ST ABBS

During our last holiday in Northumberland, on a glorious sunny June day, we nipped over the border to St Abbs, where we parked at the Visitor Centre just outside the village and set off over the clifftops on a short but exhilarating walk to St Abbs Head. The nature reserve here is exceptionally well-endowed with nesting seabirds such as kittiwakes, guillemots and puffins as well as a variety of flora and fauna. The reserve contains a loch called Mire Loch, formed from a geological fault, which is frequented by swans, tufted ducks and grebes. There is a voluntary marine reserve here which runs educational activities and rock-pool rambles. Last month there were reports of a basking shark off St Abbs Head, and another sighting at the entrance to St Abbs harbour.

Back in the village, which is named after a Northumbrian princess called Ebba, a busy fishing port awaits, with the promise of fresh crab rolls. The village is used as a base for divers wanting to explore the voluntary marine reserve, while just around the corner is the sandy beach at Coldingham Bay, which is popular with surfers. There is a surf shop here with a webcam which can be viewed from its website for those wanting to check out the conditions.

Map of the area.

St Abbs Head from St Abbs. Photo by Mick Knapton, via Wikimedia Commons.