North Berwick Law looms in the distance. A witch’s hat on a gnarled warty face, whiskers of yellow gorse below green, brown, running sores that drip down its cheeks from top to toe.

The 187m conical shaped hill formed from a volcanic plug of hard rock overshadows the town of North Berwick providing a landmark that dominates the flat country and coastline surrounding it.

Six of us set forth under blue skies, a blinding winter sun, little wind. Perfect conditions for a walk just shy of six miles. We negotiated the slopes of the law to the whale jawbone monument at the summit. A centuries old reference point for sailors out at sea. Today the panorama was extensive: Bass Rock, Fidra, Isle of May in the Firth of Forth, the kingdom of Fife, Edinburgh, including Arthur’s Seat and the familiar shape of the Pentland Hill.

We scrambled back down past the ruins of Napoleonic and WW2 lookouts, a field of Exmoor ponies, and an extensive reed bed on the periphery of a small loch.

Our route took us through a shady glen following a small burn to a golf course and the sandy beach where it flowed into the glittering sea.

Walking along the sand spotting the bird life and unusual varieties of seaweed was pleasant in the January sunshine. We paused at the Seabird centre for an alfresco lunch on their outdoor deck. Cullen Skink and egg mayo sandwiches were consumed under the gaze of what the waitress described as cheeky seagulls who would steal your food if you failed to keep an eye on them.

Our walk concluded with an enjoyable wander around the pretty harbour, along streets of independent shops and 19th century cottages ‘whitewashed’ in a variety of pastel shades, vowing to return soon to sample the wares of the many interesting looking restaurants.