Portobello Beach

Last Sunday, we went down to Portobello Beach. It's about 4 miles from the City Centre and lies on the shore of the Firth of Forth, an estuary that empties into the North Sea. You can see the water from many points in the city, so there's always a reminder about how close you are to the water. It's funny to me that we live so close to the sea but have not been down to see it up close yet. I love the water, so I was excited when Joe suggested an afternoon outing. (As a side note, when I start working, my office is near the docks on another part of the Firth, so I'll have daily sightings!).

Portobello Beach

In any case, it was a pretty day to be outside and after a short bus ride, we arrived. The beach area was pretty big, though very empty. Although it was sunny, it was windy and chilly--not really "beach weather." But, based on some signs there, Portobello was once quite the beach scene. In fact up until WWII, it seems this area was very popular and happening with numerous bath houses, a lively boardwalk, and lots of entertainment. It was quiet this weekend and it's not quite the attraction it used to be, but the boardwalk is now lined with pretty old homes and a few cafes dotted throughout. It was reminiscent of times gone by and I really enjoyed the area.









I did read two interesting facts about Portobello Beach. First, Sean Connery was evidently a lifeguard at a swimming pool here. And, there is a swimming facility here which houses one of only three remaining Turkish Baths in Scotland--they are open to the public, so we'll have to go back and try it out.