Holiday rentals in North Berwick

The seaside resort of North Berwick is a perfect package of beaches, cute cafes, lively pubs, and pretty streets — all located within easy striking distance of Edinburgh. Days here might start with a morning on the putting green, hiking the Berwick Law hill overlooking the town, or treasure-hunting among the independent shops before licking a cone of raspberry ripple all the way to the harbour or steeling yourself for a dip in the tide-filled seawater pool at East Sands Beach. A slam-dunk meal from a seafood hut or fine restaurant could precede a cask ale at a cosy Victorian pub.

It’s clear North Berwick is no longer just a preserve of golfers and retirees. Increasing popularity with commuters and day trippers and an influx of creatives and independent businesses indicate the future may lie in a more interesting direction. The most famous visitors to this Scottish town, however, are the tens of thousands of gannets that nest on the sheer-sided, 107-metre-high Bass Rock, one of several rocky islands in the Firth of Forth, considered one of Britain’s greatest wildlife spectacles.

Spring and summer are when many seabird species, including puffins, guillemots, razorbills, and kittiwakes, return to breed on the local offshore islands. Seasonal bird-watching boat trips run from Easter to autumn with the Scottish Seabird Centre to watch their antics. Summer is a lovely season in North Berwick, a time of sunny beaches, ice cream parlours, and coastal walks without having to wear fleeces and cagoules. July’s North Berwick Festival is one of Scotland’s biggest events, with top bands playing on the Balgone Estate. Fringe by the Sea transports some of the music acts, literary events, and comedy from the Edinburgh Festival to the seaside in August. It can get busy and crowded, though, so if you’re not bothered about sunbathing, spring and autumn can be magical, while winter brings festive events and Christmas fairs.

Coastal Communities Museum

This free museum covers the culture and heritage of the small coastal communities across the North Berwick area, with exhibits such as the disco-era glitter ball that hung in the 1930s dancehall, paintings, and a beach hut. The museum also promotes walking routes relating to Robert Louis Stevenson, the famous Scottish author, who spent childhood holidays in North Berwick.

Scottish Seabird Centre

The Scottish Seabird Centre celebrates, researches, and protects Scotland’s diverse marine habitat. Interactive exhibits let visitors zoom in on local wildlife with live cameras, and you can arrange to go on birdwatching trips and boat tours to the Isle of May and Bass Rock, where gannets will perform theatrical fish-grabbing dives for your camera.

Beaches

The lovely beaches of West Bay and Milsey Bay will likely steal a lot of your time, but there are other beauties within easy reach along the coast. Yellowcraig, to the west, is a wide sandy stretch backed by dunes, grasslands, and forest laced with walking paths, and has play areas and family activities.