Why You Should Visit North Berwick, East Lothian

This place has always been a special place for me as it is where my grandparents reside, during my school holidays, I'd come here and it would feel like I've gone on holiday despite being a 2 hour drive from my house. 

One of my favourite things about visiting my grandparents was getting to see their dogs and going on walks with them as I never had a family dog as a kid. Now that I have a dog myself, they love it when my dog comes to visit.

So, what is this North Berwick place anyway? It is a coastal town which is a 40 minute drive or train journey from Edinburgh. The good thing about this place is that unlike Edinburgh, it isn't packed with tourists and is more lowkey, however during weekends there tends to be a number of people visiting from all over Scotland and even the UK. 

North Berwick is known for its nice beaches, the two closest beaches to the town are the West Bay Beach and East Bay Beach. West Bay Beach is a two minute walk from the station and right next to the town. It is the most accessible, however it is next to a golf course, so beware of the golfers. The East Bay Beach is less crowded and even has its own swimming area. A bit more east is the Yellowcraig beach, which has some incredible views of the surrounding islands, however during my recent visit, it was mobbed with people hanging out on the beach with tents pitched up, usually it's nice and serene. 

Furthermore, the town centre of North Berwick is just as visually stunning as the beaches. The narrow streets and colourful houses will make you want to have a walk around and there are certainly some interesting sites that will catch your attention.

Within the town is the Old St Andrews Church, the ruins of a church dating back to the 17th century, accompanied by a cemetery whose graves have been left untouched. Many of the houses around here are quaint and there is even a public garden which has been well maintained over the years. Adjacent to there is the Lodge Grounds, a picturesque park with a well-kept garden and a great place to relax. However a great place to see the sunset is on the small hill nearby. A steep walk up the hill will reward you with yet more incredible views of the beach and I recommend coming in the evening. 

 

Back towards the centre is the High Street, a narrow street where some of the main shops are, if you are looking for something to eat, you can find some great chippies and ice cream places in this area. A building that stands out as well is the church with a clock tower that can be seen from the beach. 

Between the two beaches is the North Berwick harbour, for a small town, North Berwick has a reasonably sized harbour as there are a good few boats stored there. It's also attached to a platform of rocks with some benches to sit down on while you can gaze at the view of Craigleith island. Right next to the harbour is the Scottish seabird centre, it's worth a visit if you're interested in the local marine life. 

Of course, I would feel like an idiot if I hadn't talked about the North Berwick Law, it is the hill that stands in the backdrop of North Berwick's beaches. If you're interested in hiking to the top, I recommend doing so as you will get some incredible 360 views of East Lothian and it is an incredibly easy hike. The time it takes to get to the top and back down would only take you about an hour and a half at most. 

In conclusion, North Berwick is East Lothian's hidden gem, if you're planning to visit Edinburgh anytime soon, I recommend coming here for a day trip. In a day you could take a look at the town and stroll on the beaches. If you're really amazed by this place, there are a good few accommodation options such as hotels and Airbnbs.