Early start this Saturday morning for my work, big blue skies, sea flat calm & not a breathe of wind, so that sounded like the perfect plan for a ride along the coast after work & what better place than my local harbour in Dunbar to spend an hour soaking up the smells & salt of the sea. So let's get going...
The commute route to work which partly follows the Sustrans National Cycle Route, but not today a little de-tour to Barns Ness.
Down through a field track & now on the coast at Barns Ness.
A section of the geology trail at Whitesands / Barns Ness, the 2 pictures of the round basin shaped hollows in the rock are roughly one metre in circumference & each one is where the roots of a tree once stood millions of years ago ! Interesting information boards telling of the geology in the area. Bottom photo of Whitesands limekiln.
Doon hill in the distance.
In 'Sunny Dunny' Dunbar.
The Cromwell harbour locally known as the old harbour, the Cromwell harbour has been in use before the year 1600.
Looking up towards the High Street & the unusually distinctive shaped roof of the Town House.
Inbetween the Cromwell harbour & the Victoria harbour is the original anchorage of Lamerhaven which was mentioned in a charter in 1555 & later named Broadhaven.
Lammer island accessed by a bridge & on the island stands the Battery.During the War of Independence (1776-1783), there was concern in Scottish coastal areas. In May 1779, after France & Spain had joined the war on the side of the Americans, there was fear of an invasion by the French & Spanish fleets.
On September 20th 1779,John Paul Jones (1747-1792) a Scot who had become a privateer in 1775 in command of a French squadron, appeared of the coast of Dunbar with five ships & caused great alarm A considerable show of strength was mounted & Jones sailed away.
After a second similar incident in 1781, the Town Council decided to build the 'Battery' on Lammer Island. It mounted sixteen guns of different calibre, of which two were eighteen pounders, they remained there until after the Napoleonic Wars. The Battery later became an isolation hospital during the Great War.
On September 20th 1779,John Paul Jones (1747-1792) a Scot who had become a privateer in 1775 in command of a French squadron, appeared of the coast of Dunbar with five ships & caused great alarm A considerable show of strength was mounted & Jones sailed away.
After a second similar incident in 1781, the Town Council decided to build the 'Battery' on Lammer Island. It mounted sixteen guns of different calibre, of which two were eighteen pounders, they remained there until after the Napoleonic Wars. The Battery later became an isolation hospital during the Great War.
The fisherman's monument recently restored along with the barometer. East Lothian has the driest & sunniest coast in Scotland.
Inside the Battery overlooking Dunbar castle.
The main harbour wall which takes a real battering during storms with the waves crashing 40-50 foot above the wall !
Lots of information panels around the harbour.
The Battery stands upon columnar basalt in the form of hexagonal columns formed when molten rock of this type cooled, contracted & solidified. The six sided columns of rock are of the same formation as the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland & Fingal's Cave on the island of Staffa.
The Victoria harbour built in 1842 in the shelter of the castle ruins.
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Dunbar castle was built some time during the 13th century to replace an earlier wooden fort & Dark Age settlement. The castle protected the town & controlled the road between Scotland & England, the castle has seen a turbulent history & was beseiged many times most famously in 1338 when Black Agnes defended it for 19 weeks.
Dunbar castle has been associated with many important historical figures & it was where Mary Queen of Scots was held after Bothwell kidnapped her & later married her.
Two artists impressions of the castle in her day.
The harbour mouth a 15 metre wide entrance which was cut through solid rock, removing part of the castle in the process !
A charter boat returning with anglers.
The millenium beacon on top of the castle & the R.N.L.I. flag blowing in the sea breeze.
The resident harbour Seal who along with the fishermen like to put on a show for tourists jumping up out the water to take a fish from the hand of the fisherman.
Some views around the harbour.
The ship's propeller as we know it invented in Dunbar by Robert Wilson.
Leaving the coast behind & heading for the hills on the way home to get the blood pumping through the legs & the lungs bursting stopping to get a few photos of my favourite countryside landmarks old finger post road sign & Bowerhouse Lectern style pigeon doocot.
Another fingerpost & I spotted this old Morris 1000 car I love these old Moggy's my grandad always had them but the van type for his work.
Some pictures from up the hills on the way home.
Back home in Innerwick & time to get the kettle on. Hope you enjoyed the post thanks for looking & cheers for now.
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