John Muir
John Muir (1838-1914) was a pioneer of nature writing and conservation. In his adopted home of California he is hailed as a genius of foresight. In 1892 he was a founder of the Sierra Club, of which he became life president. Through his writing he is as famous as Andrew Carnegie, as honoured as RL Stevenson and regarded with as much affection as Robert Burns. Muir Woods, Muir Beach, Mount Muir and Muir Glacier head more than 200 sites named in his honour. For millions of Americans he is the 'Father of our National Parks', but for many years he remained unheralded in his native Scotland.
Scotland began a process of rediscovery as a consequence of the dawning American environmental movement of the 1960s. Californians began to reinvestigate Muir's life as his message and campaigns began to seem ever more relevant to our urban and industrialised lifestyles. As they searched for clues to his character, they rediscovered the role of his Scottish upbringing. Through sharing with Scottish environmental enthusiasts and historians an awareness of Muir's significance began to spread. This was particularly true in East Lothian and Dunbar, his hometown.
John Muir's life, work and continuing legacy is interpreted by the John Muir Birthplace Trust whose centre is housed in the very building where John Muir lived in Dunbar. The Trust is a partnership between East Lothian Council, Dunbar Community Council, Dunbar's John Muir Association, and the John Muir Trust. The John Muir Birthplace Museum is open all year round. In addition, there is also the John Muir Award (supported by East Lothian Council), a conservation award where participants are encouraged to do something for the environment.
John Muir's life is celebrated through the creation of the John Muir Way a planned long distance trail of over forty miles through the East Lothian coast and countryside. The John Muir Way is being developed by East Lothian Council to provide a continuous path linking East Lothian with the City of Edinburgh and the Scottish Borders. The route offers magnificent views of the East Lothian coastline and a chance to discover the natural history and historic sites of this unique landscape.
Currently in the west the John Muir Way extends from Fisherrow Harbour in Musselburgh to the village of Aberlady, a distance of 18 kilometres. In the east the John Muir Way runs for 16 kilometres from Dunbar to Dunglass; much of this section is a little more remote and runs along grass paths or sections of the beach, and it is recommended that you take stout footwear and waterproof clothing if you plan to tackle this section. During exceptional tides the section along the beach between Bilsdean and Dunglass may be impassable for a short period. Three leaflets are available for these sections describing what can be seen on the route. The leaflets can be downloaded from the following links:
Fisherrow - Cockenzie
Cockenzie - Aberlady
Dunbar - Dunglass
The leaflets can also be obtained from tourist information offices or directly from East Lothian Council.
The John Muir Way can be tackled in short sections or as part of a circular walk as there are many other paths linking into it. Public transport is also available at many points along the route to return you to your starting point.
The John Muir Way is part of the North Sea Trail project that aims to link up existing paths so walkers can follow one uninterrupted route (with ferry links) through the seven countries of the Trail (Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, England, and Scotland). Walking brings visitors into closer contact with the landscape than any other form of transport and the project is also providing information along the route so they can find out about what they are seeing. There is of course no requirement to do the whole trail so the route also provides a valuable recreational facility for the local communities through which it passes.