A few weeks ago – the Brit and I were having dinner with his best friend (well it came as a thank you since he helped the Brit assemble our new sofa). We were talking and he knew I was a bit bored, staying home and applying for jobs, so he proposed that I come along with him to North Berwick for a day. He works there and commutes every day, so I could jump in the car with him in the morning and spend the day in Berwick.
I’m not the most spontaneous person, but I have a thing about always saying yes to opportunities like those. A free trip to somewhere new? Yes please! So the very next day I hopped in the car with him and we drove to North Berwick, which is about 45 mins from Edinburgh. He went on to work and I started my walk around town.
North Berwick is a quaint little seaside town. As most places near Edinburgh, it’s big on golf. It has two gorgeous beaches. And it has the fascinating Scottish Seabird Centre, and gives a beautiful view on a lot of beautiful islands, including the iconic Bass Rock.
I started my day by simply walking through the streets and being amazed by the little houses, and how old everything looked. It reminded me a lot of St Andrews – but sadly without the effervescence that the university population brings.
I then quickly ducked out of the town and onto the beach. That was one of my favourite things about St Andrews – being able to be by the sea and on the sand within a 5 minute walk. It felt right to be just walking on the beautiful beach and enjoying the fresh salty air. And I didn’t have anywhere to be, so I could just take my time and really appreciate the moment!
A bit later, it started to rain and the wind became stronger, so I decided to walk into the Scottish Seabird Centre and see what it was all about. Well I’m happy I did so and I’m happy that I ended up paying the £6 something it costs to go in there because it taught me so many things! Very cool visit!
I sadly could not really tell you everything that I learned there, but I can for sure recommend the place! I learned so much about the seabirds and the sea life of Scotland. There were videos, information everywhere, the guides were super knowledgable and very easy going. They also have those cameras on all the islands and when I was visiting it was grey seals season and so I saw so many cute little seals pups. And I almost saw one seal give birth! The whole centre was on watch hoping they would catch it on camera!
The other cool thing about the centre is that your admission is good for the day. So I stayed there about 1-2 hours in the morning, and then went to have lunch with the Brit’s best friend before coming back to finish the visit.
Later, I made it to the harbour, which is so cute. Very little and quaint like the rest of the town and despite the wind, I really enjoyed trying my hand at photography.
And finally, towards the end of the day, the sun came out, low and blinding. And even gave us a gorgeous rainbow! I absolutely adore the juxtaposition of the bright sun and the dark clouds. It is so ominous and eerie!
All in all, it was a lovely day! I really enjoyed being by the sea once again and I really enjoyed just relaxing in a town with a much slower pace of life. And to be honest, I’m hoping to make it back to North Berwick in the summer to see it bustling with more life and go have lobster, and perhaps even dip my feet in the sea.
What is your favourite small town?xx
