A Single Day
If you are looking for an adventurous break then the three main providers of commercial activities are a good place to start (see below).
If you are an early riser try a morning session of Crossfit in the woods and have breakfast by the lakeside. Then try your hand with a couple of wakeboarding lessons followed by a hot shower and drink, before taking a walk through the woods down to the beautiful beach in Tyninghame Bay. After lunch book a surfing lesson on Belhaven beach or if you prefer try coasteering around the cliffs closer to the town. (If there is no surf, alternative activities include stand up paddle boarding or horse riding).
On the way home stop for an ice cream and a wander on the High Street and visit the harbour or enjoy a fish supper with a sea view. Or perhaps take home some smoked fish from Belhaven Smokehouse, both located by the A1 / Thistly Cross roundabout.
Coast 2 Coast Surf School
Foxlake Adventures
Ocean Vertical
Add Two or Three Days
By adding a few days you can explore the countryside in different ways. Book a horse riding lesson and see the coastline from a saddle, try microlighting and see the whole of East Lothian from the air. When winds allow, learn to kite surf and experience the North Sea in a novel way.
Bring your own bike or hire from local providers and explore the countryside on wheels, from challenging cycles in the Lammermuir hills to the south or more relaxing country lanes all around Dunbar. There are routes that will fill any time period from short trails to full day trips. Wheeled adventures also come in bigger sizes: try 4 x 4 driving a little further south from Dunbar and experience off road driving on a 500 acre farm.
Relax in between with a refreshing tour of Belhaven Brewery, Scotland’s oldest working brewery or visit some of the town’s historic attractions. To stretch tired muscles book in for some yoga, pilates or a massage with Dunbar’s practitioners.
Finally, the coast around Dunbar offers opportunities for kayaking or scuba diving which require more careful planning and experience. Sea swimming is increasingly popular but be aware of your own capabilities and stay within your limits – Dunbar has an excellent leisure pool as an alternative.
Five Days to a Week
By adding a few more days you can slow the pace down and balance adventure activities with a bit more local exploring. With a longer stay you can use the time to either try more activities or choose one to develop. With a week of surfing, riding or wakeboarding lessons for example you can improve your skills considerably.
Spending half days doing a chosen activity leaves another half day to relax or explore some other interest. If you are keen to explore there are great walks all around Dunbar, you can walk, run or cycle along part of the John Muir Way or Dunbar is also the starting point of the Herring Trail and close to the Southern Upland Way.
From the harbour you can book a sightseeing boat trip, try sea fishing or perhaps join the local coastal rowing club if you live in the area. Why not have a little fun walking alpacas, join a Segway tour or try Foxlake’s ropes course? And if you haven’t tried zip lining then their woodland site is a great introduction.
A longer stay offers an excellent opportunity to find out more about the famous American naturalist John Muir, by visiting the Museum established in his birthplace on the High Street or take a walk or cycle to the “Dunbear”, Andy Scott’s steel sculpture on the outskirts of the town. Many of John Muir’s quotes resonate particularly strongly in these current times: “When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.”