As we move out of the coronavirus lockdown, we’re pleased to be able to welcome back visitors to our outdoor spaces. Some of our buildings (historic buildings, visitor facilities, cafés and shops) remain closed. The toilet facilities at St Abb’s Head are open Fri–Sun only. We urge people to check opening times on the website and to carefully observe social distancing.
Getting here
The nearest train station is Berwick-upon-Tweed.
There’s a direct bus from Berwick, and from Edinburgh it involves just one change. The bus stops (on request) next to the reserve car park which is located at NT 913 674 and is well signposted from the B6438.
The quiet coastal roads are pleasant for cycling, and there are bike racks in the reserve car park.
Opening times
-
Nature Reserve
- Current periodOpen all year, daily
-
Nature Centre
- Current period1 Jan–31 Jul 2020, closed 1 Aug–1 Nov, daily, 10:00–17:00 2 Nov–31 Mar 2021, closed
Entry prices
- Car park
- £3.00
Planning your visit
We want you to enjoy your visit to the nature reserve – your safety is our priority. This means we’ve had to make some changes so that we can keep everyone safe. Please read our Guide on what to expect before you set off.
St Abb’s Head National Nature Reserve is open all year round. The Nature Centre, situated next to the reserve car park, is open between 10am and 5pm, 7 days a week from Easter to the end of October. This is mostly unmanned, but contains all the information you should need to help you get the most out of your visit. The public toilets are open all day, all year round.
The car park is unsuitable for coaches; please call the Old Smiddy Coffee Shop (07773 347209) to arrange use of their car park.
The Old Smiddy Coffee Shop is next to the Nature Centre, where you’ll also find the Number 4 Art Gallery. Neither is owned by the Trust, so if you’d like more information and opening times please contact them direct. There are also two other cafés, The Old School Café and the Ebb Carrs café, just down the road in the village of St Abbs. There are picnic benches outside the Nature Centre and neighbouring coffee shop.
St Abb’s Head is a ‘no-drone zone’ between 1 April and 31 July, to prevent disturbance to breeding seabirds and other wildlife. Outwith this time, amateur unmanned aerial vehicle (drone) operators should seek permission from the Property Manager before flying. Commercial operators should contact the Trust’s Filming Manager at filming@nts.org.uk.
Please see our drop-down Facilities below for helpful information about planning your visit.
For more information about planning your visit please see our frequently asked questions.
If you’d like to speak to us we can be contacted by email: st.abbs@nts.org.uk.
Facilities & access
We have an ongoing programme of accessible content development. Detailed accessibility guides for the most visited Trust places are available on our Accessibility pages as well as links to useful resources.
We’d love you to visit the Euan’s Guide website to review the accessibility of Trust places and tell us (and others) what’s good and where we need to do better.
There are disabled parking spaces at the reserve car park.
There are small parking areas at Pettico Wick and the lighthouse for the same reason.
There is an accessible toilet next door to the Nature Centre (open Fri–Sun only).
Dogs are welcome. Please keep them under close control, or on a lead near farm stock, and clear up after them. Please note that although there are dog waste bins at the car park and near the start of the walks, there are none out on the reserve, so please come prepared (with a suitable sealable container) to carry your dog’s waste.
The reserve car park is located at NT 913 674 and is well signposted from the B6438. There is a £3 per day parking fee (free to members).
Open Fri–Sun only.
The private road to the lighthouse is kept open to allow those with walking difficulties to access the reserve.
The Nature Centre is wheelchair accessible.
There are wheelchair-accessible picnic benches outside the Nature Centre and coffee shop.
An all-ability path leads from the Nature Centre to a viewpoint on the cliff top at Starney Bay.