Countryside
In and around Coldingham
From Coldingham Sands, an award winning sandy seashore on Berwickshire's rocky coast to the St Abbs Head National Nature Reserve.
Introduction
People come from far and wide to enjoy the splendours of the National Trust for Scotland's Nature Reserve at St Abbs Head and the property has something to offer everyone all year round.
The coastal scenery is spectacular, the rugged cliffs plunging 90m to the sea affording panoramic views as far as the Isle of May to the north-west, the Farne Islands to the south-east and the Cheviot to the south.
Coldingham Sands
Welcome to Coldingham Sands, just a 10 - 15 minute walk from village centre. View the Coldingham Bay Gallery.
Coldingham Sands is an award winning sandy seashore on Berwickshire's rocky coast.
The beach has received the Seaside Award which is for beaches that are more rural in character, being quieter and less developed.
The Marine Conservation Society have also awarded the beach its top award for cleanliness every year since 2006.
There is a cafe, toilets, and two disabled car parking spaces. There is ample free parking but please do not park on double yellow lines.
The beach, which is approximately 200 metres wide, is well sheltered by headlands to the north and south with rocky sections at both extremities of the sand. The beach is popular with surfers and bodyboarders and lifeguards are on duty during busy summer periods.
The beach has many beach huts some of which are believed to be 100 years old. The huts are leased from the Scottish Borders council who own the sands.
Coldingham Bay is situated within the St. Abbs and Eyemouth Voluntary Marine Reserve which itself is part of the Berwickshire and North Northumberland Coast Special Area of Conservation.
The Rocky Shore
The rocky shore around the bay is full of marine life with many types of sea creatures and seaweed to be found.
Inland from the seashore is an area of dunes and grassland which provide a fragile habitat for a host of plants and animals.
The Berwickshire Coastal Path goes round the perimeter of the bay and provides walks that give easy access to St Abbs to the north and Eyemouth to the south.
The shoreline between Coldingham Sands and Eyemouth is a geologically exciting area because rocks like the Coldingham and Linkim Beds are not found anywhere else in the south of Scotland. If you wish to find out more on this then use the links below.
Kidney Vetch
Kidney vetch is easily recognisable as clusters of small, yellow flowers sitting atop little woolly cushions. It is a distinctive feature of sand dunes, chalk grassland and cliffs across the UK. Flowering from June to September, this spreading plant can cover bare ground in the right conditions.
At the southern end of the beach lies Homeli Knoll, a steep sided hillock which provides fine views of the beach area and along the coast. The south facing slope of the Knoll has seen sightings of the Small Blue butterfly and its sole larval foodplant Kidney Vetch ANTHYLLIS VULNERARIA grows there.
The Small Blue Butterfly
The small blue is the smallest of all the UK's butterflies. Adults are on the wing from May to August and can be seen feeding on common bird's-foot-trefoil or horseshoe vetch on chalk grassland, but only where kidney vetch also grows - the sole foodplant of the caterpillars. Males set up territories in sheltered places and the females lay their eggs on the kidney vetch; the emerging caterpillars feed on the flowerheads.
Homeli Knoll
At the southern end of the beach lies Homeli Knoll, a steep sided hillock which provides fine views of the beach area and along the coast. The south facing slope of the Knoll has seen sightings of the Small Blue butterfly and its sole larval foodplant Kidney Vetch ANTHYLLIS VULNERARIA grows there.
Milldown Burn
Milldown Burn flows into the southern part of the Bay and is its main inflowing water source, rising on Coldingham Moor and running through the village before reaching the Bay.
Berwickshire Coastal Footpath
This is well covered in the paths and walks section where it is conveniently broken down into manageable sections.
A quick walk from Eyemounth to St Abbs is very briefly covered below.
Leaving Eyemouth
The Berwickshire coastal footpath runs from Berwick upon Tweed to Dowlaw and Fast Castle. This article covers the Eyemouth to St Abbs section.
From Eyemouth head north along the beach and up the steps to the eastern edge of Eyemouth Holiday Park, which then provides the option of walking around the various tracks that criss cross the grassy banks of the main Fort, and then continues around to Corn fort along Hairy Ness. At this point the coastal path continues right on the edge of the cliff top above Killiedraught Bay.
Inland Route
At the corner of Killiedraught Bay there is a track down which gives beach access if you want to do a spot of sun bathing or rock pooling.
The main coastal path is then easy to follow along the top of the cliffs, but offers an extra diversion keeping close to the coast itself at Callercove Point. Inland from the coast path proper is the strangely named Pocklaw Slap, which provides an inland loop and a link to Hallydown Farm for anyone not wanting to walk to Coldingham or St Abbs.
Linkim Beach
At Hallydown Farm, the path is further inland and the steps and track lead down onto Linkim Shore cutting through some quite wild landscape. Again, it can be slippery, so tread carefully if in doubt.
The path across Linkim passes one of the commemorative Black Friday Heritage brass rubbing points, nearby to the path that cuts up from the shore to Fleurs Farm and towards Milldown Farm. The beach at Linkim is a pleasant one and many walkers take a break here before the fairly strenuous climb up steps to Yellow Craig Head and then on round the promontory to the little beach with Milldown Burn at its northern end.
The coastal path continues over the burn and up the grassy bank of Yellow Craig Head and Homeli Knoll, and then down into the beautiful sandy expanse of Coldingham Bay.
Yellow Craig Head
From here you can continue across the beach heading for the steps signposted St Abbs or head off the beach towards Coldingham village.
At the top of the steps it is just a short walk round the headland and into St Abbs village and down into the harbour. Known originally as Coldingham Shore, the name was changed by agreement of the laird of Northfield, Andrew Usher, of the brewery family.
Links
Some Interesting Sites to visit.