St. Abbs Head
United Kingdom · North Atlantic
The St. Abbs and Eyemouth Voluntary Marine Reserve on the Scottish Borders coast is the UK's most celebrated cold-water dive destination — towering kelp forests, labyrinthine gullies, resident wolf fish and conger eels, and cuckoo wrasse in vivid breeding colours. Visibility frequently exceeds 15 m, and the reserve's no-take status has produced unusually abundant marine life. Best months are April through September.
How this reef is doing
ⓘ How we measure thisReef state
Live science signals for this reef are still being gathered.
Coral cover
Fish life
Heat
Fishing
Open to fishing, and the water is busy.
Sources · Global Fishing Watch and reef gravity
What you will see
20 species across the dive sites here
European Green Crab
Seen 26 days ago
at Wuddy Rocks
Leopard-spotted Goby
Seen 26 days ago
at The Gully
Least concern
Garden Snail
Seen 1 month ago
at Wuddy Rocks
European Lobster
Seen 1 month ago
at The Gully
Least concern
Common Murre
Seen 1 month ago
at The Gully
Least concern
Atlantic Beadlet Anemone
Seen 3 months ago
at Wuddy Rocks
Golden Star Tunicate
Seen 4 months ago
at Mire Loch Wall
Sea Lemon
Seen 4 months ago
at Cathedral Rock
Common Brittlestar
Seen 4 months ago
at Cathedral Rock
Common Seal
Seen 5 months ago
at Mire Loch Wall
Least concern
Jewel Anemone
Seen 11 months ago
at Cathedral Rock
Northern Kelp
Seen Mar 2025
at Mire Loch Wall
Atlantic Wolf Fish
Seen Oct 2024
at Wuddy Rocks
Conger Eel
Seen year round
at Wuddy Rocks
Least concern
Cuckoo Wrasse
Seen year round
at Wuddy Rocks
Least concern
Plumose Anemone
Seen year round
at Wuddy Rocks
Tompot Blenny
Seen year round
at Mire Loch Wall
Least concern
Common Octopus
Seasonal visitor
at The Gully
Least concern
Common Spider Crab
Seasonal visitor
at The Gully
Nudibranch
Seasonal visitor
at Cathedral Rock
Dive sites
Wuddy Rocks
atlantic wolf fish · cuckoo wrasse · plumose anemone · conger eel
Cathedral Rock
jewel anemone · common brittlestar · nudibranch · sea lemon
The Gully
european lobster · common spider crab · common octopus · leopard-spotted goby
Mire Loch Wall
common seal · northern kelp · golden star tunicate · tompot blenny