The Gully
St. Abbs Head · United Kingdom
The Gully is a dramatic shore-accessible site directly north of St. Abbs village — a narrow rock channel cut into the headland that channels mild current and creates a rich two-sided wall dive down to 20 m. Both walls are layered with anemones, sponges, and encrusting bryozoans, and the gully floor holds an extraordinary density of crawling invertebrates including spider crabs, lobster, and large edible crabs that make this the premier macro and invertebrate photography site in the reserve.
Conditions
Depth
3 to 20 m
Open water and up
Current
Usually still
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
12 to 20 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
5 to 17°C
7mm wetsuit
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 6 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Vis (m) | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 |
| Current | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Still | Still | Still | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle |
Your chances of seeing each animal
European Green Crab
Last confirmed Jul 2, 2026 · 33 records
Very likely
Most dives
Atlantic Beadlet Anemone
Last confirmed Apr 24, 2026 · 32 records
Very likely
Most dives
European Lobster
Last confirmed Jun 26, 2026 · 13 records
Very likely
Most dives
Common Murre
Last confirmed Jun 22, 2026 · 23 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Garden Snail
Last confirmed Jun 28, 2026 · 18 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Leopard-spotted Goby
Last confirmed Jul 2, 2026 · 2 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Common Spider Crab
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Common Octopus
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Gear