Sunny Dunny: Dunbar

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Harbour view
Castle view

For Jo’s Monday Walk this week, I’m going to take you round Dunbar in East Lothian, affectionately known as Sunny Dunny (which it was). And look! Just below the Leisure Centre where we parked are some lovely benches overlooking Victoria Harbour. I hoped I could kill two birds with one stone and also enter Jude’s Bench Series. I had it in my head that she was looking for benches by the sea in May, but when I check more carefully it specifically says “at the beach”. No beach in view here, just the harbour! Hmm, maybe I’ll get away with it……

Anyway, click on the links above to find out more about both challenges and what other people have been writing about.

We didn’t linger on the benches, but headed uphill onto the High Street to start our walk there. Dunbar is famous for being the birthplace (in 1838) of John Muir who later emigrated to the USA and was instrumental in setting up the National Parks system. His house is still there and is now an excellent museum. Across the road is the Town House Museum and a statue of John Muir as a boy.

John Muir birthplace
John Muir statue
Town House Museum

After perusing the shops and cafes of the High Street, we headed downhill again, past the Volunteer Arms (does a good pub lunch) to Cromwell Harbour, which dates from the 16th century, and the Battery which was built in 1781 to defend the town from privateers.

Volunteer Arms
Cromwell Harbour Monument
Cromwell Harbour
Cromwell Harbour
Battery

Next, we headed back over to Victoria Harbour which was built in the 1840s by blasting away some of the rocks the castle was built on. There’s not much left of the castle now, but it makes a nice home for a colony of kittiwakes.

Victoria Harbour and castle
Kittiwakes
Kittiwakes
Kittiwakes
Kittiwakes

We also discovered that Dunbar was home to the inventor of the ship’s propeller, Robert Wilson, though he didn’t get credit for it apparently.

Ship’s propeller
Robert Wilson

Finally, it was time to climb back up to the car park, looking back at the castle and admiring the statue of girl and swan before we left.

Castle
Girl with swan
Scotland, UK , , , , ,

42 Comments »

  2. I have heard of Sunny Scunny and Sunny Hunny, but not Sunny Dunny! But it does look delightful and I’ll forgive you for not showing me a beach, there is water and a view and even a castle of sorts. I really must spend more time in Scotland 🙂

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  6. Looks like a nice town for walking around. I felt a bit sad about the castle, though, so I looked it up and found out it was destroyed in the late 1560’s – and yet the ruins remain!

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  7. Great photos! This was a lot of fun to read. I’m a big fan of John Muir. He really left his mark on our country.

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  8. I confuse Dunbar and Dundee, but I’ve never been to either. 🙂 This looks a pretty little seaside spot. I’m sure you could have found a bucketful of sand for Jude if you’d looked around the corner. I would have cheated and brought it along to stand beside the bench 🙂 It’s ok- she doesn’t mind the odd cheat 🙂 And it’s a very nice bench shot, so everyone’s happy. Especially me for being included in your walk. Many thanks, Anabel!

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