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About Dunbar Harbour

Dunbar Harbour

Situated at the mouth of the Firth of Forth Dunbar is one of East Lothian's most beautiful & popular seaside towns, it is known nationally & internationally as the birthplace of John Muir, renowned naturalist & conservationist.

Dunbar is located 30 miles east of Edinburgh and approximately 30 miles north of Berwick upon Tweed with good bus and train links both north to the Capital and South to Newcastle and beyond.

Dunbar features historic buildings, spectacular landscapes and rugged coastlines and around the harbours are attractive former warehouses and granaries.

A town of three harbours, Dunbar was once a major herring and whaling port.Its old harbour dates from the 17th century. Dunbar Harbour is a busy working harbour with a commercial fleet landing mainly shellfish. The harbour is also home to one of the largest lifeboat stations in the area and there is a thriving Sailing Club and a Coastal Rowing Club as well as attracting many diving clubs to enjoy the seas around Dunbar.

Facilities

Meeting rooms

Dunbar Harbour Trust have a meeting room available at McArthur’s Store, the fishermen's store building at Cromwell Harbour.

Pleasure Yachts

Pleasure yachts are welcome to visit the harbour. Read our instructions how to enter the harbour.

Water and Fuel

We have water points and power sockets available for visiting boats. There is a slipway for launching.
Fuel can be provided by can or direct into boats.

One Man and his Dog on an Adventure

Peter Matheson and his border collie Elsa are sailing around the UK fundraising for research into Childhood Cancer. From Wick he will circumnavigate the UK including the Scilly Isles, Orkney & Shetland before travelling back to Wick Harbour in a challenge which could take at least six months. They spent a few days in Dunbar Harbour. Peter was inspired to take up the challenge after his sister died from cancer last year and said he wanted to do something more than just hand over a donation. He is sailing around Britain's coast in a 51yr old 22' "Westerly" yacht, named Wait and Hope, for Petal Childhood Cancer Research. Photo shows Peter & Elsa inside the Wait and Hope with all the comforts required on their 6 month challenge

Dunbar Battery

Events following major refurbishment

Opening Day - June 3, 2017; 11:00 am to 1:00 pm

All are welcome to visit Dunbar Battery on Saturday 3 June when Trustees will be on hand to show you round.

Civic Week at the Battery 17th – 25th June

A variety of performances will be put on at Dunbar Battery during Civic Week

Greenpeace Ship Beluga 2

Greenpeace’s ship the Beluga II is on a 2 month scientific voyage around Scotland’s coastlines, investigating the impact of ocean plastic pollution on some of the UK’s most beautiful landscapes .The first stop on the tour was on and around the Bass Rock, with water sampling for micro plastics in the area and documentation of plastic pollution in nests. As the world’s largest northern gannet colony, the Bass Rock is of international significance and the ideal starting location for this vital research and environmental campaign by Greenpeace. The crew and scientists from Greenpeace’s Research Laboratories, based at Exeter University, will be surveying remote beaches for pollution and investigating seabird nests for plastic during hatching season. The expedition will take in sites of stunning beauty and biodiversity, including the Bass Rock, Gunna Sound, Mull, Rùm, Eigg, Skye, and the Shiant Isles in the Outer Hebrides.

RNLI Day 2017

Dunbar Lifeboat Day will be held on Saturday 8th July
Parade starts at 1315hrs from the High Street

Water Sports

Kayaking

Kayaking on the sea is gaining in popularity and the beaches and reefs in East Lothian provide excellent conditions. Sea kayaking can give you a wonderful sense of exploration and adventure

Paddle Boarding

Stand Up Paddling feels as though you are gliding, or “the closest thing to walking on water”. Literally standing upright and on the top of the SUP board, the gentle activity allows a small group to move quietly across the water.

Diving

Diving off Scotland's South East coast has been described as world class with a huge variety of ship wrecks and underwater cliff dives in and around the Forth, Bass Rock and the Isle of May!

Sailing

Both local and visiting yachtsmen alike can be assured of a warm welcome from members of the friendly and informal Dunbar Sailing Club. The scenic harbour of Dunbar is popular with visiting yachts from far afield and close to home. .

Coastal Rowing

Dunbar Coastal Rowing Club was established in 2010, to offer traditional rowing skills to the Dunbar and surrounding communities. The club currently has two St Ayles skiffs, The Volunteer and Black Agnes, which were built by club members.

Surfing

Dunbar plays host to some of the best surfable waves in the area, with local surfers having surfed wave faces as big as 12ft. Local surf lessons take place at Belhaven bay, the closest consistently surfed beach to Edinburgh and Glasgow.