THE  TOWN  OF

NORTH  BERWICK,

EAST LOTHIAN.

How to get there by road:-    Leaving Edinburgh on the A1, you travel eastwards, until you come to a roundabout, soon to be an interchange, near Tranent.  Exit to your left onto the A198, to another small roundabout, where you turn right.  Proceeding along this road will take you through Longniddry, and shortly afterwards through what are known as " the Coastal Villages " of Aberlady and then Gullane. The third of these villages, Dirleton, has been bypassed, soon you arrive in North Berwick.  Parking may be a problem, especially during the summer weekends, but you can usually find somewhere, in a side street.  There is a part time Traffic Warden, so be careful, obey the parking regulations.

If you approach North Berwick from the south, you will have travelled on the A1. Again there are exits for the A198 off this road, which incidently is comparitively narrow in this area, and has been a factor in the high accident rate locally. Plans are afoot to upgrade it to a dual - carriageway, but don't hold your breath !

How to get there by rail:- Only accessible by rail from Edinburgh ( Waverley station ). Periodic service which takes about 30 minutes. cost about £ 3.20 one way.

History of town:- Created a Royal Burgh in 1373, it had existed, as the southern end of a ferry link to Fife, for over 200 years. In 1591 there were witchcraft trials, held after apparent attempts by the Earl of Bothwell to cast a spell on the weather, in a vain effort to create a storm, which would sink the king's boat ( King James VI of Scotland, later to become James I of England ). Whether or not the trials resulted in any of the accused ( between 1 and 92, depending on which story you believe ), being burnt at the stake, is open to speculation.

Over the centuries, North Berwick has been a fishing port, but that industry went into decline last century when the shoals of herring, which used to abound in the North Sea, gradually dissappeared. Today there a few small one - man boats which are used for lobster fishing. When the railway arrived in the 1850s, it became fashionable to spend holidays at North Berwick. There began a period of house building for the aristocrats of Europe, who looked upon North Berwick as the " Biarittz " of the north.  

Today, the aristocrats have gone, but their houses are still there.  Many have been divided up into flats, some have become Hotels, and Guest Houses, so there is usually plenty of accommodation available.  Golfing at North Berwick is still very popular, with courses at the west and east ends of the town. There are putting greens, tennis courts and a Sports Centre with a  indoor Swimming Pool. 

There was a campaign, named STOP , which stood for SAVE  THE  OUTDOOR  POOL.  There had been an outdoor swimming pool, next to the harbour, for very many years, and, although it was only open for a few months of the year, it was always an attraction with visitors, both young and old.  The local council had closed the pool, for good they said, and the site was under threat, by being ' developed ' for some other, as yet unknown use.  Please have a look at the link to see the local efforts that were used to influence the council.  

The town is dominated by The Law, a volcanic 'plug', which just lies to the south of the town.  It is 614 feet high ( from sea level ) and is easily climbed. Those who reach the top are rewarded with a very fine view over the Firth of Forth estuary and Fife beyond. On the top of the Law there are the jaw-bones of a whale which were put there to remind the men who crewed the locallly based whaling fleets that they were almost home, after being at sea for many months, or even years.

A similar volcanic 'plug' can also be seen to the north of the town, out to sea.

This is known as the BASS ROCK , which is home to one of the world's largest colonies of Gannets. The latin name for the Gannet is bassa bassa, named after this famous rock.  Take the opportunity, if the weather permits, to sail round the Rock in FRED MARR's boat ' The Sula ', the trip takes about 75 minutes, and the cost is £4.20 for an adult, £2.20 for a child, up to 14 years.  There are usually three trips a day, in summer, take something warm to wear, even on the sunnist of days, as it can get quite cool out there on the water.There are no sailings in the winter.

The High Street has loads of small shops where you can browse, and there is a Somerield supermarket on the edge of town, along with two Camping / Caravan sites.

There is one Primary school and one Secondary school, the latter serving the landward area beyond the town, as well as the town itself.

All in all, North Berwick is a desirable place to live, and also very nice to visit, either for the day or longer.