Having to leave the campervan to be cleaned meant that we had three hours to kill in Dunbar. Following Spott Road in towards the town centre we first had a short walk on the East Beach although the tide was in. There were a few dog walkers out but otherwise it was very quiet.
Cromwell harbour had a few people working on boats. The first harbour was constructed in 1100 at what is now known as Belhaven. The next was stone-built nearer to the castle in the 16th century. After storm damage in the 1650s, Cromwell repaired it to enable English ships to supply his army. Herring fishing was important; In 1819, 280 boats with 2000 men and in bumper years some 700-800 boats would arrive. In the 18th century merchants traded with Europe and in 1828, 203,276 gallons of whisky were exported from Dunbar. The heyday for oyster fishing was from 1770 to 1790 and whaling was undertaken from 1751 to 1802.
The Castle ruins stand beside the harbour. It was built on the site of a Pictish fortress, the first stone castle being constructed in 1071. There were numerous attacks and rebuilding over the centuries and Mary Queen of Scots visited on several occasions. The ruins now provide a cliff-like place for gulls to nest on.
In 1844 a new harbour entrance was blasted through the remaining castle ruins and Victoria Harbour was built by the engineer David Stevenson. We walked around the walls watched by a pair of gulls.
In the 19th century potatoes were taken to London by sea. This continued until 1914 when Lincolnshire began to grow large crops of potatoes. In the 20th century lobster and crab catching increased to supply the demand from local, Edinburgh and London hotels. More recent work on the harbour in 1988 revealed the Harbour Vaults. From the items found in the underground passages, it is assumed they were related to the whaling industry.
In the High Street we found a coffee shop with comfortable sofas and had our first coffee in a cafe for several months. Opposite was the town house museum – the first home of John Muir.
The west end and Belhaven Bay will need to be explored on another day as our three hours had gone and it was time to collect the van.
Very cool that the 1st house of John Muir is a museum there!
Looking at these Dunbar photos reminded me a wee bit of a favorite film called “The Waterhorse.” I never knew where it was filmed until today. Thanks to Wikipedia, “I learned The scenes in and around the MacMorrow family’s house were shot on the 100-year-old Ardkinglas Estate on the shores of Loch Fyne in Scotland.” I’m curious if you two have been there…
John Muir was from Dunbar and there is a walking trail from there to Helensburgh to commemorate his journey to the USA. We have been to Loch Fyne, not recently though. My school was only about 60 miles from there. Once we resume our journey round the British coast in our campervan we will get there eventually!