Wildlife in East Lothian & the Borders
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Day 1: Edinburgh - North Berwick
Drive to North Berwick, where you will visit the Scottish Seabird Centre, which is a haven for wildlife through all the seasons and only 30 minutes from Edinburgh. Enjoy this dynamic visitor attraction set in a stunning landmark building with its uninterrupted views over the islands of the Firth of Forth and the sand-fringed bays of North Berwick. The area is a haven for nesting seabirds and wildlife and each year over 150,000 birds come to nest on the islands off the North Berwick coast, particularly on the renowned Bass Rock. There are boat trips from North Berwick, weather permitting, to the Bass Rock and Fidra islands, daily between May and Sep and if you are lucky, you may see grey seals. Follow your road to the small port of Dunbar, where the first conservationist John Muir was born in 1838 in the small, he emigrated with his family as a child to the USA. In his adopted homeland he became a founding father of the world conservation movement, and devoted his life to safeguarding the world's landscapes for future generations. Here, in Scotland you will visit “The John Muir Country Park” which is an area of woodland, grassland and coastline near Dunbar. The park is home to a diverse collection of animal life, including several species of butterfly and moth and over 400 species of plants. The park is also a bird watchers paradise, with (depending on the season) kittiwake, eider duck, shelduck, skylark, meadow pipit, ringed plover, gannet, terns, sand martins, crossbill, wigeon, bar-tailed godwit and whooper swan to be seen. Overnight in the Borders.

Day 2: Nature reserve at St Abbs Head
After a good Scottish breakfast, you start driving on the road to Selkirk, where you can see “The Grey Mare's Tail” a "hanging valley" waterfall, and then to St Abbs for an amazing walk in the National Trust Nature Reserve on St Abbs Head where a nature centre is open daily from April to October with interpretations. To get to the reserve, follow the trail from the car park at Northfield Farm on the road into St Abbs. The path ends at the lighthouse, about a mile from the car park. It is possible to see a variety of sea birds, spectacular geological formations and an abundance of wild flowers. From the car park, follow way marked trail to coastal footpath leading to the lighthouse, along the route there are stunning viewpoints, prehistoric hill forts, settlements, forestry, woodlands, waterfalls and freshwater lochs. We recommend you take some time admiring the views from the highest cliff top point on the east coast of mainland Britain. Bring your binoculars and have an unforgettable experience…Overnight in the Borders.


Day 3: Hirsel Country Park - Edinburgh
This morning, if time permits, you will drive inland to the village of Coldstream, where you will walk in the “Hirsel Country Park” which offers some of the finest birdwatching opportunities in the south of Scotland, with 160 species having been recorded here. Hirsel Lake forms the centrepiece of the park and is surrounded by reed beds in which sedge warbler and reed bunting may be found. The lake plays host to moorhen, little grebe, heron, mute swan, shoveler, tufted duck and pochard in summer, with whooper swans and goosander arriving in winter. Water rails may also be seen at this time. The woodland adjacent to the lake is home to many species absent or rare throughout much of Scotland, such as marsh tit and hawfinch. Also resident are green and great spotted woodpecker, redstart, garden warbler and both pied and spotted flycatchers. A visitor centre within the park gives a good introduction to all the wildlife one may see here. From there, continue to Edinburgh to drop your car after such an invigorating experience.