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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.

Forth Wild trips from Dunbar Harbour

Seal & Birdwatching - Lighthouse Tours - Photography Tours - Sea Taxi

Forth Wild offer the opportunity to see stunning Firth of Forth wildlife including gannets, puffins, razorbills, guillemots, cormorants, shags, seal and dolphins depending on the time of the year you sail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

New Viewpoint for harbour visitors

Our new viewpoint at the West side of the harbour is proving very popular. There are great views along the coast towards the Bass rock and North Berwick Law as well as interesting views of the castle. To find it head past the fishermen's workshops on the West side of the harbour.

Lifeboat Launched in Missing Person Search

The crew of the inshore lifeboat were tasked to join a search which also involved police and coastguard teams from Dunbar & North Berwick. They were searching for a woman who was described as vulnerable and there were fears for her safety.The ILB crew searched the harbour area, then west along the shoreline to Belhaven and onto the River Tyne before heading back to the harbour and commencing a search eastwards to Dunbar golf course. The search failed to find the woman in question and the Coastguard stood down all teams and the ILB returned to the harbour.

VHF channel numbers to contact UK Coastguard change on 6 September

From 6 September 2017 the UK Coastguard VHF Maritime Safety Information broadcasts will no longer broadcast on VHF Channels 23, 84 and 86.
It will instead use VHF 62, 63 and 64.

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.