Scottish Blog

Bass Rock is a uniquely high rock that stands in the water one mile of North Berwick.

Technically, Bass rock is a trachyte volcanic plug that stands in the sea. It is 100 meters high at its average height. The island is a sheer wall on three of its sides, with the fourth having had a castle on it since 1405. One side of Bass rock is penetrated with a tunnel that has been measured to be 105 meters in depth.

Beyond being an interesting outcropping with unique features, Bass rock is also of great scientific interest for being a colony and breeding place for North Atlantic Gannets. With over 40,000 pairs of Gannets on the island, it is believed that Bass rock is the home to over 10% of the worlds North Atlantic gannet population. In fact, the sheer amount of North Atlantic Gannet droppings on Bass Rock gives the island an illusion of being colored white, from a distance. This population of birds has also granted bass rock with an SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) conservation status, meaning Bass rock receives conservation status to maintain it for further generations.

Bass Rock has at points been inhabited by people. The first recorded inhabitant was Baldred, a Christian monk who used the island for meditation and as a retreat in the 8th century. He died on the island in 753AD.
The next major inhabitant of Bass rock was the Lauder family. There are a number of theories that are presented to explain how the Lauders came into the possession of the island. One states that it was donated to the family in the 11th century by King Malcolm III. Another, one more likely, theory is that it was a gift to the family from William Wallace, in 1297. The rock has also been used a number of times for prominent prisoners, these have included King James I and Neil Bhass Mackay.