This walk follows the coast north from St. Abbs around the invigourating hights of St. Abbs head. The birdlife is excellent and the views are spectacular. On a clear day it is possible to see as far north as the coast of Forfarshire.

This route begins in St. Abbs a quaint fishing village overlooked by the towering cliffs of St. Abbs Head. At weekends the harbour is busy with divers, climbing aboard the many charter boat which operate from the harbour or scambling over the rocks, to experiance the excellent shore diving on just the otherside of the harbour's stout walls. There are also several fishing boats based at St. Abbs and they can often be seen landing their catch.

Starting from the main pier at the harbour, head towards the two houses locate at the northern end of the carpark. The short set of steps between the two houses will you to the flight which climbs the bank which will take you to the seating area which overlooks the habour.

From this seating area follow the main road out of the village, passing the village hall old school and the church. Take car on this part of the walk as there is no pavement alongside the road for a short distance. Just after the gateway to the church a new path will get you away from what can be a busy road.

After passing the church to your left you will see the archway topped by a bust of St. &EAlig;bba and soon after you pass this archway you must cross the road. The route then follows the high stone perimetre wall of Northfield House. The wall ends at the cliff-top looking down onto Starney Bay, from here the path steadly climbs along the cliff-top. At the highest point there are spectuclar view south towards Eyemouth, down to St. Abbs and its harbour and as far south as the Cheviot hills.

Map Showing the Coastal Path.

The path then follows the cliff-top and decends past the Wuddy to Burnmouth bay at the southern end of the valley that the Mire loch lies in. The path then heads north west along the valley side at the foot of Kirk hill, the site upon which St. Æbba's monestary once stood.

At the Northen end of the Kirk Hill the path turns up a side valley and begins to climb again to the cliff-tops. The path then leads on along the cliff edge to the lighthouse. The lighthouse grounds can be entered so you must walk around the white painted perimeter wall. To the northside of the lighthouse you will meet the road, which leads back to Northfield farm.

The route, following the road, decends down towards Petticowick, a small bay with a pier, that was once used to land stores to supply the lighthouse. The path leaves the road at Petticowick, turning south to run along the west side of the the Mire Loch.

At the soutern end of the Mire loch the route follows a farm track that climbs steady back towards the road from the lighthouse. The road should then be followed all to Northfield farm.

From the farm the village can be easily reach by following the path alongside the roadway into the village, then retracing your steps to the harbour.

Images produced from the Ordnance Survey Get-a-map service. Images reproduced with kind permission of Ordnance Survey and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland.