Coldingham Bay

Coldingham Bay is a sandy inlet on the North Sea coast, three kilometres north of Eyemouth in the Scottish Borders. A minor road from the B6438 leads directly to the beach. The bay sits between rocky headlands, with Yellow Craig Head to the south. Coldingham Sands stretches about 200 metres wide and is sheltered by these headlands. The beach attracts over a thousand visitors on busy days, drawn by its clean sand and calm waters. A lifeguard patrols during summer, and the beach has received top awards for cleanliness five years in a row. The bay lies within the St Abbs and Eyemouth Voluntary Marine Reserve, part of a protected coastal area. Its rocky shores teem with marine life, and tide pools draw rockpoolers. Above the beach, dunes and grassland provide a fragile habitat for rare plants and animals. Visitors must stay on marked paths to avoid damaging this environment. The Berwickshire Coastal Path circles the bay, offering walks to nearby St Abbs and Eyemouth. Homeli Knoll, a small hillock at the southern end, gives wide views of the coast and supports rare butterflies. At the bay’s northern edge stands The Kip, an eight-metre sea stack visible at low tide. The 30-metre cliffs of Yellow Craig rise at the southern end. Nearby, the St Vedas Hotel, built in 1897, offers accommodation. The bay’s surroundings include a burn that flows six kilometres from Coldingham Moor to the shore. The area’s mix of sand, rock, and grassland makes it a place for surfers, walkers, and wildlife watchers alike.