Guide to East Lothian, Scotland

INTRODUCTION

East Lothian lies to the east of Edinburgh. To some extent it is overshadowed by its famous neighbour. East Lothian has many miles of attractive coastline and pretty countryside inland. It's nicknamed the "Golf Coast" as there are 19 golf courses in the area.

I really like East Lothian. The beaches are beautiful for scenic walks. The inland towns and villages are interesting. I would recommend East Lothian as a holiday base, if you prefer not to stay in Edinburgh. Driving and parking in Edinburgh can be difficult. Whereas if you stay in East Lothian, it's not congested and fairly easy to park, yet Edinburgh is easily accessible by public transport.

GETTING THERE

Edinburgh city buses run between Princes Street, in the centre of Edinburgh, and the closest towns such as Musselburgh and Prestonpans, with a flat single fare of £1 or on off peak day return for £2.50 Trains run on a branch line between Edinburgh Waverly and North Berwick and the main east coast rail line line down to Dunbar. If you want to fully explore East Lothian it's advisable to bring your own car or hire a car.

MUSSELBURGH

Musselburgh is the first town in East Lothian as you travel east out of Edinburgh. The area round Fisherow harbour has been renovated recently with a new free car park with clean toilets and attractive new silver benches. In the photo below you can see the three Lomond Hills in Fife, across the Forth Estuary. There is a pleasant walk along the prom. Musselburgh is best known for its Horse Racecourse, which contains some of the holes of the golf course in its centre.

When I’m in the area I usually visit the Inveresk Lodge Gardens. pictured opposite. It’s generally very quiet, I often have the place to myself. There are wicker chairs in the greenhouse where you can sit if it’s a cool day. There is a an aviary in one section of the greenhouse.

Newhailes is a 17th century country house with an 18th century landscaped garden which was one of the centres of the Enlightenment in Scotland when owned by the Dalrymple family.

PRESTONPANS

Prestonpans derived its name from the medieval salt extraction industry carried out by monks. Sea water was boiled in pans on the beach. Prestonpans Market Cross dates from the early 17th century. It is regarded as one of the finest market crosses in Scotland still in itts original site although that is now in the middle of a housing estate, The nearby Preston Tower was built in the 15th century with the upper two of the six storeys added in the 17th century.

The Battle of Prestonpans took place in 1745 between Bonnie Prince Charlie and Government troops. The battle is commemorated by a small stone cairn on the outskirts of the town.

The “Prestonpans Murals” are a fascinating portrayal of past life in the town There are several murals in various locations around the town on the "Murals Trail". One of the murals on the beach walls, depicts miners at the Prestoungrange Colliery in 1911. There's also a totem pole next to the beach. The Prestoungrange Industrial Museum lies just east of the town.

ABERLADY

Aberlady is pretty coastal conservation village. Aberlady Nature Reserve is popular with birdwatchers. Myreton Motor Museum has a large collection of motor cars dating from 1899 to the 1970s. The Museum of Flight houses the first Concorde to be used for commercial flight by British Airways. In 1919 the R34 airpship took off from the airfield here to embark on the first east west transatlantic flight.

NORTH BERWICK

North Berwick stands on the coast, around 25 miles east of Edinburgh. It is easily reached by train from Edinburgh so it makes an ideal day trip from the capital. There is a small harbour and a lovely beach with views out to the Bass Rock. The Seabird Centre has remote cameras where you can watch the famous gannets and other birds on the rock. Boat trips around the Rock are available in the Summer. There are two golf courses in the town and several others nearby, so it's a great location for golf fans, you could play a different course every day of the week.

The Law is a rocky peak just behind the town. It was formed by the volcano mouth being choked with its own molten lava. If you climb to the top, on a clear day you can see right up to Edinburgh Castle.

Tantallon Castle lies three miles east of North Berwick. It was partially destroyed by Cromwell's army in 1651 but lies in a strategic position with great views over to the Bass Rock.

EAST LINTON

East Linton is a lovely small village just of the A1, around 20 miles east of Edinburgh. If you’re travelling on the A1 and looking for an attractive pit stop, it’s only a slight detour from the main road. The square is the prettiest part of the village with the gilt fountain adorned with three lamps surrounded by flowers.

I like the Votadini Cafe, opposite the square. The cafe is named after the Votadini tribe who lived in the south east of Scotland during Roman times. Afternoon tea is good, for £3.50 it includes a freshly made sandwich of your choice, a scone with butter and jam, a cake and a pot of tea. The cafe has a pleasant relaxed ambience, also selling fruit, veg, flowers and gift items. It has a good supply of tourist information literature.

Preston Mill lies just a the edge of the village. It’s an 18th century mill in which the machinery is in operation during official opening hours. However you can get in to the grounds any day to see the exterior of the mill. Falling visitor numbers mean that the mill is now only open Thursday - Monday 1 - 5pm until the end of September. I think it’s a pity that only leads to confusion about when the mill is open and further decline in visitor number.

DUNBAR

Dunbar is situated 30 miles east of Edinburgh. It was an important fortress during the Middle Ages. The 17th century Town House and High Street are fairly intact. The harbour still operates as a small fishing port. At one end of the harbour lies the crumbling Dunbar Castle, a defensive stronghold since the Romans entered Scotland.

John Muir, the pioneer of conservation was born in Dunbar. You can visit his birthplace in the High Street to find out about his boyhood in the area before he emigrated to the US.

By the harbour there is an enormous four ton ships propeller, unveiled in September 2003, to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Robert Wilson who is credited with the invention of ships' propellers. Wilson lost his Father in a marine accident when he was aged seven and is believed to have been inspred by watching a windmill turning.