St Abbs to Eyemouth

Part 3/4 of the Berwickshire Coastal path route. The most popular part of the full route and the shortest. Key points of interest along this walk: Coldingham: In the early 700s the first English historian, Bede, wrote about a place named urbs Coludi or Colud’s fort and the village of Coldingham represents the settlement of the descendants of Colud.

The fort is now identified as Kirk Hill on St Abbs Head, which is named after a royal princess, Æbba of the royal house of Northumbria, who set up a monastery of monks and nuns there. The present priory of Coldingham dates back at least nine centuries to 1098 when it was established by King Edgar for Benedictine monks from Durham. Men from Fisher’s Brae in Coldingham worked their boats from St Abbs shore before the harbour was constructed. They carried their creels (lobster pots) down the Creel Path.
Coldingham Bay: An award-winning beach lying about a mile from the village and its sheltered sands are popular with holidaymakers in the summer months when the Beach Café is open and Beach Guards patrol.
Eyemouth: Has been Scotland’s largest south-eastern port since 1482 when Berwick upon Tweed was lost to England. In the wars of the mid- 16th century Fort Point was fortified twice; by the English in the 1540s and by the French several years later. Created a Burgh of Barony in 1597, Eyemouth is the largest town in Berwickshire and the River Eye’s deep water is still ideal for landing boats. The town was once more popular than Gretna Green because of the marriage house on the Great North Road at Lamberton, where eloping English couples could cross into Scotland to wed.
Gunsgreen House: Built by local smuggler and merchant John Nisbet in the 1750s from the profits of his trade and has recently undergone a major refurbishment.
Look out for Twelve Bronze Trail Markers along the full route by artist John Behm and link the four memorial sculptures along the way.

Please allow at least 1 hour 25 minutes to complete it, excluding the time taken to enjoy the destinations along the way. This is part 3 of 4 of the the Berwickshire Coastal Path which is 24.49 miles long and will take at least 9 hours 30 minutes to complete.