A popular town with views of Bass Rock has remained the setting for Scotland's most expensive seaside homes. 

The average home in North Berwick in East Lothian set back buyers by £440,172 in 2022, Bank of Scotland figures revealed.

Overall, house hunters on the search for a coastal location paid 11% more on average last year than in 2021 as prices soared across the country.

The East Lothian town was closely followed by St Andrews in Fife where seaside homes averaged £421,528.

North Berwick and St Andrews were also the first and second most expensive Scottish coastal locations for property in 2021.

However, third-placing Dunbar sees seaside home prices drop considerably with an average price of £284,121 last year.

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But for those who want sea views without the price tag, Greenock in Inverclyde commands the lowest average price of around £97,608.

Properties by the sea on average cost £182,488 as prices rose by a third (31%) over the past decade.

Between 2012 and 2022, one East Lothian town saw the greatest gains with an 80% increase in average seaside prices. 

While property in Cockenzie would have set buyers back by £133,229, the average price tag in 2022 reached £239,345.

Graham Blair, mortgages director at Bank of Scotland, said: “It’s undeniable that much of Scotland’s coastline is truly breathtaking, and it’s easy to see why the pretty seaside town of North Berwick is still Scotland’s most expensive seaside location for house hunters, with properties costing over £440,000 on average.

“St Andrews – well known for its world-famous university and golf courses – isn’t far behind, with properties in the area fetching a similar price tag.

“However, many of Scotland’s coastal towns have average house prices that are much lower. Homes in Greenock for example cost less than £100,000 on average.

“While many things can influence the price of a home, socio-economic factors are perhaps playing a greater role in some coastal locations.

“While there are doubtless many property hot spots, a sea view isn’t necessarily supporting house prices in Scottish towns most in need of investment.”

At the end of 2022, homes in Kinghorn cost 79% more at £192,033, on average, than they did in 2012 - making the second-highest ten-year gains.