Seacliff Beach

Scotland


No, you haven't stepped into a landscape painting – just onto Seacliff Beach, a pristine sweep of sand with views of bird-thronged Bass Rock and majestic Tantallon Castle. The latter is visible at low tide from its western reaches, where there's also a tiny rock-hewn harbour thought to be the UK's smallest. Three miles east of North Berwick, Seacliff is accessed via a private road running east from Auldhame (vehicle entry £3). Nearby Seacliff Stables offers rides along the beach.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Scotland attractions

1. Tantallon Castle

0.67 MILES

Perched on a cliff 3 miles east of North Berwick is the spectacular ruin of Tantallon Castle. Built around 1350, the red-sandstone fortress was the…

2. Scottish Seabird Centre

3.21 MILES

Top marks to the bright spark who came up with the idea for this centre, an ornithologist's paradise that uses remote-control video cameras sited on Bass…

3. Belhaven Bay

4.92 MILES

Belhaven, or 'beautiful harbour', is about right for this glorious sweep of sand, which arcs beside open sea for nearly 2 miles on the fringes of John…

4. Yellowcraig

5.57 MILES

A broad sandy cove fringed by dunes, meadows and woodland, Yellowcraig looks out to the island of Fidra and its Victorian lighthouse (the inspiration for…

5. Dirleton Castle

5.61 MILES

Two miles west of North Berwick is this impressive medieval fortress with massive round towers, a drawbridge and a horrific pit dungeon, surrounded rather…

6. John Muir's Birthplace

5.72 MILES

This excellent interactive museum pays rousing tribute to Dunbar native John Muir (1838–1914), better known as a pioneer conservationist and the father of…

7. Dunbar Town House Museum and Gallery

5.78 MILES

This turreted 16th-century town house is home to a small museum outlining Dunbar's history and points of interest, and a gallery exhibiting the work of…

8. Gullane Bents

8 MILES

Backing onto genteel Gullane and its manicured golf courses 5 miles east of North Berwick, the long, golden crescent of Gullane Bents has epic views over…