Dunbar - where dreams were born

by Scott Aitken

There is little wonder that pioneering environmentalist and father of the National Parks John Muir grow up in awe of the beauty of the natural world when you consider where he was born.

The historic town of Dunbar lies some 30 miles east of Edinburgh and is perfect for a quick and easy day out from the big city.

As you would expect the town is justifiably proud of its most famous son as there are numerous memorials and commemorations of the visionary who had a dream to protect the world.

The John Muir Way, a 134 mile walk, starts in the town and crosses the county to finish in Helensburgh on the west coast. There is also at least two sculptures dedicated to Muir. The first is a statue in the High Street beside the town clock of him as a young boy and the second is a 16ft high steel bear, created by Andy Scott, the man behind the world famous Kelpies.

Muir, was born in the town in 1838 but emigrated from Scotland in 1849 to the United States where he forged a career as a naturalist, botanist, zoologist, glaciologist and evangelical environmentalist. He is credited with petitioning the US Government to establish Yosemite National Park. The bear is a symbol of his love for the American wilderness.

In addition to the statues the house he was born in has been transformed into a museum and the exterior restored to how it was in 1838. Inside the free to visit attraction there are three floors of fascinating exhibits and interactive displays depicting the journey of his life, from a boyhood exploring the local area to becoming a global icon of conservation.

But there is much more to Dunbar than John Muir. Renowned for its high sunshine record the town has been a popular destination for visitors for many years and is especially prized for its numerous picturesque buildings steeped in history and surrounded by spectacular scenery.

At the far end of the harbour, which dates back to at least the early 17th century, stands the remains of a much older structure. Dunbar Castle used to be one of the most formidable fortresses in Scotland. It was here Mary Queen of Scots fled to after her Italian private secretary David Rizzio was murdered.

Over the years the harbour has changed immensely from a small trading port to a strategic defensive harbour and then a major centre for herring fishing and whaling.

South of Dunbar lies the village of Biel and the Bridge to Nowhere. A popular attraction for visitors and photographers the Balhaven Bridge was built to provide access over the Biel Water, a large stream that runs through the village into Belhaven Bay. At low tide it’s possible to access the beach beyond via the bridge but once the sea comes surging into shore the land around the bridge is swallowed up, making the bridge appear as if it’s stranded.

And, for lovers of the ancient game, Dunbar is one course that should be on the must play list of every golfer. There are few places that can boast such a long and distinguished history, after all they have been playing golf at Dunbar since at least 1617. Ancient church records show that a number of townspeople, referred to as ‘gouffers’, had to be reprimanded by Kirk ministers for breaking rules of the Sabbath. Other, slightly younger, documents have revealed that members of an organisation called the Dunbar Golfing Society, played on the western side of the town as far back as 1794.

The club, as we know it today, was officially formed in 1856 and the course has the almost unique honour of having had at least two world famous architects influence its design. Old Tom Morris altered seven holes in 1894 and between 1922 and 1924 James Braid laid out much of the course that’s played today.

After a few hours enjoying the delights of Dunbar many visitors take the longer route back to Edinburgh via North Berwick through postcard villages to the magnificent Tantallon Castle and on to the beautiful beaches of Gullane.

Dominated by a 300million-year-old volcanic plug of once molten rock, which was formerly home to an Iron Age Fort and later a Napoleonic observation post, North Berwick enjoys an eclectic mix of shops, cafes, bars, popular beaches, historic buildings - and the world’s third oldest golf course played over the same piece of land since the 17th century.

The town also boasts some fantastic, family friendly beaches which regularly attract visitors from around the country to come and enjoy the myriad of water sports on offer from swimming and sailing to diving and surfing.

The historic harbour sits further to the west of the beach separating Milsey Bay from West Bay with the Scottish Seabird Centre next door.

On a clear day the top of the hill known as North Berwick Law, which has been crowned with a whale’s jawbone since 1709 (albeit a fibreglass replica since 2008), offers a stunning view over the Firth of Forth and the majestic Bass Rock.

At first glance on a sunny day the rock, which sits a little more than a mile off shore, looks like iceberg but it’s actually a lump of carboniferous rock smothered in centuries of droppings from millions of seabirds.

Described by Sir David Attenborough as ‘one of the 12 wildlife wonders of the world’ the Rock is a Site Of Special Scientific Interest. As the nearest bird sanctuary to the mainland it is home to more than 150,000 gannets during peak breeding season.

Now completely devoid of permanent human habitation the rock, which hosts the ruins of an ancient chapel, an unmanned lighthouse and a castle-turned-prison, is a big attraction for day trippers on sight seeing tours to watch the birds and learn more about the history of this extraordinary island.

In the late 17th century, between 1672 and 1688, the fortress was used as a prison for Presbyterian ministers and other political prisoners.

In 1691 four Jacobite prisoners managed to escape their chains and capture the castle. The held it for three years, despite numerous attempts by government forces to retake it, until a naval blockade eventually starved them into submission.

Five miles west of North Berwick lies Gullane, a pretty village with an exceptional beach that attracts numerous sandcastle makers and windsurfers, making it an ideal location for a fun day out.