Coastal rowers in Musselburgh are on the crest of a wave after completing their challenge to raise funds for a new boatshed.

Members of Eskmuthe Community Rowing Club pledged to ‘row 500 miles and then to row 500 more’ to support the building of the facility in the car park at Fisherrow Harbour.

Over two weekends, 40 club members and 13 young people, aged between three and 14 – and some passers-by – rowed more than 500 miles on three rowing machines at the start of Fisherrow prom, next to Fisherrow Harbour.

This finished their 1,000-mile epic feat, after achieving 500 miles on sea as part of a RowAround Scotland, when Eskmuthe set out to row from South Queensferry all the way to Berwick-Upon-Tweed and up to Paxton House on the Tweed.

More than £2,000 has already been raised and the club hopes more cash will come pouring in, adding to £95,000 from the Musselburgh Common Good, £10,000 from the Musselburgh Area Partnership and £67,000 from SportScotland.

David Lee, event organiser and membership secretary, said: “This was an amazing effort by the whole club community and we would like to thank everybody who took part in any way.

“It was also great to get such wonderful support from people passing by – those who put money into our collection bucket, more than £200 over the four days, and those who just came to chat and give us real encouragement.

“It’s been a great experience for the club and an important fundraiser to realise our boatshed dream.”

The club had previously raised £12,000 through social nights, auctions, raffles and fun nights, and continued to raise cash for the new building through lockdown with online quizzes and fitness classes, plus a series of talks and films and a beer tasting night.

“We are a community club, so wanted to raise as much money ourselves and give our members and the wider community a chance to join in,” said club chairperson Gaynor Allen.

She added: “A large proportion of members took part in this and even the kids joined in.

“It was a great opportunity to meet members of the public, who were very generous at throwing money into our buckets.

“After not being able to gather for so long, and having to cancel our regatta and other things due to Covid, it was a great way to get back into the community and let people know who we are.

“We are very grateful to the Musselburgh Common Good, the Musselburgh Area Partnership and SportScotland for their sponsorship and wanted to add as much as we can to the pot.

“We still have an ongoing Buy-A-Brick fundraiser, where organisations can buy a brick for £50 and individuals for £10. They will get to decorate their own bricks when our boatshed is built.”

Eskmuthe has built both its boats and carried out all maintenance and repairs at Prestongrange Mining Museum.

This arrangement has ended as the museum has received a grant and will get a face-lift and renovations to preserve and enhance many of its features.

Gaynor added: “Our club has grown massively since its launch in 2013, which means more wear and tear on our boats and the increasing possibility of needing a third boat in the future.

“We need a place to maintain the boats to a high standard and to make new oars.

“We are getting requests for people to join us all the time, and without a permanent home, it is difficult to grow and allow other people the benefits that come from coastal rowing.”

To make a donation to the sponsored row go to justgiving.com/campaign/Eskmuthe500Miles

For details of the Buy-A-Brick campaign go to justgiving.com/campaign/EskmutheBuyABrick