Public art & sculpture · Central Scotland
The DunBear
In or near West Barns.
The DunBear in Scotland Central, United Kingdom.
M J Richardson — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1 h–2 h
- Nearest railway station
- Dunbar · 1.2 km
- Free entry
- Dog-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit The DunBear, the nearest railway station is Dunbar, which is 1.2 km away. Entry is free, but wheelchair accessibility is limited. The postcode for navigation is EH42 1BF.
About
The DunBear is a public sculpture in Scotland Central, United Kingdom, dating from 2019. Britain's public art ranges from Henry Moore reclining figures and Anthony Gormley installations to the Angel of the North and the surviving statues of empire.
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
- wikidata: Q97959642 (CC0)
- wikipedia: The Dunbear (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Dunbar Bear
National parks · 0.0 km
Belhaven Brewery
Breweries · 0.5 km
Old Wash-house Ruins
Historic houses · 0.6 km
John Muir Stone
Other places · 0.8 km
Old Lochend House Ruin
Historic houses · 0.9 km
enclosure 100m NNE of Samoya
Vineyards · 1.0 km
Newhouse Farm Steading Horsemill
Historic houses · 1.0 km
Chesterhall
Vineyards · 1.0 km
Easter Broomhouse
Vineyards · 1.1 km
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
Nearby
📷 3National parks · Central Scotland
Dunbar Bear
Dunbar Bear — Public artwork (statue) by Andy Scott.
📷 5Breweries · Central Scotland
Belhaven Brewery
Belhaven Brewery is a brewery based in Belhaven, Scotland. The brewery dates from 1719, at least; by 2005 it had become the largest and oldest surviving independent brewery in Scotland. In November 20
📷 3Historic houses · Central Scotland
Old Wash-house Ruins
Old Wash-house Ruins — a historic house in scotland-central, United Kingdom.
📷 3Other places · Central Scotland
John Muir Stone
John Muir Stone is a place of interest in the United Kingdom.
📷 3Historic houses · Central Scotland
Old Lochend House Ruin
Old Lochend House Ruin — a historic house in scotland-central, United Kingdom.
📷 5Vineyards · Central Scotland
enclosure 100m NNE of Samoya
enclosure 100m NNE of Samoya — a UK vineyard in scotland central, producing English or Welsh wine from cool-climate grape varieties.
Where to eat & stay near The DunBear
Places to stay
📷 5Hostels · Central Scotland
The Dolphin Inn
The Dolphin Inn — a hostel in scotland central.
📷 5Hostels · Central Scotland
The Dolphin Inn
The Dolphin Inn — a hostel in scotland central.
📷 5Caravan parks · Central Scotland
Dunbar Camping and Caravanning Club Site
Dunbar Camping and Caravanning Club Site — a caravan park in scotland central.
📷 5Caravan parks · Central Scotland
Belhaven Bay Caravan Site
Belhaven Bay Caravan Site — a caravan park in scotland central.
📷 5Caravan parks · Central Scotland
Thurston Manor Caravan Park
Thurston Manor Caravan Park — a caravan park in scotland central.
📷 5Places to eat & drink
📷 5Historic pubs · Central Scotland
The Crown & Kitchen
The Crown & Kitchen in Scotland Central, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic pubs · Central Scotland
Gardner's Arms Public House, Market Street, Haddington
Gardner's Arms Public House, Market Street, Haddington in Scotland Central, United Kingdom.
More places in this region
📷 3Public art & sculpture · Central Scotland
Arboreal
Arboreal — Public artwork (poem) by Richard Livermore.
📷 3Public art & sculpture · Central Scotland
Aspiration
Aspiration — Public artwork (sculpture) by Keith McCarter.
📷 3Public art & sculpture · Central Scotland
Casting
Casting — Public artwork (poem) by Morgan Downie.
📷 3Public art & sculpture · Central Scotland
Deserted Village
Deserted Village — Public artwork (poem) by Anne Connolly.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is The DunBear?
- The DunBear is in central Scotland, United Kingdom (postcode EH42 1BF).
- What is The DunBear?
- The DunBear in Scotland Central, United Kingdom.
- How do I get to The DunBear?
- The nearest railway station is Dunbar, about 1.2 km away. Drivers can use postcode EH42 1BF.
- When was The DunBear built?
- Built or established in 2019.
- Who owns The DunBear?
- The DunBear is owned by | accession =.
- Is The DunBear free to visit?
- Yes, The DunBear is free to enter.
- How do I get to The DunBear?
- The nearest railway station is Dunbar, about 1.2 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode EH42 1BF.