St Abb's Head, Kirk Hill, Meikle Black Law

 19 May 2023

Where: Kirk Hill, 79m/259', P 32m, Tump, OS 67, NT 916 687; St Abb's Head, 95m/311', P 70m, Tump, OS 67, NT 912 692; and Meikle Black Law, 245m/ 804', P126m, Hump, OS 67, NT 822 686

I had been at St Abb's a few years ago but had not included Kirk Hill on that occasion. Given the weather today, it was no hardship to go back and do the complete circuit of the two hills and I also was able to bag Meikle Black Law on the way home. I parked in the NTS Visitor Centre car park and followed the route anti clockwise. I'll let the photographs tell the story. White Heugh headline was the first of the cliffs.....

From the high point there was a view back to the village of St Abb's.....

There was a bit of up and down but soon Kirk Hill came into view.....

The cliffs at Kirk Hill.....

The grass was covered in patches of sea pink.....

Looking down on cliffs from the the ascent of Kirk Hill.....

The summit of Kirk Hill and views to the north from it.....

Cliffs on the north side of Kirk Hill.....

Approaching St Abb's Head and the lighthouse, now automated.....

Looking to the high point a short distance away from the lighthouse.....

It has a topograph cum information board.....

I dropped back down to the ground above the northern cliffs where most of the sea bird colonies can be seen. The photos don't do justice to the site of thousands of guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes, fulmars and herring gulls that were nesting there. It was a great sight.....

Continuing the walk, I joined the service road for the walk back to the Centre This is looking north with the Mire Loch also in the picture.....

Heading back along the road, I got a good view of both St Abb's Head and then Kirk Hill.....

Before starting home, there was time for a cup of coffee and a Bakewell Slice at the excellent craft shop. I had noticed that there was a Hump a few miles up the road from St Abb's, Meikle Black Law, so I decided to have a loo. It couldn't have been more different from the other two hills, simply a walk up pasture land. The only problem might have been cows but they were in an adjacent field. The field containing the high point had sheep in it. Approaching the high point.....

Looking west to the Black Law wind farm, north to Torness Power Station and out to sea......

An excellent day full of interest, the only downside was having to negotiate the Edinburgh by-pass twice, it was awful.