solo: part two

Gullane to Eyebroughy, 22 February

If you saw the first instalment of this blog post, you’ll know that I set out on a solo walk on this sunny Saturday in February, a walk that began at Gullane as the light was glowing through the scattered clouds, before following the winding coastal path that eventually guides you to Eyebroughy beach.

If you’re a regular reader here, you’ll also know that this is a favourite walk of ours, and has been for a few years. There’s something about this stretch of the coastline with its mix of dunes, stretches of rocky shoreline, and beaches that shift from long expanses of sand to compact curves of shells and pebbles and driftwood. I love the variety and the textures, and on this Saturday it was a chance to explore this route on my own - a bit of a ‘head reset’ - before meeting Richard and Raf at Eyebroughy and then walking to Yellowcraig together.

I feel that these solo walks are something I need to do more of, but this is tricky given that I can’t drive. If I could drive, I’d be down the coast today, walking in sunshine and rain and getting a few miles in my legs and clear thinking in my head.

But solo walks also leave me feeling a bit conflicted. With Harris by my side, I’d never have been contemplating a solo walk in any of these places. This would have been an adventure to share, the two of us setting out together. The joy of exploring lay in this companionship. So there’s disappointment that I can’t do this with Raf - yet anyway, but this will hopefully change in time, as these are experiences that I want for him too.

I strode on, pausing here, at this log above, where we used to always pause together with the lads, gazing out across the lichen-covered rocks to the sea while sweet potato chews were eagerly consumed. The route beyond this point guides you along the dunes where the path winds and dips and winds more, opening up new vistas. This is my favourite stretch of this walk as there’s something about the views here, but also I love the way the sunlight glows along the dunes and the fluid movement of the marram grasses; this dance of textures and light.

The sky had changed from the first half of this walk, with less cloud around, and by the time I arrived at Eyebroughy beach, coming over that last dune as the sunlight blazed on the sand while the rocky shoreline beyond lay in shadow, there was only a dusting of clouds above Fidra in the distance.

Here, at Eyebroughy, Richard and Raf were waiting at the far end of the beach, Richard taking in the view while Raf was on alert, looking for me. I paused briefly at the rock below, the black rock with the ochre lichen heart, a rock I have photographed over the years with Harris perched here, on this shelf. It was always a tricky photograph to get to work (or a tricky edit) when trying to balance the silvery highlights in Harris’s fur against the blackness of the rock, with the soft hues of the sky in the background. We’d be walking along the beach and Harris and I would look at each other, a look that said: “Shall we?” And we’d walk over, Harris stopping below this spot, ready to be elevated into position.

And now, I look at this rock with its ochre heart, and it gifts me this memory.

As there was still some daylight left after meeting Richard and Raf, we wound up into the dunes from Eyebroughy and walked in a loop, Raf running ahead, so free and happy, before returning along the path towards Yellowcraig. By the time we reached this point below, the light was fading quickly, the sky layered in ever-deepening blue and lilac tones as we headed back to the car, and to the flask of tea that was waiting.

Gullane to Eyebroughy to Yellowcraig, East Lothian, 22 February 2025.

#eyebroughy #eastlothian #fidra #scotland