John Muir's Birthplace

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Content updated Sun, 31 Jan 1999 23:37:28 GMT

John Muir's Dunbar... [home]

Woodbush School

Lamer Street and Old Harbour

Victoria Harbour and Dunbar Castle

Fishing boats in the Old Harbour

If the tide is low, the sands can be walked north to the harbours. Alternatively, Lamer Street [19] (once, the 'Road along the Sands') can be followed to the Old Harbour [20]. From the beach, an ancient slip-way gives onto the quays, now quiet and peaceful, once a hubbub of trading craft. Fertiliser and coal came in, grain and potatoes went out. Sometimes more exotic loads were delivered for the merchants of Dunbar. Industry at the Shore annually reached its peak when the herring migrated past the Firth of Forth, doubling the population of the town for a few short weeks. Here were to be found all manner of tall-tale telling mariners.

'Every boy owned some sort of craft whittled from a block of wood and trimmed with infinite pains - sloops, schooners, brigs, and full-rigged ships, with their sails and string ropes adjusted and named for us by some old sailor. These precious toy craft with lead keels we learned to sail...'

Mending nets at the Victoria Harbour

All around were maltings to snatch a handful of grain, cooperages to find spare wood, rope-ends and tarry balls from nets, and nooks and crannies to play in. But the best playground by far lay over to the north-west.