emilywillisblogYellowcraig beach is on the east coast of Scotland near North Berwick. Like many beaches in Scotland, it has a dramatic wildness which makes it perfect for the walker seeking space for the soul. It has that quality unique to Scottish beaches in the UK where you feel as if you’ve reached the end of the world – that you could keep walking forever and you would never reach an end. This affords a wonderful sense of freedom. It makes you feel very small in space and time, but in a most natural and rightful way, and this lends perspective to whatever troubles you may be carrying with you.
Where to walk at Yellowcraig beach
Yellowcraig beach is banked by sand dunes, with sweeping coves and lyme grass swaying in the wind as far as the eye can see. The dunes afford shelter to the walker. At sections you encounter stretches of rockpools and large driftwood trees abandoned by the tide.
Park at Yellowcraig beach carpark – which has ample parking for peak times. Go through the pine trees and when you come out onto the beach make your way north. You will go past a fence that separates some large beach houses from the coastal path. Continue past these until the beach opens out and becomes wilder. You can do a good 10 mile walk here – once you have gone about 8 miles, you will come across a bay which is perfect for camping and swimming – sheltered, secluded, and with beautiful views north and south.
Camping at Yellowcraig beach
Unlike in England, you are afforded the privilege of legally wild camping. This should come with a sense of responsibility to treat nature as you would your own home – leaving only the impressions of your shoes behind, to sink as the tide effaces them. After about 8 miles of walking from Yellowcraig car park, you hit a section of beach which is great for camping. You have substantial sand dunes on the left for shelter. Here nature gifts to you everything that you need – driftwood sticks and stones enable you to dig a fire pit to cook your dinner, and the driftwood sticks also enable you to create a great makeshift washing line for drying your clothes after you swim. There is no light pollution here so at night the stars are breathtaking, and if you sit on the cooling sand with your cup of tea as the inky darkness settles in, sometimes you can hear whale song echoing around the cove. It often sounds like wolves howling, but it is most likely to be Minke whales – a very special memory you will never forget. You also get deer coming down to the beach and if you’re up with the dawn you are likely to see them. Yellowcraig is one of the most beautiful views you will ever be greeted with on opening your eyes and unzipping the tent.
Is Yellowcraig beach safe?
Whenever you are wild camping a decent distance from civilisation without any mobile reception, it is worthwhile being mindful of the fact that help may not be immediately on hand if you have an emergency. Yellowcraig is one of these places. Taking precautions can help to prepare should those situations arise – make sure to take a first aid kit and if possible, not go camping alone. It can also get deceptively hot in the summer when walking Yellowcraig beach, as there is no shelter, so even though you’re in Scotland make sure to take suncream and more water than you think you need as there are no amenities next to the beach where you can refuel, until you get back to the carpark.
Beware of camping on the beach at Yellowcraig. Although it may seem like a romantic and bucket list opportunity, the tide comes in to about a metre away from the sand dunes. I learned this the hard way and had to pick up my tent with everything in it at 1 in the morning and leg it over the sand dunes to avoid being washed away by a roaring tide. Deeper sleepers may have been in trouble. If you camp in the sand dunes make sure to also check yourself for ticks regularly as they abound and take a tick removal tool in your first aid kit. (Also learned this the hard way!)
Is Yellowcraig beach accessible?
Yellowcraig beach is not the most accessible of beaches – although the strand is pretty flat there is some walking involved to get to it from the carpark, and then if you walk along the beach you cannot easily exit further up, due to there being mostly boggy grassland behind the sand dunes, and trees. You would need to retrace your steps back to the carpark.
How to get to Yellowcraig beach?
You can get to Direlton if coming by bus on the East coast bus, but would need to walk from there to get to Yellowcraig beach. The nearest train station to Yellowcraig is North Berwick.
There are public toilets next to Yellowcraig beach carpark which is useful for people who don’t plan to stray too far from the carpark when walking at Yellowcraig beach.