North Berwick

North Berwick is a small Scottish seaside town in East Lothian, on the south shore of the Firth of Forth, about 25 miles east of Edinburgh. It is connected to the Scottish capital by a frequent rail service. North Berwick became a popular holiday resort in the 19th century because of its two sandy bays, the East Bay and the West Bay. At the end of each bay is a fine golf course open to visitors.

History

The name North Berwick means North 'barley farmstead'. Bere in Old English means 'barley' and wic in Old English is 'farmstead'. The word North was applied to distinguish this Berwick from Berwick-upon-Tweed, which throughout the Middle Ages the Scots called South Berwick. It was recorded as Northberwyk in 1250. On the south of Berwick Law there is evidence of at least eighteen hut circles, rich middens and a field system dating from 2000 years ago.

North Berwick Harbour was built in the 12th century, and for 500 years there was a ferry crossing to Earlsferry, near Elie in Fife. This was popular with pilgrims to St Andrews. This ferry was recently reinstated; during the summer a boat travels between North Berwick and Anstruther in Fife, in homage to the original ferry. Excavations have shown there was activity at the harbour area from as early as the 8th century, while the "Auld Kirk Green" at the harbour was used for gatherings by the accused in the North Berwick Witch Trials. Legend has it that "Satan himself" attended a ritual there in 1590, although it is more likely that Satan was "played" by Francis Stuart, the Earl of Bothwell. During the 16th Century at least 70 people were implicated in the Witch Trials, and the events inspired works such as Burns' "Tam o' Shanter" and "The Thirteenth Member" by Mollie Hunter.

English invaders in the Middle Ages led to the construction of nearby Tantallon Castle, and a nunnery was built at North Berwick. The late 19th century saw North Berwick develop golfing and holiday facilities.

The size and population of the town remained fairly steady until the 1970s, at which point housebuilding began in earnest around the periphery of the town, first to the south (1950s-70s), then a series of major expansions to the west (1980s-present) along the line of the railway. There is talk of further developments focussing on "affordable housing" on the south side of the town. While the population might not have truly "exploded", house prices have. North Berwick consistently appears at the top of national house price surveys, and like-for-like prices are comparable to Edinburgh and London.

Islands

Out in the Firth of Forth opposite the town are the islands of Fidra, The Lamb, Craig Leith, and Bass Rock; the latter hosts a thriving colony of birds, including puffins, gannets, and other seabirds. The Bass Rock appears white, but this is due largely to the birds that cover much of its surface a good deal of the time. They can be observed at close range through remote cameras operated from the Scottish Seabird Centre near the harbour.

Attractions

Boat trips to the Bass Rock, Fidra and other islands.
Scottish Seabird Centre - Visitor centre about seabirds found on Bass Rock and elsewhere.
North Berwick Law - 613ft volcanic hill which dominates the town, with a Napoleonic era signal station. The famous whale's jawbone collapsed in June 2005, and will soon be replaced. At the foot of the Law there is a quarry which is used by rock climbers
Beaches - One of North Berwick's main attractions, the beaches have golden sands and rocks, and a tide-filled boating pond/paddling pool on the East Sands.
Seacliff. Just to the east of the town, an entry fee is charged at this private and largely unspoilt beach and estate.
Golf - There are two golf courses in the town, the West Links and the Glen or East Links, and numerous others in the surrounding area. There are also two 18-hole putting greens.
Tennis - Venue for the annual East Lothian Open Tennis Tournament.
The East Lothian Yacht Club hosts many national and international sailing events.
Tantallon Castle, a mostly ruined 14th century fortress, is 3 miles east of North Berwick.

Transport

The North Berwick Line has provided a rail link with Edinburgh since the 19th century and the line, now operated by First Scotrail, is still the principal transit link between the town and the capital. The service takes 35 minutes and runs typically hourly with extra trains during the peaks and on a Saturday. Combination rail-and-entry tickets for the Scottish Seabird Centre are good value. There is occasional service through to Glasgow Central station on weekdays although anyone heading for central Glasgow is advised to switch to the Edinburgh - Glasgow Queen St. service. First has a monopoly on transport between North Berwick and Edinburgh as they also operate the bus route which has a similar frequency and a journey time of 1 1/2 hours. Edinburgh is the nearest airport, approximately a 45 minute drive or 1 1/2 hours by public transport.

Within the town there is an hourly bus service which runs on a loop from the High Street (Church St. bus stop) to the recreation ground and back before continuing on to Edinburgh. There is also a seasonal park-and-ride and local services to attractions such as the Museum of Flight. Several taxi operators charge £3 and up for runs around town and more to nearby towns.

Famous Sons & Daughters

Ben Sayers, a renowned golfer, golf course architect and golf club manufacturer. A statue of Sayers can be seen outside the Ben Sayers & Son factory.
Catriona Matthew, professional golfer and current British no.1 (Feb. 2006).
David Huish, another professional golfer with several wins on the Seniors tour. He once led The Open Championship at the halfway stage.

External links

References

Town History

East Lothian Towns & Villages
Aberlady

Towns in East Lothian | Seaside resorts in Scotland | Норт-Бервик