Gunsgreen House and Sea Braes

This short circular from Gunsgreen House, the smuggler’s house, takes you out around the high and dramatic coast line east of the town following the Berwickshire Coastal Path.

Gunsgreen House was built in the 1750s by a local smuggler and has recently been refurbished as an unusual visitor attraction.

Route 9: Gunsgreen House and sea braes
• Start and finish: Gunsgreen House.
• Distance: 2miles/3km or 3miles/5km.
• Walking Time: 1 hour
• Terrain: Steps, path rough, unsurfaced and narrow in places.
Route Description:
1. From Gunsgreen House, follow the pavement past the fish market and ice plant. Follow the pavement round to the right and uphill, where you should cross the road making for the path leading to the car park at the top of the hill.

2. Pass through the gate and round the sea braes to the golf course. Carefully follow the waymarkers around the fairways.

3. Follow the path and dyke (wall) as it winds round the sea braes and through the golf course fairways. Turn right at the fingerpost, to pass through an iron gate and cross the golf course on a path. Turn left at the road and then turn right making your way to the Clubhouse on the hill.

4. Cross the Eye Water bridge. From here follow the road from the Clubhouse car park as it leads round to the left.

5. Leave the road, turning right onto a pavement leading downhill past the farm buildings until emerging on the pavement by the main road. Turn right heading back into the town.

If you would like to extend the route, follow the stone dyke to the end of the golf course after step 3:

4. Turn right down a gravel path, through some trees, to emerge on Gunsgreen Road.

5. Cross the road to the pavement and turn left downhill past the newly completed high school.

6. Turn right at the main road leading back into the town.

7. Cross the Eye Water bridge. From here follow the riverside path which leads to Harbour Road (A fingerpost reveals the start of this path on the Ayton road). Climb over the crash barrier to follow a path under the road bridge you just passed over. Turn right at Harbour Road, keeping right at the quayside, to cross the harbour by the red swing bridge which leads to the opposite quay and Gunsgreen House in the distance.