Scottish Borders · Easy · Circular

St Abb's Head National Nature Reserve

A cliff-top circuit of the St Abb's Head National Nature Reserve: past Mire Loch to the lighthouse, then back along the seabird cliffs round Kirk Hill and above St Abbs.

Distance
5.6 km (3.5 mi)
Ascent
165 m
Time
About 1 h 45 min
High point
87 m
Grade
Easy
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Line © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), drawn by Global Adventurer.

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St Abb's Head National Nature Reserve
Martin Dawes · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

The walk

From the National Trust for Scotland car park above St Abbs, the walk follows the reserve road north past Mire Loch, a small freshwater loch inland of the cliffs, and the lighthouse road out to St Abb's Head, where the lighthouse stands high above the sea. It returns along the cliff-top footpath round the foot of Kirk Hill, with the sea cliffs and their nesting seabirds below, then follows the path above the village of St Abbs back to the car park.

It is 5.6 km round with 165 m of ascent; allow about 1¾ hours. The grade is Easy: a road and good paths, with some short rises.

The cliff path runs close to sheer drops, so keep children and dogs close and take care in the wind. The National Trust for Scotland says more than 60,000 seabirds nest on the cliffs in summer, so stay on the path and give them room.

The reserve car park is charged: the National Trust for Scotland lists £5. The reserve is open daily. No station is near; the nearest, Reston, is about 6 km away.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.

Good to know

  • St Abb's Head is a National Nature Reserve of sea cliffs; the National Trust for Scotland says more than 60,000 seabirds nest on the cliffs in summer
  • The lighthouse on the head, designed by David and Thomas Stevenson, has shone since 1862 and is automatic
  • Mire Loch, a small freshwater loch inland of the cliffs, is on the way out
  • The Berwickshire Coastal Path runs through the reserve

Getting there

Start: National Trust for Scotland car park, St Abbs Head · Pay and display. 55.89967, -2.14058

Directions to the start

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Places to stay nearby

Rooms in and around National Trust for Scotland car park: Booking.com → Expedia → Hotels.com →

Affiliate links: if you book, Global Adventurer earns a small commission at no cost to you.

Paths change, and the weather decides the day. The line is drawn along OpenStreetMap paths and the figures are worked out from it; take a map, check the forecast, and turn back if it isn't right.