Looking for things to do in East Lothian?
There are so many things to do in East Lothian – a beautiful county with miles of coastline to explore, the perfect place for enjoying the great outdoors. Including the lovely towns of North Berwick, Haddington, Gullane and Dunbar there are plenty of sights, scenery and activities to cover all interests.
Having lived in Edinburgh for a number of years as well as a more recent spell Tranent, we are well accustomed to a road trip down the beautiful east coast. Below are a few of our favourite spots that are definitely worth a visit if you are exploring East Lothian.
Here’s Our Pick Of The Best Things To Do In East Lothian….
Exploring East Lothian doesn’t have to be expensive. There are plenty of places to visit that are free of charge. Here’s a couple of our favourites if you are on a tight budget or just don’t want to fork out if you don’t have to.
Gosford House, Aberlady
Gosford House is a beautiful property, a neo-classical mansion to be precise, set within stunning landscaped grounds. You can buy a pass to wander the grounds for just £1 from the Farm shop on site. So it’s not quite free but certainly won’t break the bank!
The surrounding grounds are gorgeous and include a large lake with lots of wildlife and various footpaths to wander around.
You can walk up to and around the house itself. However if you want to see the inside you have to pay for a house tour, which is only available at certain times of the year. More details can be found on the Gosford House website.
Gullane Beach
A beautiful beach in a lovely town on the east coast which is best known for its golf courses. The beach is a popular spot for families and dog walkers a like. Take a picnic or stop off in one of the popular eateries in town once you have had enough of building sandcastles.
Archerfield Walled Garden, Dirleton – one of our favourite things to do in East Lothian
Archerfield walled garden is well worth a trip, especially if you have little ones. The garden itself is very pretty and well tended with a range of plants and flowers.
There is a deli which is open 7 days and a beer garden which is open in the summer months.
The surrounding grounds are perfect for a wander and kids will have great fun watching the ducks in the pond or following the walled garden fairy trail.
North Berwick Harbour
North Berwick is a beautiful town. Arguably one of the best in the UK let alone East Lothian. If we had a spare couple of million we would definitely buy one of the big houses overlooking the seafront.
If you visit North Berwick the harbour is well worth a visit. It’s really picturesque with some lovely boats and great viewpoints out over the sea.
Lobster Shack, North Berwick – is this one of your favourite things to do in East Lothian?
While you are wandering around the harbour you may as well stop for a spot of lunch! The Lobster Shack offers fish and chips, mussels and chips and, unsurprisingly, lobster and chips to be enjoyed Al fresco. There’s little better than enjoying the sights, smells and sounds of the harbour while tucking into some seafood.
Steampunk Coffee, North Berwick
Steampunk is a very popular coffee spot. The cafe has a nice laid back feel and they do some excellent coffee and baked treats. A great place to relax after a walk around the town. The also have a number of their own coffee blends available to buy so you can continue the quality coffee experience at home.
Victoria Harbour and Dunbar ‘Castle’
Dunbar is another great little town on the east coast and worth a visit if you are touring the east coast.
Dunbar has a lovely little working harbour which also has the ruin of Dunbar Castle.
There isn’t actually much left of the castle still standing. However there are a number of boards dotted around the harbour providing the history of Dunbar Castle and what led to it’s current state of disrepair.
As well as the lovely views out over the sea the harbour also features a raised area which has more notice boards with information on the history of the harbour through the years.
Belhaven Beach
Belhaven Beach is a beautiful place to visit. Could it be one of the nicest beachy days out in Scotland? Lovely unspoilt expanse of sand which is great for a family walk to let the kids run about and explore or do some paddling! It’s usually pretty quiet and is also popular with dog walkers.
Do you have any other favourite things to do in East Lothian? Do let us know in the comments below.
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