Return to North Berwick

Midway through my Sunday walk towards Prestongrange I got a phone call to say that my early morning trip to Bass Rock was off due to the dangerous high swell around the rock. I wasn’t entirely surprised, having been here before. The Bass Rock has a swell all of its own that is quite tricky at the best of times.

A landing on the Bass Rock continues to prove elusive, but a regular sightseeing trip around the rock was as enjoyable as ever. Who could tire of the spectacle of sea bird city!?

Bass Rock

I made the most of the remaining time in North Berwick to reacquaint myself with the sweet treats at Bostocks Bakery, sampled some more award winning ice cream at Alandas and check out the hares that had been installed since my last visit (part of ‘The Big Hare Trail‘ in support of Leuchie House). It was good to be back. There is something wonderfully calming about the landscapes here and the sunrises/sunsets were as wonderful as ever.

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Marvels of the Isle of May

I thought that nothing could surpass the wonders of the Bass Rock, but today we set off from North Berwick on a boat trip to the Isle of May and I discovered just how wrong I could be. I have seen few places as beautiful as the Isle of May where 90,000 puffins breed each year, perfectly described by the reserve manager as “the feeling of being inside a puffin snow globe”.

Puffins galore

The Isle of May is an island nature reserve located in the outer Firth of Forth, just 5 miles off the Scottish coast, and sees an incredible mix of seabirds between spring and autumn including arctic terns, shags, guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes, fulmars, gulls and puffins. However, it was the seals that were the first to greet us as we glided in to Kirkhaven Harbour – some ducking underwater as we approached while others looked very chilled out on the rocks.

Upon landing we gathered on the jetty and our guide gave us a quick introduction to the arctic terns. The terns nest on the ground between the harbour and the visitor centre, which is a bit of a problem when the crucial junction between the two main walking routes around the island sits slap bang in the centre. Anyone walking along this path is a target as the terns aggressively try to repel the threat they see to their chicks.

Our guide recommended that we put any hats on and put a hand above our head with wiggling fingers to make a moving target that would be harder for the terns, while keeping an eye out for any of their crazy chicks that might have strayed on to the path! It’s particularly important not to wave your hands to swat the terns away as that would risk injuring the birds.

It was a little unnerving running the gauntlet of the noisy swooping terns but once through we could relax and begin to appreciate the incredible beauty of the island. It’s absolutely stunning and that’s before you even get to the thousands of puffins that are everywhere you look at this time of year (the first puffins arrive in March and most leave in August). You see the puffins congregating on the rocks and cliff tops, or flying around in flocks, while their pufflings are hidden away in their burrows.

The Main Light (1816)

Our wanders round the island presented us with plenty of opportunities to take in the scenic viewpoints, puffins and the striking castle-like lighthouse created by famed lighthouse builder Robert Stevenson in 1816. All the while you have to be careful to keep to the paths as the puffins have built their burrows right up to the edge and one wrong step could crush the burrow and the chicks inside. Basically, the island is a honeycomb of burrows at this time of year!

It’s hard to know where to look as a photographer with so much you could snap, but attempting to capture the classic shot of puffins with their beaks full of sand eels was good fun. We didn’t expect to see any pufflings as they still well hidden in their burrows to avoid becoming gull-snacks, only coming out at night when they are ready. Besides the puffins, there were plenty of cute grey gull chicks around the island, mostly in trios, plus thousands of cliff-nesters such as razorbills and guillemots.

The island has a compelling story to tell, which includes the ruins of the priory established by Kind David I (1135), the remains of Scotland’s first lighthouse (1636) and Scotland’s oldest bird observatory (established 1934 in the old low lighthouse that dates back to 1843). There are curious concrete leftovers from WW2 scattered across the island as well, remnants of the part played by the island in the defence of the Forth.

The South Horn (1918)

I found myself fascinated by the two foghorns (1918 and 1938) and the elaborate system of pipes and compressed air tanks required to make them work. They really look like the work of some mad sculptor, but played a vital role in warning shipping up to five miles away when a haar crept over the island and the surrounding waters. Each had a distinctive sound intended to help sailors tell them apart.

Our time on the island (around 3 hours) came to an end far too quickly. The arctic terns seemed a little less energetic as we headed down to the jetty, but maybe they had exhausted themselves swooping on the passengers of the May Princess (the boat from Anstruther) which had boarded before us. The island had one last treat for us as we left with the sighting of at least 30 seals basking on the rocks.

I won’t forget my time on the island anytime soon. In fact, I would happily repeat the experience without hesitation if the opportunity arose again, arctic terns and all!

Practicalities

Our trip out to the Isle of May started at North Berwick harbour. We took one of the many boat trips offered by the Scottish Sea Bird Centre with Seafari.

The publicity material showed an open rigid inflatable boat (RIB), but we actually sped out to the island on the Seafari Express with a cabin to shelter most of the passengers. I’ve never been on a RIB before so was unfamiliar with the motorcycle style seating that you straddle, with a grip in front, but it was all fine. Good fun even.

