Newhaven

Newhaven is a historic village and harbour on Edinburgh’s coastline, bordering the Firth of Forth. Although many of the old houses have been modernised or replaced, some of the traditional features have been retained, including external steps and red pantiled roofs. It is one of the best places in Edinburgh to view and photograph a summer sunset, especially when its picturesque lighthouse can be included in the foreground. Newhaven originated as a shipbuilding centre in the late 16th century and later became a major fishing port, with its famous (and colourful) ‘fishwives’ making regular trips into Edinburgh to supply fresh herring and oysters. Its distinctive buildings and characters were the subject of some of the first ever ‘social documentary’ photography, by pioneers Robert Adamson and David Octavius Hill in the 1840s.