Arriving at Cockburnspath
Arriving in Cockburnspath felt like returning home. The last time we were in Cockburnspath, we had completed the Southern Upland Way, leaving with a sense of exhilaration, knowing we would return soon. Today was that day, and we were both excited—really, really excited! Hiking the coast was something we had postponed back in 2022, and now we were about to start.
Leaving Sarah at the start of any walk is bittersweet. Today, it felt more poignant—a tight knot deep in my belly. It felt like a mixture of excitement and sadness. It would be five days before we would see each other again. Sarah worries so much for us both, making it worse—not that I blame her, of course! I would be in a state of panic if the tables were to be turned and Sarah and Eve were headed off alone along the coast.
However, it doesn't do well to dwell on the emotions. We have a coast to walk, and loitering in the centre of Cockburnspath, as pleasant as it is, only prolongs the inevitable emotional goodbye.
With glazad in our eyes as we headed off towards the coast, hiking north around the coastline of Britain.
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Leaving Cockburnspath for the Berwickshire coast, passing the war memorial, Southern Upland Way information board and a hedge with recent fire damage
Leaving Cockburnspath, walking towards the coast
We left Cockburnspath and followed the Southern Upland Way toward the Berwickshire Coastal Path. The Southern Upland Way shares its route with the Berwickshire Coastal Path, both of which are part of Scotland's Great Trails. Eve and I have had the pleasure of walking on both trails.
As we walked toward the coast, we felt a wave of anticipation. The sadness of leaving Sarah quickly faded, replaced by pure exhilaration. We strolled hand in hand, like children on Christmas morning, eager to uncover the surprises that awaited us. The excitement was almost palpable, our hearts racing as the coastline gradually appeared. In that moment, we felt truly alive.
The coast is something truly special. It’s a feeling like no other, putting us into a trance-like state and washing away all our cares and worries, allowing us to enter our little world. A thin strip of wilderness hugs the shore, creating our own oasis from the outside world.
Walking between Cockburnspath and the coast… we were very excited by this point passing under the railway and the A1 road
First sight of the coast... at last we were home!
We arrived at the coast feeling good and strong, albeit slightly out of breath! We had powered walked from Cockburnspath to the coast, arriving very close to Cove Harbour.
Cove is a stunningly beautiful and historic harbour that hosts two boats that fish (if that's the right word) for crabs and lobsters. Arriving at the right time, the friendly fishermen will let you see their catch before taking it to market. We had had that pleasure before, and they will even let you buy one of them! We have never brought one as we don't know how to cook them or, more importantly, dispatch them humanely!
We stopped here for our first break of the day, overlooking the rocky and jagged shoreline. I even played in the grass, full of the energy of youth that has long since left me!
Reaching the coast we have our first break. The rock formations on this section was impressive with a plaque to tell us all bout the geology of the area
Walking past Cove
We didn't make the slight detour into Cove, as we have visited Cove many times. We love this whole section of the coast and the vast open beaches of Northumberland, so we have spent many holidays here.
If you chose to visit cover there is a small carpark and a short walk down into Cove involving a walk through a man made tunbel through the clifts into the harbour. It's well worth the effort if your in the area!
We have not walked this section of the coast before, so from here, this was all new territory to be explored. I hadn't realised before how close to Cove we actually were. Within minutes, we were at the car park and at the first (or last) monument dedicated to the fisherman who was lost in a great storm in the 1800s
First coast walking section through the Cove carpark and onto a a trail through trees that lead us onto the beach…
As we passed Cove, the route put us onto a road where we could hear the traffic. We did attempt a detour to avoid the road, walking towards a fenced-off area of the Scottish Water compound, hoping to get around it, but the hedges were impregnable! We backtracked and took the road.
Short section of road walking was not so much fun!
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Towards the beach...
After a short road walking section, we found ourselves in a beautiful wooded area. Smelling the salt air, we knew we were not far from the coast. I hadn't considered this section much, focusing only on getting back onto the coast, but I really shouldn't. It was a small pocket of beauty, and the smell of the flowers and the sound of the burns was beautiful.