Seafari Express

As with our boat trip to the Bass Rock the complications of Covid have necessitated a few changes to maintain social distance, including allocated seating by group and masks while on board. Nothing too troubling though and once out on the island we could enjoy maskless freedom and forget about the troubles of the world for a few hours.

Our seafari guide provided us with maps of the island and took us on a short introductory walk from the visitor centre which really helped us get our bearings and set us up for a terrific day. I’d recommend it to anyone – just don’t forget to bring a hat!

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Seabird city

One of the natural wonders of the world can be found on a small rocky island in the Firth of Forth, just three miles offshore from North Berwick.

The Bass Rock is one of many ancient volcanic plugs in the area, along with Berwick Law and Arthur’s Seat. It has an interesting history that has seen it become the site of an early Christian hermitage, the home to a Scottish noble with a castle fit enough for kings to have visited, a garrison and a prison. It was inhabited by man until 1988, when the last lighthouse keeper departed.

Today, the Bass Rock is best known for the colony of 150,000 northern gannets who have chosen it as their home from February until October. It is not a new phenomenon – gannets have been living here for centuries but the numbers have increased dramatically in the 21st century.

The Bass Rock

The striking sight of the Bass Rock gleaming white in the distance was utterly spellbinding from the first time I saw it on my trip to North Berwick in 2020. On that occasion my attempt to visit was thwarted as strong winds forced the cancellation of the boat trip I was booked on. I vowed to come back and this time, I was a bit luckier. The trip I booked to land on the Bass Rock was cancelled but a trip around the island was able to go ahead.

I was not entirely surprised by the cancellation, having long understood that the two landing points on the island are challenging even under near perfect conditions. I gather that when Sir David Attenborough made his visit to film ‘Flying Monsters’ in 2010 he spent around two hours waiting for the calmer waters that would allow them to land. By all accounts the wait was worth it, with the veteran broadcaster describing the rock as perfection.

Maybe I will succeed in making it ashore one day but for now a circumnavigation would have to do. I’m still lucky, in one sense, as the numbers on the boats out to the island are limited at the moment to allow for social distancing. Seats are allocated so that everyone can stay together in their bubbles and masks are required throughout. None of these minor inconveniences really matter though, because soon enough the magic of the island takes over.

As you approach you see what looks like snowfall over the island, but get a bit closer and you soon realise that the skies are absolutely filled with gannets. More birds than I’ve ever seen anywhere. It’s completely overwhelming and impossible to know where to look next. Ahead of you at the bird filled rock? at the hundreds of gannets flying high above you? to the guillemots skimming over the surface of the water to your right? or the gannet returning with seaweed in its mouth for nest-building?

Beak to beak

Our boat got nearer and we were able to see some of the many young adults that sit lower down on the rock. Up close you can really appreciate the distinctive blue rings around their eyes and those extraordinary black lined beaks. Every now and again one of the young gannets would take flight, setting off an avalanche of gannets. The sheer number of birds made it hard to focus on the detail, but every now and again something would grab your eye – like gannets noisily fighting beak to beak.

Extraordinary as this all was, there is more to the gannets than we saw during our short trip. The gannets are famed for their torpedo like diving, which sees them fold up their wings and dive headfirst into the water at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour. Special trips for photographers organised by the SeaBird centre take place focused on capturing this incredible activity.

It’s hard to imagine that the rock goes quiet in October, when the gannets fly south to the African coast. However, there are occasional exceptions. On the way back to shore our guide told us of Maximus, the lone 9 week old gannet chick spotted on the rock by webcam in December 2008 and nursed back to health.

Once Maximus had recovered he was transported from Prestwick to Cornwall by the aptly named HMS Gannet Search and Rescue unit. From Cornwall the chick was taken by a Cornish fishing trawler and released into the Bay of Biscay. Five years later a check of 100 tagged gannets on the rock revealed that Maximus had made it to adulthood and returned.

A sky full of gannets

I felt so privileged to be able to see such spectacular action. Hopefully one day I’ll get the chance to set foot on the rock and get an even closer look at this natural wonder. Third time lucky?

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A week in North Berwick

On a trip to Scotland last year I was won over by the charms of North Berwick, a coastal town with something of an old school holiday vibe about it. It is relatively compact with a high street mostly made up of independent shops, a beautiful beach and harbour. An astonishing array of natural beauty sits on the doorstep. All just 30 minutes by train from Edinburgh. It was an easy decision to book a stay here for a week.

I covered my walk up Berwick Law and around the ruins of St Andrew’s Kirk Ports in the post Up, down and around North Berwick last year. A longer stay allowed us to explore in a more relaxed fashion, whether that be strolling along the beach, looking in the craft shops or taking in the Lodge Grounds at the heart of the town. A slower pace than my usual hectic racing around.

North Berwick with Berwick Law in the background

The Scottish Seabird Centre, a conservation and education charity, has established a discovery experience here that provides a useful introduction to the astonishing birdlife across the area – as well as operating boat trips from the harbour to Bass Rock and the Isle of May – both extraordinary places which must surely be ranked among the greatest natural wonders of the world (booking in advance highly recommended).

The boat trips were undoubtedly the highlight of our stay, but there are also plenty of pleasant walks on offer in the area if the weather co-operates.

