National parks · Central Scotland
Dunbar Bear
Also known as: The DunBear
In or near West Barns.
Dunbar Bear — Public artwork (statue) by Andy Scott.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 4 h–8 h
- Best time of year
- Spring – autumn (Apr–Oct)
- Nearest railway station
- Dunbar · 1.2 km
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
- Dog-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit Dunbar Bear in East Lothian, the nearest railway station is Dunbar, located 1.2 km away. Entry is free, but please note that wheelchair accessibility is limited. The postcode for navigation is EH42 1BF.
About
Dunbar Bear is a place of interest in the United Kingdom. Records date its origin to 2019. Also known as: The DunBear. Wikidata describes it as: "Public artwork (statue) by Andy Scott.". Coordinates: 55.9883°, -2.5070°.
Photo gallery
See it from the streetimagery from 2025
Imagery © Mapillary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0
From the Wikipedia article
The Dunbear is a five-metre-high steel sculpture of a brown bear standing on its hind legs. The public artwork is located immediately adjacent to the A1 at Dunbear Par, Dunbar in East Lothian, Scotland. This proposed low carbon community is part of the Hallhill development and is being progressed by the landowner, Hallhill Developments Ltd. Erected in November 2019, The Dunbear is a tribute to John Muir, the Dunbar-born naturalist and conservationist. Muir is known as "Father of the National Parks" due to his role in the establishment of National Parks in the US, including Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks. The brown bear sculpture was created by Andy Scott, the Scottish sculptor whose other public artworks include The Kelpies in Falkirk and the Beacon of Hope in Belfast.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
The name of the sculpture, The Dunbear, was chosen as the result of a competition involving local schools and named by a pupil at Dunbar Grammar School. It is a play on words of the town of "Dunbar" and the sculpture of a "bear". The brown bear was chosen to symbolise the role that John Muir played in establishing National Parks in the USA. These included Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks, and through the creation of these certain species such as the brown bear have survived and thrived. According to the sculptor, Andy Scott, The Dunbear "is a symbol of the wilderness John Muir was such a passionate advocate of and is testament to his incredible desire to protect the natural environment".…
Architecture
The Dunbear is five metres high and positioned on top of a mound at Dunbear Park, Hallhill, in Dunbar. Located immediately adjacent to the A1, the site for The Dunbear was selected as it is at the primary gateway to the town and is visible from both the A1 and East Coast Main Line. Work on the sculpture commenced in 2018 and was completed in 2019. The Dunbear is made of welded steel and fabricated from plates of various thicknesses. Heavy at the bottom and lighter towards the top, this gives the structure an inherent strength. The sculpture is fixed to a base erected on a mound planted with wildflowers, and visitors can access it via a footpath. Illuminated by lighting powered by onsite…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 55.9883, -2.5070
- District
- East Lothian
- Postcode
- EH42 1BF
- Parliamentary constituency
- Lothian East
- Established
- 2019
- Nearest railway station
- Dunbar — 1.2 km
Sources
- osm: n7089490118 (ODbL)
- wikipedia: The Dunbear (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Brown Bear at Dunbar in honour of John Muir - geograph.org.uk - 6340720.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
The DunBear
Public art & sculpture · 0.0 km
Belhaven Brewery
Breweries · 0.5 km
Old Wash-house Ruins
Historic houses · 0.6 km
John Muir Stone
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Old Lochend House Ruin
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Chesterhall
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Easter Broomhouse
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Dunbar Collegiate Church
Historic churches · 1.2 km
Parish War Memorial, Queen's Road, Dunbar
Memorials & monuments · 1.3 km
The Dolphin Inn
Hostels · 1.4 km
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📷 4
📷 3Frequently asked questions
- Where is Dunbar Bear?
- Dunbar Bear is in central Scotland, United Kingdom (postcode EH42 1BF).
- What is Dunbar Bear?
- Dunbar Bear — Public artwork (statue) by Andy Scott.
- How do I get to Dunbar Bear?
- The nearest railway station is Dunbar, about 1.2 km away. Drivers can use postcode EH42 1BF.
- When was Dunbar Bear built?
- Built or established in 2019.
- Who owns Dunbar Bear?
- Dunbar Bear is owned by | accession =.
- Is Dunbar Bear free to visit?
- Yes, Dunbar Bear is free to enter.
- How do I get to Dunbar Bear?
- The nearest railway station is Dunbar, about 1.2 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode EH42 1BF.