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Fisherrow Harbour at low tide, yachts sitting on the mud inside the stone harbour walls.
Lothian

Fisherrow Harbour

A small stone harbour at Musselburgh on the Firth of Forth, a fishing harbour since the 17th century and now full of yachts, with sandy beaches either side.

Welcome

On the western edge of Musselburgh, where the town meets the Firth of Forth, Fisherrow is an old fishing village with a small harbour of stone.

Its waters were fished in Roman times, and the harbour as it stands today dates from the 17th century.

It has a colourful past. When Cromwell's army came in 1650, Fisherrow was said to be too shallow for his supply ships, and Dunbar was chosen instead. Nor was it thought fit for foreign trade, so there was no customs post and no excise men, which seems to have made it a handy place for smugglers.

Today the fishing boats have given way to yachts, which sit on the mud at low tide and float again as the water comes in. It is a quiet, pleasant spot for a walk along the pier, with sandy beaches stretching away on both sides and wide views over the Forth.

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The Daily for 9 November, from Scotland with love. an autumn-wooded loch reflected in still water, rocks breaking the surface in the foreground
A short drive awayCoade Stone ColumnsThree ornate pillars of Coade stone in a community garden on Portobello promenade, rescued from a garden in 1989 and put up again in 2006.5 min by roadSee itCoade Stone Columns

Before you go

An open harbour, there at any time.

Where
Musselburgh, EH21 6DH.
Harbour
17th century.
Beaches
Either side.

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Where it is

On the western edge of Musselburgh, on the Firth of Forth, EH21 6DH.

Close byMusselburgh.
  1. Curved corner café "Kaffeine" on a wet street beneath tenement buildingsKaffeineA busy cafe in Musselburgh known for its breakfasts, brunches and a counter full of cakes, open every day.Under a mile 4 min by road
  2. Large white letters spelling Newhailes framed by overhanging trees on a drivewayNewhailesThe Palladian house nearby.1 mile 4 min by road
  3. The blue shopfront of Rising Tide Cafe on Portobello High Street, with blue chairs and round tables out on the pavement.Rising Tide Cafe2 miles as the crow flies
  4. Cyclist rides past a mural-painted pink kiosk on the promenade under coloured flagsPortobello PromenadeThe promenade along the coast.2 miles 6 min by road
  5. Woman standing between a gallery and Twelve Triangles bakery shopfrontThe Velvet EaselA gallery of contemporary Scottish art on Portobello High Street since 2013: painting, sculpture, ceramics, glass and jewellery.2 miles 5 min by road
Directions
Three carved stone columns stand against rooftops and a distant church spireAttractionsCoade Stone Columns1.7 miles
Empty plates and coffee cups on a wooden table overlooking a sandy beachAttractionsThe Beach House, Portobello2.1 miles
Beachgoers and a dog beside a wooden groyne, kayaker paddling offshoreAttractionsPortobello Beach2.1 miles
Cove shop front listing gifts, skincare and jewellery, covescotland.com signage aboveAttractionsPortobello’s High Street2.1 miles
Bottle-shaped brick kiln tower stands beside an information sign near the roadsideAttractionsPortobello Bottle Kilns2.2 miles
Green shopfront of The Portobello Bookshop, number 46, with "We Are 2 Years Old" window artShoppingThe Portobello Bookshop2.2 miles
Cyclist rides past a mural-painted pink kiosk on the promenade under coloured flagsRestaurantsCiverinos Slice2.3 miles
Cyclist passes Oscar's ice cream kiosk with painted barrels outsideRestaurantsOscar's on the Prom2.4 miles
Customer at the wooden Shrimp Shack kiosk beneath coloured flagsRestaurantsShrimpwreck2.5 miles

Recommend to a friend

Stay nearby

Places to stay near the harbour, and when each is next free.

A turreted sandstone building with conical spires catches the evening light above rooftops, a large pine tree standing beside it.The Scott Hotel
  • A hotel
  • In Edinburgh
  • 4 miles from Fisherrow Harbour
Check datesA hotel studio room with a beige fitted kitchen unit and stainless sink beside a bed dressed in white and teal cushions, a wall of black-framed pictures above a patterned headboard.Old Town Chambers
  • To stay
  • In Edinburgh
  • 5 miles from Fisherrow Harbour
Check datesA round table and chairs stand before tall curtained windows looking onto stone buildings, a sofa and mounted television to the right.Moment George IV Bridge
  • Sleeps 2
  • In Edinburgh
  • 5 miles from Fisherrow Harbour
Check datesWest End Muse
  • Sleeps 4
  • In Lothian
  • 6 miles from Fisherrow Harbour
Check datesPlaces to stayEvery stay in LothianAll our places to stay nearby, to search by date and by who is coming.See them all
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CollectionHarbour Towns Worth a Wander
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