Edinburgh Trip to North Berwick
A day trip to East Lothian's unique attractions
North Berwick offers a rare combination of natural and historical attractions as well as an array of holiday activities suited for independent tourists but most of all, for a great family day trip.
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The following is a suggested itinerary for spending a day in North Berwick, away from the hustle and bustle of Edinburgh.
Trip start - 9:30
Start your day trip at Waverley Train Station in Edinburgh. Take the 9:34 train which arrives in North Berwick at 10:10. Buy a cheap day ticket for £4.70. When you buy your ticket pick up a train times leaflet to plan your return to Edinburgh later in the day.
10:10
Before setting out for the beach, take a moment to study the map of North Berwick displayed in the train station. Cross Station Road and then walk down along Station Hill onto Westgate.
10:20
Cross Westgate onto Beach Road. By now, you should be able to see the putting greens, the harbour and one of North Berwick's four islands, Craigleith. If you're travelling with family or a companion, stop for a game of putting.
Take a round of pictures of the North Berwick harbour in the distance, the boats and the Bass Rock which you can see behind the buildings in the harbour. Walk along the sandy beach towards the harbour and the tall Celtic stone cross on Victoria Road you can see in the distance.
11:20
Check the boat trip timetable where the Celtic Cross is to see if the Sula II takes trips to the Bass Rock. A boat trip usually leaves between 12:00 and 13:00 daily between May and September.
Go into the Scottish Seabird Centre for a high-tech discovery of the largest bird colony in Europe, the Bass Rock and then back to the harbour in time for the boat trip. The trip takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
14:00
After the boat trip, walk along Victoria Road and then onto Quality St. for take away lunch from the fish and chips shop. A great place to eat is either right on the seats next to the public toilets -- the best I've ever seen -- overlooking the painted wall illustrating the Bass Rock or on the beach.
14:30
Spend another half an hour on the beach or walking around the harbour.
15:00
Take the Dunbar bus no 120 from just outside the Tourist Information centre to Tantallon Castle. Ask the driver to drop you off at Tantallon. The bus trip takes about 10 minutes.
Take a tour of Tantallon Castle and take pictures of the Bass Rock. Return to the main Dunbar road in time to catch the 16:20 bus back to North Berwick.
16:30
Take a coastal stroll along the sandy beach towards Fidra or towards the East Golf Course and then back on the putting greens for a break on one of the seats.
18:30
Start making your way back to the train station to catch the 18:53 train back to Edinburgh.
Trip end - 19:32
The train arrives in Edinburgh at 19:32. Walk out of the station and take the bus to your accommodation.
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