A visit to the beach at Seacliff included the sight of the smallest harbour in the UK (cut into the red sandstone rocks by the local laird in 1890) and stunning views across to Tantallon castle on a good day. Unfortunately, it was pretty misty on the morning I visited. The beach is accessed via a private road from Auldhame with a £3 charge to operate the coin operated barrier. I visited on foot – about 75 minutes one way. Buses to Dunbar also stop nearby.

A westward walk along the beach at North Berwick brought us to Yellowcraig Beach with its spectacular view of the uninhabited island of Fidra and the lighthouse (1885) that was the first in Scotland to be switched to unmanned automatic operation (in 1970). My better half was also thrilled to discover that there was a Marillion connection here, with the lighthouse featuring in a song from 1987.

A view of Fidra from our walk to Yellowcraig Beach

There is plenty more of local interest beyond the thrilling sights on offer from boat trips and beach walks. The castles at Dirleton and Tantallon are easy to reach from North Berwick by bus. We were a little unfortunate that our plans to visit fell through when Historic Scotland closed around 20 castles, cathedrals and palaces in early June due to a risk of unstable masonry falling on visitors. On the bright side, it is good to have a reason to come back.

There are regular, if well-spaced, buses to sights in the surrounding area. A 121 bus from the centre of North Berwick to the National Museum of Flight at East Fortune Airfield or take a 120 bus for a day trip to Dunbar. The journey out to Dunbar is lovely in its own right, taking in Tantallon castle; the charming village of Whitekirk with its medieval church and the picturesque Preston Mill on its route.

Our stay also allowed us to sample some of the local treats, such as the ever changing array of flavours on offer from Alandas, Scotland’s national ice cream champions 2021, and the marvel that is the Cruffin from Bostock bakery (a cross between a muffin and a croissant filled with pistachio cream and raspberry jam). The apartment we were staying in was just a few minutes walk from Alandas so we got through alot of flavours (nothing could rival their pink grapefruit sorbet in my opinion).

A cruffin from Bostock Bakery

North Berwick has quickly become one of my favourite places in the British Isles. I think it is remarkable that it is so close to Edinburgh and yet hasn’t been swamped by over development and chain stores. Long may that remain so!

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Up, down and around North Berwick

The stunning coastline around North Berwick is within easy reach of Edinburgh – just thirty minutes away by train. The plan for my day was to explore the town, take a walk up to the top of Berwick Law and then join a boat trip out to Bass Rock. It didn’t entirely work out, but proved a great place to spend some time.

Fibre glass replica of the whale bone arch atop Berwick Law

A single platform surrounded by housing development await day trippers at the end of the single tracked North Berwick branch line. The station buildings here were demolished in the 1980s following decades of decline. Today, there is little indication of the extensive footprint of the old station with just a couple of simple shelters on the platform as the rather modest replacement.

It is a twenty minute walk from the railway station to the car park at the bottom of Berwick Law, a volcanic plug dating back 340 million years. The climb is fairly gentle for the most part and it doesn’t take long before you can sit back and admire the views from the summit at 613 feet above sea level. Although it was a summer Saturday I was still surprised by just how popular a walk it proved to be, with a steady flow of visitors making their way up.

From the top you can get a great view of another volcanic plug, Bass rock, which hosts the world’s largest colony of northern gannets. There are also splendid views across North Berwick, the island of Craigleth and the Firth of Forth.

Berwick Law has quite a bit of history, having seen human occupation from the iron ages (you pass hut circles on the way up) to the twentieth century (close to the summit you can see a concrete observation post used during the two world wars). At the top there are the ruins of a stone building erected in 1803 as a signal station during the Napoleonic Wars, a summit marker and a fibre-glass replica of the whale bone arch that has stood here since 1709 (the whale bones had been replaced periodically, rather than one set lasting the centuries).

It is a stunning view but all the better with a couple of Kestrels taking it in turns to hover and swoop above the slopes. I had hoped to see a bit more bird life with a boat tour out to Bass rock but this plan unraveled when the winds picked up, resulting in the cancellation of the sailing. Not the luckiest of weekend breaks in not the luckiest of years! Instead, I settled for a walk along the coast to get the best view of the rock from the shore. I’ll have to come back and try again next year.

The ruins of St Andrew’s Kirk Ports

The town holds plenty of interest too, such as the Scottish Sea Bird Centre, the porch of St Andrew’s old kirk (which survives because it was used as a lookout point for the volunteer rescue patrol in the nineteenth century) and the picturesque ruins of the seventeenth century St Andrew’s Kirk Ports (the second of three churches in North Berwick to bear the name).

Despite its 500 seat capacity the church of St Andrew’s Kirk Ports was too small by the late 19th century and was partly dismantled, to be deliberately left as a ruin, while the mantle was passed to the new church of St Andrew Blackadder.

As it was an unexpectedly warm day when I visited most folk had gravitated towards the beach or joined a socially distanced queue at the much-in-demand Alandas Gelato. I was sorry not to have a moment to sample the ice cream on offer, which is another good reason to come back!

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