Things to do in Eyemouth
Eyemouth, on the coast of the Scottish Borders, is truly a Border town, being within easy travelling distance of Northumberland and the Farne Islands, as well as being a wonderful coastal introduction to a Scottish holiday.
What’s Eyemouth like?
Eyemouth is a coastal fishing town with plenty of facilities for visitors. It is the largest town in Berwickshire, and home to a large early-morning fishmarket. The town itself has a bustling centre and high street with more than the usual quota of fishmongers, but also maintains shops, cafes and delicatessens.
The Eyemouth Disaster Memorial
A severe wind storm struck the area around Berwickshire in 1881, during which 189 fishermen, mainly from Eyemouth, were drowned. A bronze memorial statue at nearby St Abbs shows figures of women and children tragically looking out to sea. The disaster is also commemorated in the form of a tapestry now hung in Eyemouth Museum. It is an amazing achievement, having taken 24 local women two whole years to complete.
Museums and places of interest
Eyemouth Museum, in the centre of the town, mainly documents the life and history of local fishing people, as the town has been a successful fishing port since the 13th century. It also houses a tourist information centre, gallery and gift shop. The World of Boats is an Eyemouth tourist attraction on Harbour Road and displays almost 400 boats and 300 models from across the world.
This area of the Borders is strategically important for the history of English/Scottish conflicts. There are many ruins in this area – notably Fast Castle ruins (inspirational to Sir Walter Scott) and Fort Point on the Eyemouth cliffs. Many of these historic buildings, such as Coldingham Priory, have been built and rebuilt many times.
Eyemouth Harbour and Gunsgreen House
Eyemouth’s working harbour area has been regenerated in recent years and now is happy to welcome its many visitors who enjoy walking round the harbour and taking trips on pleasure boats. One of my fondest memories of Eyemouth is of buying fish scraps from a harbour shop and feeding them to local seals who were scrounging from platforms in the harbour. After that, and a good hand wash, we were off for a delicious ice-cream in one of the local cafes.
Situated on Gunsgreen Quay, imposing, grand and looking down upon the active fishing harbour, Gunsgreen House was actually built in 1753 by a notorious and wealthy smuggler, John Nisbet. It now houses the “Smuggling Experience”, an interactive museum, in addition to its other exhibits.
Outdoor activities in Eyemouth
Visitors to Eyemouth Golf Club don’t need to play golf on their 18-hole course in order to take in its stunning sea views. Diners are encouraged to eat in the Bayview Restaurant and enjoy the scenery whether they play or not. But it would be a shame not to play as the golf course is the number one course in the Scottish Borders. Its sixth hole was recently voted ‘Britain’s most extraordinary golf hole’ and the thirteenth hole is officially Scotland’s longest hole.
Eyemouth is a great place for walkers and for those interested in visiting other Borders towns such as Kelso, Alnwick and Jedburgh. Only a little further South, the coastline area is designated as the North Northumberland Heritage Coast – some indication of the beautiful coastline to be discovered near to Eyemouth.
Eyemouth’s beaches
Eyemouth itself has a wonderful sandy and sheltered bay, which nevertheless can be at risk of high waves in stormy weather. Coldingham Bay is a small but gorgeous and sheltered bay with St Abbs to the North and Eyemouth to the South. Popular with rock pool enthusiasts, surfers and day trippers, this beach has good facilities – showers, café, lifeguard etc, during the warmer months
Getting to Eyemouth
Eyemouth’s position, just off the A1, and only nine miles North of Berwick-upon-Tweed, means it is very accessible from the A1(M). Eyemouth is also accessible by train via Berwick-upon-Tweed on the East Coast Mail Line route (with regular services to London, Edinburgh and Newcastle). The town of Eyemouth was served by a short branch railway line from Burnmouth but this closed in 1962. The nearest major airport, in Edinburgh, is around an hour’s drive away.
Staying in Eyemouth
In the Eyemouth area we are proud to offer visitors a wide range of accommodation. Whether you prefer to stay in a holiday park, a guest house, a hotel/pub, or a holiday cottage, we can offer a good choice to suit all budgets, both on the coast and further inland. Take a look at our listings for inspiration and book a holiday cottage in Eyemouth.
