Guards patrol.
Eyemouth has been Scotlands largest south-eastern port since1482
when Berwick upon Tweed was lost to England. In the wars of the mid-
16th century Fort Point was fortied twice; by the English in the 1540s
and by the French several years later. Created a Burgh of Barony in
1597, Eyemouth is the largest town in Berwickshire and the
River Eyes deep water is still ideal for landing boats. The town was
once more popular than Gretna Green because of the marriage house
on the Great North Road at Lamberton, where eloping English couples
could cross into Scotland to wed. Gunsgreen House was built by local
smuggler and merchant John Nisbet in the 1750s from the prots of his
trade and has recently undergone a major refurbishment.

Eyemouth to Berwick upon Tweed 11mls (17km)
The small harbour at Burnmouth (3mls (6km)) was improved in 1879 and
1959 to serve the shoreline shing communities of Partanhall, Cowdrait and
Ross who shipped out their catches through Upper Burnmouth, which is on
the Great North Road and main line railway. Partan is the local name for a
crab.
Berwick upon Tweed
Berwick has changed hands no fewer than fourteen times and although
English since 1482, its football team still plays in the Scottish League!
The ramparts provide a popular promenade around the town and were built
in their present form in the 16th century in response to the construction
of a French fort at Eyemouth. The Barracks were designed by Nicholas
Hawksmoor (more famous for his London churches) and built in 1711-21,
making them the oldest in Britain. The Tweed is crossed by Old Berwick
Bridge (1611) with its fteen sandstone arches, the Royal Tweed Bridge
(1925) and Robert Stephensons Royal Border Bridge (1847-50), which
carries the main East Coast railway line.
Dowlaw Brass
Fast Castle
Dowlaw Brass
Rubbing
Rubbing
Redheugh & Siccar
Point