Leisure Activities in and around Eyemouth
The Town
The town centre, with its narrow streets and wynds, is only 5 minutes walk from the harbour and has a good range of stores and services, including a bookshop.
Sea Trips
During the summer sightseeing, angling and diving trips run from the large pontoon (which has disabled access) on Middle Pier. Please contact the charter firm in advance to make a booking
Boat Charters
- The Glass Bottom Boat Jim Vanco 01890 771 365/ 07926 801 215
- Scimitar Derek Anderson 07860 804 316
- Marine Quest Jim & Iain Easingwood. 01890 771 676
- Ocean Maid - Martin Spouse 07817 944 776
- Clansman (deep sea fishing) Billy Aitchison 01890 750 260
Diving
With the wealth of local marine life, Eyemouth has become a popular place for diving. The access to the shoreside at Gunsgreen is being improved for divers. Aquastars have a diving centre in Gunsgreen Basin with oxygen, training, guided tours and a shop selling the full range of equipment. They also provide a salvaging service. Marine Quest run diving trips and provide hostel accommodation at The Harbourside. Scimitar (a catamaran) can be chartered for diving trips.
Nature Reserves
- Berwickshire and Northumberland Coast European Marine Site: The Berwickshire coastline is one of high cliffs interspersed with rocky coves and small beaches, behind which are miles of rolling farm land. Due to the wealth of seabird and marine life most of the coastline is now a preserved Coastal European Marine Site. For images and information on the local marine life have a look at the Cross Border Currents web site.
- Eyemouth and St Abbs Voluntary Marine Reserve was established 25 years ago, in 1984, by local fishermen, divers and conservationists and was the first reserve of its kind in the UK. Periodic events and activities are organised by the marine ranger and are listed on the web page, which also carries news of marine life sitings.
- St Abbs Nature Reserve the 300 foot cliffs of St Abbs are a few miles north of Eyemouth and are managed by the National Trust for Scotland. The reserve is famous for its colonies of cliff-nesting birds: guillemots, kittiwakes, razorbills, shags, fulmars, puffins and herring gull. There is an excellent tea room, gllery and textile shop, ranger service, and a remote camera link allows visitors to observe birds during the nesting season.
Museums
- Eyemouth Museum in Market Square illustrates the town's history.
- Eyemouth Maritime Museum : is in the Old Fishmarket, which has been adapted to represent the exterior of an C18th frigate. It displays some of the 700 craft belonging to the International Sailing Craft Association, whose mission is 'to preserve man- and wind-powered craft from around the world and record the traditions associated with them'. Other boats belonging to ISCA may be seen around the harbourside.
- Gunsgreen House, the handsome white Georgian building overlooking the harbour, was built by John and James Adams for a local shipping merchant. The building is being restored, and as part of the project a Museum of Smuggling will open in its basement later in 2009.
Golf
On the cliff tops south of the harbour is Eyemouth Golf Club, winner of the 'Most Unusual Hole in Scotland' award. The club house has panoramic views over the bay from the bar and restaurant.
Edinburgh
The beautiful and lively city of Edinburgh is only an hour away by car, and accessible by bus from Eyemouth, or train from Berwick-upon-Tweed.
Country Houses
Walks
There are cliff walks north from Eyemouth to St. Abbs Head and south to Berwick upon Tweed. For keen walkers the Southern Upland Way starts slightly further north at Cockburn's Path and ends in Portpatrick on the West Coast. To the south St. Cuthbert's Way takes the walker from Melrose to Holy Island (62 miles) through the Cheviot Hills.