Whitesands Bay

Just over 2 miles down the coast from Dunbar, down a single track road off the A1087, Whitesands is a rural, secluded beach.  An attractive stretch of fine, clean sand curves gently round the bay and is backed by grasslands. 

The bay faces east, so gets lots of early morning sunshine.  This fact, together with the soft sand underfoot as you enter the gently sloping waters of the bay can make an early morning swim an attractive option. Conditions here can be good for surfing too.
The beach is flanked on either side by rocky areas and low-rise cliffs which provide some degree of shelter to the bay.  At low tide, interesting rockpools can be found.

This area of the coast is rich in limestone, which has been mined in the locality for hundreds of years.  The beach was gifted to the local council by the Portland Cement Company for use as a recreational area. The grassy areas behind the beach provide ideal growing conditions for wild flowers which flourish in alkaline soil, such as autumn gentian and yellow-horned poppy. There are some fine views along the coast.

There is a grassy car parking area behind the beach.  A geology trail starts in the car park, and footpaths from the car park pass the old lime quarry areas and the former limekilns. .

The beach is usually fairly quiet, making it a good destination for those seeking a bit of solitude.