Heading through the small wooded area towards the beach
Lunch and rock pooling
Who doesn't like lunch sat on a secluded beach while rock pooling? The beach smelled like most rocky beaches do when the tide is out and seaweed is baked under a hot sun. It smelt, but oh how we would rather have that smell than fumes from a car or the drone of the fridge at home!
This is where we feel most at home, and although this section of the coast is anything but remote, it felt remote—at least to us!
The rocky beach and lunch, Biscoff Flap Jack
Eve rock pooling. We didn't find anything but not for lack of trying!
Onto the cliffs towards Torness Power Station
After lunch we headed back up a grassy track and onto the clifts towards Torness Nuclear Powerstation.
Torness is Scotland's only operational nuclear power station. Scotland is very heavily dependent on renewable energy sources such as wind. I feel very proud of this! I remember reading a news article not long ago that Scotland can produce more renewable energy than it consumes! How epic is that—at least I think so anyway!
I know the whole renewable energy thing can be controversial, but I can't help but feel this is a positive thing, and I look forward to the day Torness is decommissioned.
But anyway... enough of the soapbox, the coast is calling us!
The walk from here was wonderful. It gave us stunning views of the sandy beaches below. We walked well and discussed where we might end up camping this evening.
Hiking up the grassy track and long a farmers field passing sea arches and overlooking the caravan park at Thorntonloch
Through Thorntonloch Caravan Park
Dropping onto the beach felt good. There is no better feeling than walking on flat, firm sand next to the sea's rolling waves. It is blissful and removes all the worries and concerns of life without effort.
Eve spends her entire time on the beach playing a game of dare with the waves, running out and in, out and in. I swear she doubles her daily mileage just by doing this. If she isn't dodging waves, she's drawing or creating patterns in the sand.
Dam thing is, Eve's playfulness is contagious...
Without knowing or realising, I get drawn into her games and start drawing or attempting to jump waves, forgetting I have a huge backpack and crashing down into the sand and sinking deep enough to warrant rescue. But my goodness, does it feel good. To forget one's age and be a kid again, messing around with Eve blissfully unaware of who is watching, is refreshing to the extreme. It is liberating to be relieved of the expectations of life and parenthood and to play! Play like it's 1990 and holidaying with my parents on the south coast!
We did briefly have to think more seriously about what we were doing. Running low on water and with no obvious stream or burn to get water from, we decided to walk through Thorntonloch Caravan Park in search of it.
I asked a lady sitting on a bench in the caravan park if there was a tap. The response I got was "no," and she ran off. I genuinely feared that I had scared her! I asked Eve to check my face to make sure I wasn't bleeding or had some horriific bug crawling on, but no. I think it was simply our presence that scared this poor lady.
If on the off chance you are reading this, please know I doidnt mean to scare you and I appolagise for disturbing you!
We did, however, find a tap in the caravan park's laundry. The toilets were all locked, so we bottled some water from the tap before heading on our way, before we got thrown out or challenged. I don't like 'sneaking' into places even for something as simple as water, and we make no attempt to hide our presence, but I got the distinct feeling our presence would be frowned upon. We retreated to the safety of the beach with haste. Once on the beach, it began playing and drawing in the sand.
Onto the beach and walking through Thorntonloch Caravan Park in the search of water
Torness Nuclear Power Station
Torness Nuclear Power Station is formidable. Seen from the A1, it's a grey lump of building that doesn't look too overwhelming when set against the horror out at sea. From the rear, you soon realise the scale of the place!
In all fairness, we didn't see much of the power station itself, and from the rear, you have a choice: Walk the low or the high route around the power station hugging the shore. Eve and I decided on the low route, but I suspect in bad weather, the low route would be impassable. The low route also avoids seeing the power station and prioritises the view of the sea.
The walk is along a featureless concrete promenade. On the left-hand side, a huge vericle grey wall and to the right, sea defences created by trillions of tetrapods. It was as formidable a defence against the sea as I have ever seen anywhere! It's worthy of the walk just to see this. It's boggls the mid-looking at trillions of interlocking cocorte shapes that protect the power station from a Fukushima-style meltdown!
