Walk North Berwick to Tantallon Castle

3.1 miles (5 km)

This walk visits the mid-14th-century Tantallon Castle from North Berwick in East Lothian. It's about a 3 mile walk along the coast from the town centre, using the fairly flat coastal path before a final section along the road to take you to the castle.
Walk Report 29th September 2026 by Peter McCulloch:
I caught the train to North Berwick from Edinburgh Waverley on a lovely early autumn day for the walk out to the historic Tantallon Castle.... It's just over half an hour so an easy day trip from the city. I started on the seafront and followed the coast eastwards along Milsey Bay, with the Bass Rock immediately catching my attention out across the Firth of Forth. The combination of the sandy beach, rocky shoreline and views out to sea made this a particularly enjoyable start to the walk.
As I continued past the Glen Golf Club, the scenery became quieter and more open. There are some lovely views back towards North Berwick from this section, while ahead the coastline stretches towards Canty Bay. It was nice to see gannets diving around the Bass Rock, and it was easy to understand why the rock is such an important landmark from this part of the coast.
The walk around the golf course and towards Canty Bay was one of my favourite sections. The route takes you past some beautiful stretches of coastline, with little beaches tucked below the grassy cliffs and plenty of places where I stopped to look out across the water. Canty Bay has a wonderfully secluded feel, with the rocky headland giving the landscape a much more rugged character than the beach at North Berwick.
I made a stop at Drift, the cliff-edge café overlooking the coast, which turned out to be an excellent place for a break. It is in a spectacular position above the sea, with big views across the Firth of Forth, and I enjoyed sitting down for a coffee and something to eat before continuing towards the castle. It made a nice change of pace after the coastal section of the walk.
From here the route heads inland for the final approach to Tantallon Castle. After the open beaches and coastal paths, the road section felt quite different, but it wasn't long before the castle came into view. Tantallon is an impressive sight perched dramatically on the edge of the cliffs, with the Bass Rock providing an almost perfect backdrop.
I spent some time exploring the castle, climbing up to the higher sections for the views and looking around the remains of this remarkable medieval stronghold. The position really is the highlight, with the cliffs dropping away towards the sea and the Bass Rock directly beyond. The castle's history, including its involvement in the conflict with Oliver Cromwell in 1651, adds another layer of interest to what is already a spectacular setting.
For me, the North Berwick to Tantallon Castle walk works particularly well because it feels like a proper coastal outing despite being only a few miles long. Milsey Bay, the quieter beaches around Canty Bay, the stop at Drift and the dramatic arrival at Tantallon Castle give the walk plenty of variety, while the ever-present views of Bass Rock make it memorable from start to finish.
To continue your walking in the area you could pick up the John Muir Way long distance trail. Our Dunbar to North Berwick route follows the path to nearby East Linton and Dunbar.
You could also visit the lovely John Muir Country Park or try the circular Dunbar Cliff Walk.
Pubs and More Info
The circular Gullane to North Berwick Walk uses part of the John Muir Way to visit the beautiful Gullane sand dunes, the historic Muirfield Golf Course and the ruined Dirleton Castle.
Head into nearby Dirleton and you could try the interesting Dirleton Solar Walk. The educational walk will take you along a wonderful scale model of the Solar System with some splendid countryside views to enjoy too.