Life in Newburgh on Ythan

By Talpa

The Bullers o'Buchan

A few miles north of Newburgh on Ythan one comes across the Bullers o' Buchan, a 200 foot deep collapsed sea cave surrounded by some of the most impressive cliff scenery in Britain. The name is probably comes from 'boilers', referring to the seething waters that break against the bottom of these majestic cliffs. This is the scene just to the North of the Buller.

The wild cliffs are home to large colonies of sea birds including kittiwakes, guillemots, razorbills and puffins.

Robert Burns refers to the Bullers in his 1790 Epistle to Robert Graham Esq: of Fintry on the Election of the Dumfries string of Boroughs.

The stubborn Tories dare to die;
As soon the rooted oaks would fly
Before th' approaching fellers:
The Whigs come on like ccean's roar,
When all his wintry billows pour
Against the Buchan bullers.

You can read the full epistle and listen to it being read by Simon Tait on the BBC website.


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