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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.

Dunbar Harbour Trust is the charity that looks after the harbour, and the Trust is always most grateful for any donations that can go towards meeting the costs of its charitable activities.

Donations

Dunbar Harbour Trust is the charity that looks after the harbour, and the Trust is always most grateful for any donations that can go towards meeting the costs of its charitable activities.
Click on the blue icon left to donate.

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.

RNLI flag

Ian Combe and Dave Anderson erected a replacement RNLI flag on the castle in strong winds on 2nd Jan. ‘22. This flag was a spare and will be succeeded by a new one, giving Ian and Dave another opportunity to step very, VERY carefully on the castle.

Photo credit Kenny Maule

Well Connected?

There are several cables from windfarms and other grid connections which will make landfall around Dunbar. The importance of capturing feedback from the local fishermen is highly important for the project team.

Scottish Power and National Grid are holding public consultations in Dunbar for the Scotland to England Green Link (SEGL2) https://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/electricity-transmission/document/136836/download) Leaflets will be available at Asda but they wish to avoid large public gatherings, so for the harbour area McArthurs Store is ideal for the fishermen, and other interested members of the public, to come to and gather information on the project when they are free. The information will be available for a four week period, starting on the 1st of February.

Viewing dates arranged by:

Tide & Time event coming to a harbour near you.

A first of its kind, this week-long event will visit the history of the Harbour, its longstanding fishing community, and the successful fishing industry.

To celebrate an active, working harbour, with a thriving fishing industry, in our beautiful town of Dunbar.

Herring Trail: Sponsored walk on Sunday 29th May.
Celebration of Fishing: Photographs and memorabilia at the Town House
Art Competition: Entries from local artists to be shown at the Town House.
Photograph Competition: Entries from local photographers shown at the Town House.
Talks and Presentations: at the Town House from 7-8pm
Harbour Event: Sat 4th and Sun 5th June. To find out about the local catch at Dunbar Harbour, where it can be bought and how to cook it! Delve into the history of the harbours. Visit alsop our educational stalls to learn about safety at sea and climate change, marine life, litter, and what you can do to help save our seas. Packed with fun activities, live folk music, theatre, visiting sea vessels and so much more!

For details and updates: Tide & Time event
“SOS help!” — Please volunteer to help, a little or a lot.

“Spring forward Fiona”

Fiona Kibby has been appointed as Dunbar Harbour’s new harbour master. She will take up her appointment on Monday, 18th April. Fiona has had a very distinguished career in industry and is herself a keen sailor. She has long planned a career change back in her native Scotland and will be living in the centre of our town when she returns in April. The opportunity to work with Dunbar’s inshore fishermen and get involved in the town’s community activities were all part of the reason that Fiona has made this move.

Alasdair Swan, Chair of the Trust, said, “We feel so lucky to have someone with Fiona’s skills joining us. She will naturally pick up the good work started by our previous harbourmaster, Quentin Dimmer, and will add her own ideas and touches to the way the harbour develops. In the interim, we have benefited from the grand help of our local team, Denholm Horsburgh, James Bisset and Ian Combe who have kept the harbour's efficient management going over these winter months. Please give Fiona a warm welcome when she arrives on 18th April 2022.”

Photo from Fiona’s sailing logbook

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.

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