Why You'll Want to Visit this Pretty Scottish Harbour Town

North Berwick

This pretty harbour town on the Firth of Forth in East Fife boasts an eclectic mix of shops, cafés and bars, but it’s perhaps best known for its sandy beaches, golf courses, and Bass Rock, the world’s largest northern gannet colony.

What to Do

This is a classic seaside town with the usual heady mix of traditional fish and chip shops and ice cream parlours amongst the newer, trendy cafés and bistros, and you’ll find plenty of independent shops too. Keen golfers should head to Muirfield, Gullane, Kilspindie, Craigielaw, or take a swing at North Berwick, one of the oldest courses in the world (be sure to book your tee time well in advance). Wildlife watchers will love the award-winning Scottish Seabird Centre where cameras show fascinating live feed from Bass Rock which sits off the shoreline here, and should definitely book a boat trip to the rock and around the islands that sit in the Firth of Forth, including Fidra, the inspiration behind Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island.

Back on dry land, climb the walls of the nearby imposing Tantallon Castle for jaw-dropping views across the water, take a stroll up The Law (North Berwick’s answer to Arthur’s Seat), and pop into the volunteer-led Coastal Communities Museum to discover more about the town’s fascinating history. And that’s before you’ve hit the beach.

Eat

North Berwick has blossomed into one of Scotland’s top foodie hotspots. You’re at the seaside, so fresh seafood is a must. Head down to the harbour for a seafood platter at The Rocketeer in the former coastguard station, or fresh fish tacos at the charming little Lobster Shack as you listen to the sailboat’s rigging jangling in the harbour below. Something of an institution, the much-loved La Potinière restaurant, on Gullane’s Main Street, is owned by award-winning chefs Keith Marley and Mary Runciman, who meticulously source ingredients locally as well as utilising the produce grown in La Potinière’s own garden.

Back in North Berwick, Osteria is where you’ll find fabulous Italian-style dishes with a Scottish twist. Also in the town, Herringbone is a great place for everything from brunch to dinner and late-night drinks and Steampunk Coffee is all about artisan coffee but serves up great brunches too.

Stay

Just outside North Bewick, Leuchie Walled Garden offers luxury, self-catering accommodation sleeping 12, surrounded by a unique collection of antiques and paintings collected by the Dalrymple family and set in a stunning 60-acre walled garden. The Castle Inn, tucked between North Berwick and Gullane, is a former coaching house and now a popular village pub with four bedrooms, award-winning food and a sun-filled beer garden to boot.

Past Gullane, The Leddie is a newly-restored, award-winning boutique hotel with 27 bedrooms, a cosy bar, great food and a sun-trap garden in nearby Aberlady. Part of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World, historic Arts & Crafts Greywalls Hotel & Chez Roux overlooks Muirfield Golf Course.