Belhaven Bay, near Dunbar

The superb dune-backed beach at Belhaven Bay is perhaps the finest in East Lothian. The Bay is part of the John Muir Country Park; this route heads out across the sands before returning via the salt flats at the mouth of the River Tyne and through the plantations. There may be signed diversions/exclusion zones during tern nesting season, please follow any instructions.

Terrain

Sandy beach, salt marsh and woodland paths. The walk may not be possible at high tide.

Public Transport

None to start.

Start

Car park (charge) for Belhaven Bay, John Muir Country Park. Open start point in Google Maps for directions.

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Grade (key)

Bog Factor (key)

Walk Statistics

Distance: 6km / 3.75 miles
Time: 1.5 - 2 hours
Ascent: 5m (Profile)
Start Grid Ref: NT651787

Maps, App and GPS

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Accommodation

Walk Description

Stage 1

To reach the car park, turn off the A1087 just west of West Barns on the west side of Dunbar - it is signed for the John Muir Country Park and East Links Family Park. Take the right hand fork on the approach to reach the public car park. The walk begins on the tarred path past the information boards at the far end of the parking; it then turns right to reach the public toilets. Turn right again here - it is signed as 'path to the beach' and is part of the John Muir Way. At the next junction turn left (signed John Muir Way); soon the route forks. The grassy path which curves right is the John Muir Way and continues to Dunbar, but for our route take the sandy path ahead. This soon follows a small burn and crosses a couple of wooden decks over bog.

Stage 2

Eventually the path emerges onto the sands. Turn left here to head out towards the sea, keeping close to the dunes on your left to round the corner onto the magnificent sandy sweep of Belhaven Bay - a popular location for surfing. Continue along the beach beside the dunes, with grand views ahead towards the massive bulk of the Bass Rock - with the more distant Isle of May visible to its right. The dunes on the left become quite high in places - keep along the beach until they relent where a sandy path cuts left across the spit.

Stage 3

Keep right at a fork in the path to emerge on sand once more, this time at the estuary of the River Tyne. Turn left along the sands, keeping by the dunes. The sand gives way to gravel and then salt flats, and at one point the flats penetrate eastwards barring the direct route - it is necessary to detour here to the left until a safe point is reached to cross dryshod to the plantation on the far side of the salt flats - the length of the detour depending on the tides. On the far side turn right along the path, soon crossing the dunes and keeping between the tall pines of the plantation and the estuary.

Stage 4

The path heads through the edge of the trees - ignore a track heading left through a clearing and instead continue close by the flats. Continue until a bridge can be seen ahead and here stay on the larger path as it bears left through the trees.

Stage 5

At a junction with a John Muir Way signpost turn left onto a clear path just inside the wood. This runs near the animal enclosures of the East Links Family Park and you may get the chance to race the narrow gauge railway which passes the boundary. Stay on the path just in the woods and at the next junction bear right, following a yellow waymarker, and soon return to the toilets near the car park at the start.

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