St. Abb's Head
Wavecloud was up visiting his old haunts in the South East (of Scotland), so we met up and had some grand paddling together. On the Wednesday we did the Farne Islands, on Thursday the Bass Rock, and now on the Friday we did St. Abb's Head. Three epic paddles in three days!
It nearly wasn't though. Tired from the previous days' exertions, we had thought of just pottering around Portobello that day. But when I turned up there, Dave was up, awake and invigorated by the coffee in the Wave Cafe, so we decided to head down the coast to find some rocky headlands.
We drove down to the nuclear power station at Torness and took a look at the sea. It wasn't glowing bright green with three eyed fish floating around, but it did look a bit stormy. We nearly decided to drive back to Edinburgh, but Dave said let's go further down to Pease Bay and check it there. Which we duly did, and persuaded ourselves it didn't look too bad. So we left my car there, stuck my boat on Dave's van next to his ocean SUP, and drove on to St. Abb's to start the paddle.
It was quite windy, but the wind was south/southwesterly blowing offshore, so we would get some shelter from it close to the shore and it would hopefully push us along some of the way, with maybe a bit of excitement round the exposed headlands. But it would have to be a one way trip, hence the shuttle required.
St. Abbs:
St. Abb's head:
St. Abb was a 7th century Northumbrian princess, when all of this part of Scotland - up to Edinburgh and beyond - was part of the English Kingdom of Northumbria. She gave her name to the famous rocky headland and to the village, which is a nice wee fishing village, popular with divers.
Parking at St Abbs harbour. £7 per day.
Sorting the gear.
Cheeky gull trying to snaffle my sandwiches!
Here comes Dave.
We left the safety of the harbour behind, and headed north towards St. Abb's Head.
Soon we reached the jagged rocks and inlets of the Head.
Lobster boat.
We stopped to explore an interesting looking cave. It was huge, extending some 150 metres under the cliffs.
At the head of the cave.
Coming out again.
Coming up to the lighthouse.
It was a spectacular bit of coastline, one of the best I've paddled.
After the headlands was a long open bay we had to cross, up to the Wheat Stacks and Fast Castle Head.
It was a long haul, and eventually we stopped for lunch at a stony beach just before Fast Castle.
The rusted remnants of a shipwreck. There are lots of wrecks along this part of the coast.
While I was photographing scraps of rusty metal, Dave got a brew on.
Off again.
Round the headland the coastline became more indented and vertiginous again.
This is all that remains of Fast Castle. Some rather precarious looking walls.
Going round some of the more exposed headlands here was "interesting". The wind was quite strong and it was behind us. You had aim carefully and line up to gaps between extended headland and outlying rocks, then surf through with the swell. It was pretty exhilarating, like being picked up by a giant hand and pushed through at high speed. Phew!
After that we progressed up another long open bay towards Red Rock (!) and Pease bay. At which point a thunderstorm arrived with heavy rain.
I got thoroughly drenched, but at least stayed warm while paddling along across the endless bay.
Torness nuclear power station in the distance. The end is nigh.
Pease Bay. A big caravan site and our journey's end.
On the beach.
Dave could carry his craft, but I resorted to my trusty trolley.
We got the boats loaded onto my car, then headed back to St. Abb's, where we had left Dave's van.
Wet and tired, but happy.
So, third time lucky. A long and challenging trip at times, but well worth it. Along some excellent coastline, I would recommend that first stretch to anyone. Would be good to walk along the cliff tops too some time.
Thanks to Dave for suggesting it, coming along and for the photos of his which I shamelessly nicked. And thanks for a grand 3 days!!
Cheers.
Gordon
Here comes the future and you can't run from it
If you've got a blacklist I want to be on it
Crow Trip Log