St Abbs and Coldingham Bay on the Creel Path

The Creel Path connects; Coldingham, St Abbs and the Bay and can be reached from the Priory by following a pavement, adjacent to the St Abbs road.

This circular route from Coldingham taking in the historic Creel Path and the very attractive fishing harbour at St Abbs. The Creel path was the route that the fishing people took to the town of Coldingham to sell their fish. You may want to take time to visit the 11 century Coldingham Priory or the Visitor Centre in St Abbs that looks down on the harbour.

1. Leave Coldingham Priory by Chariot Road, turning right to pick up the pavement next to St Abbs Road.

2. At the top of the hill, turn right off the pavement following the hedge lined Creel Path downhill. To get directly to the Bay, turn right onto the Kinnecker path as signposted.

3. The Creel Path makes its way uphill where the option exists to turn right onto the Haven Path, which leads out to the Coastal Path, past what was the Haven Hotel. Continuing ahead, the rooftops of St Abbs will come into view.

4. Following Creel Road, past Murrayfield Road, will bring you out above the harbour where you may wish to continue on to visit St Abbs Visitor Centre and the NTS Visitors Centre. Alternatively, turning right to follow Murrayfield Road, past the shop to its end you will pick up a made path, as signposted, leading to Coldingham Bay.

5. A flight of steps leads down to the beach whilst continuing to follow the wall around to the Haven will bring you back to the Creel Path.

6. A pavement leads most of the way between the St Vedas Hotel at the carpark and Coldingham village.

7. At the entrance to Scoutscroft Caravan Park, follow the main road into the corner of the site at St Andrews Burn. Turning right off the road, between the caravans, a path crosses over a stone stile. Continue following the Burn upstream, crossing another stile into the grounds of the Manse. Turn left to leave the Manse grounds by its white entrance gates and follow the Bow back uphill, turning right through the large gates leading back into the grounds of the Priory.