North Berwick
North Berwick is a small
Scottish seaside town in
East Lothian, on the south shore of the
Firth of Forth, about 25 miles east of
Edinburgh. It is connected to the Scottish capital by a frequent
rail service. North Berwick became a popular holiday resort in the
19th century because of its two sandy bays, the East Bay and the West Bay. At the end of each bay is a fine golf course open to visitors.
The name North Berwick means North 'barley farmstead'. Bere in Old English means 'barley' and wic in Old English is 'farmstead'. The word North was applied to distinguish this Berwick from
Berwick-upon-Tweed, which throughout the Middle Ages the Scots called South Berwick. It was recorded as Northberwyk in 1250.On the south of
Berwick Law there is evidence of at least eighteen hut circles, rich middens and a field system dating from 2000 years ago.
North Berwick Harbour was built in the
12th century, and for 500 years there was a ferry crossing to
Earlsferry, near
Elie in
Fife. This was popular with pilgrims to
St Andrews. This ferry was recently reinstated; during the summer a boat travels between North Berwick and Anstruther in Fife, in homage to the original ferry. Excavations have shown there was activity at the harbour area from as early as the 8th century, while the "Auld Kirk Green" at the harbour was used for gatherings by the accused in the
North Berwick Witch Trials. Legend has it that "Satan himself" attended a ritual there in 1590, although it is more likely that Satan was "played" by Francis Stuart, the Earl of Bothwell. During the
16th Century at least 70 people were implicated in the Witch Trials, and the events inspired works such as Burns'
"Tam o' Shanter" and "The Thirteenth Member" by Mollie Hunter.
English invaders in the
Middle Ages led to the construction of nearby
Tantallon Castle, and a nunnery was built at North Berwick. The late 19th century saw North Berwick develop
golfing and holiday facilities.
The size and population of the town remained fairly steady until the 1970s, at which point housebuilding began in earnest around the periphery of the town, first to the south (1950s-70s), then a series of major expansions to the west (1980s-present) along the line of the railway. There is talk of further developments focussing on "affordable housing" on the south side of the town. While the population might not have truly "exploded", house prices have. North Berwick consistently appears at the top of national house price surveys, and like-for-like prices are comparable to Edinburgh and London.
Out in the Firth of Forth opposite the town are the islands of
Fidra,
The Lamb,
Craig Leith, and
Bass Rock; the latter hosts a thriving colony of birds, including
puffins,
gannets, and other seabirds. The Bass Rock appears white, but this is due largely to the birds that cover much of its surface a good deal of the time. They can be observed at close range through remote cameras operated from the
Scottish Seabird Centre near the harbour.
|
West Bay front North Berwick, with St. Andrew Blackadder Church and Berwick Law |
* Boat trips to the
Bass Rock,
Fidra and other islands.
*
Scottish Seabird Centre - Visitor centre about seabirds found on Bass Rock and elsewhere.
*
North Berwick Law - 613ft
volcanic hill which dominates the town, with a
Napoleonic era signal station. The famous whale's jawbone collapsed in June 2005, and will soon be replaced. At the foot of the Law there is a quarry which is used by rock climbers
* Beaches - One of North Berwick's main attractions, the beaches have golden sands and rocks, and a tide-filled boating pond/paddling pool on the East Sands.
*
Seacliff. Just to the east of the town, an entry fee is charged at this private and largely unspoilt beach and estate.
* Golf - There are two golf courses in the town, the
West Links and the
Glen or East Links, and numerous others in the surrounding area. There are also two 18-hole putting greens.
* Tennis - Venue for the annual East Lothian Open Tennis Tournament.
* The
East Lothian Yacht Club hosts many national and international sailing events.
*
Tantallon Castle, a mostly ruined 14th century fortress, is 3 miles east of North Berwick.
The
North Berwick Line has provided a rail link with Edinburgh since the 19th century and the line, now operated by First Scotrail, is still the principal transit link between the town and the capital. The service takes 35 minutes and runs typically hourly with extra trains during the peaks and on a Saturday. Combination rail-and-entry tickets for the Scottish Seabird Centre are good value. There is occasional service through to Glasgow Central station on weekdays although anyone heading for central Glasgow is advised to switch to the Edinburgh - Glasgow Queen St. service. First has a monopoly on transport between North Berwick and Edinburgh as they also operate the bus route which has a similar frequency and a journey time of 1 1/2 hours. Edinburgh is the nearest airport, approximately a 45 minute drive or 1 1/2 hours by public transport.
Within the town there is an hourly bus service which runs on a loop from the High Street (Church St. bus stop) to the recreation ground and back before continuing on to Edinburgh. There is also a seasonal park-and-ride and local services to attractions such as the Museum of Flight. Several taxi operators charge £3 and up for runs around town and more to nearby towns.
*
Ben Sayers, a renowned golfer, golf course architect and golf club manufacturer. A statue of Sayers can be seen outside the Ben Sayers & Son factory.
*
Catriona Matthew, professional golfer and current British no.1 (Feb. 2006).
*
David Huish, another professional golfer with several wins on the Seniors tour. He once led
The Open Championship at the halfway stage.
*
North Berwick website*
Glasclune House - North Berwick*
North Berwick Harbour*
*
Town History