Fukushima is in Japan and the location of the 2011 newclear meltdown caused by a tusnami that hit the powerstation
The one thing, apart from Tetrapods, there were plenty of was fishermen. We saw over 20 fishermen standing, perched on the terrapods casting in and winding back again like they were caught in a trance.
The hike around Torness Powerstation was less than inspiring but had it's own hidden beauty. It was exceptionally quite!
Hello world...
Skaterraw Harbour and Chapple Point
Once around Torness Power Station, the concrete ends abruptly, giving way to the green and rocky coast again. We hadn't stopped for a break for a while, and after all that walking on concorete, our legs and feet were tired and weary.
We passed a small carpark where a few tents were pitched, all owned by fishermen. We avoided them as most looked to have copious amounts of alcohol, and one group was building a ginormous fire from pallets they had brought with them! It felt a little intimidating, so we passed by quickly without looking back.
Further on, we walked onto Chapple Point. Chapple Point is a lovely wee spot. We walked past several friendly dog walkers. The grass was tall and wirey, but comforting after all the concoction. Eve and I walked, running our hands along the top of the grass to feel it brushing our hands like the gentle caress of a lover's hand.
Being in physical contact with the earth is settling and really does calm us. Not in some spiritual way, but physically. It slows the heart and quiets the mind. Being autistic, my mind races and never stops. Being here on the coast and in the relative wild brings peace that I simply can't finf any other way. For Eve... she comes alive! Watching Eve getting reborn each time we set out on a hike is one of the single best feelings and sights to behold.
I fear the day these adventures stop or I am unable to escape to these wild places with our home on my back and my daughter leading the way.
We sat on a bench and had a long break, studying the maps and reading the plaques on the memorial that stands on Chapple Point before heading off to find somewhere to spend the night.
Chapple Point and the memorial the Rev R.W.V.S. Wright
Towards Barns Ness. The coast was covered in bluebells and feathers!
Hiking towards Barns Ness
After leaving Chapple Point behind, we started to walk towards Barns Ness Lighthouse. Our Plan, whilst sitting on the bench looking at the maps, was to find somewhere to camp just after the lighthouse.
However, as with all plans, flexability is paramount. Being autistic isn't always easy, but we try, and hiking really doesn't need flexability!
The beach before Barns Ness Lighthouse is beautiful. Golden sandy beach and dunes behind. The whole area was covered in feathers and the carpets of bluebells, still dripping with the dew of the night before. Sheltered from the sun and wind by the tall grasses all around.
Just before the lighthouse, we found a small area of grass where we could pitch the tent, so we decided to stop for the night, much to Eve's delight.
After the long drive to Cockburnspath, the excitement of being on the coast, and the walk to this point, we were exhausted.
The beach towards Barns Ness Lighthouse and Eve phoning Sarah (mum) to tell her we had stopped for the night
Wild camping at Barns Ness on the coast
Wild camping is one of the single best feelings in the world. The freedom and liberation from the world it offers are second to none! For Eve and me, this is home! This is where we belong and where we want to be.
Eve might well outgrow this feeling. It might be a faze, and if it is, that's fine. For me... no! For me, this is everything I could ever hope or wish for. To share this with one's willing daughter is undescribable.
Eve playing on the beach before bed
Eve digging an exceptionally deep hole! We filled it in before retiring to the tent for the night
Camping in the dunes
Camping in the dunes is always fun but comes with its challenges. Sharp grass against the skin and flysheet of the tent can cause damage, and all but the biggest tent pegs fail to hold securely when the wind picks up.
This evening, the wind was calm, and the sun was warm. We slept well and were comfortable, listening to the waves gently crashing against the shore.
Night night everyone.
I hope you enjoyed this journal. Please consider supporting us. Your support means so much and helps us more than I can possibly tell you. Thank you. Ian 🙏🏻
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Ian Alderman
Day 2 - Barns Ness Lighthouse to John Muir County Park
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