East Lothian Council - 81 Attractions You Must Visit

Aberlady Bay Local Nature Reserve was the first site to be designated a Nature Reserve, in 1952. It comprises a complete set of habitats from low water right through to salt marsh and sand dune, unchanged by the influence of people. The area within the Reserve is extensive, and, in consequence, the paths across it take time to cover. Dogs are not welcome on the Reserve due to the potential for disturbing nesting and / or roosting birds.

Aberlady Bay Local Nature Reserve was the first site to be designated a Nature Reserve, in 1952. It comprises a complete set of habitats from low water right through to salt marsh and sand dune, unchanged by the influence of people. The total area of the reserve is 582 hectares or 1,439 acres, though two thirds of this is sand, mudflats and salt marsh falling below the high tide mark.

Amisfield Walled Garden dates from 1783 and forms part of the policies of Amisfield House, a Palladian mansion that was demolished in the 1920’s. The garden is 8 acres in size and the ornamental pavilions in each corner and derelict bothies outside the walls are A-listed for their historical importance. The garden is becoming increasingly popular as a visitor destination, with well over 1,000 people visiting each year. The woodland and meadow surrounding the garden are popular with local walker

Auldhame is a ruinous 16th-century L-plan tower house. It consisted of a main block of three storeys and a projecting stair-tower and had bartizans crowning the main block. The courtyard side is mostly ruined, but the beach side is more complete. Today it stands empty and ruined and can be visited although visitors should take care of masonry.

Barnes Castle is an unfinished castle, with a number of defensive banks, located 5 kilometres north-east of Haddington in East Lothian, Scotland. It is close to Athelstaneford on the slopes of the Garleton Hills. The remains, also known as Barney Vaults or The Vaults, are protected as a scheduled monument.

Bass Rock is a tiny island formed from a plug of volcanic rock in the Firth of Forth, Scotland. It contains the world’s largest colony of Northern gannets, one of the biggest seabirds in the North Atlantic. Much of the rock is “painted” white by the birds’ guano. The rock is uninhabited, but historically has been settled by an early Christian hermit, and later was the site of an important castle, which after the Commonwealth period was used as a prison.

The Bass Rock lighthouse is located on an island lying 3 miles off North Berwick on the East Coast of Scotland. It has a range of 21 miles and flashes white every 30 seconds. Until the automation the lighthouse was lit by incandescent gas obtained from vaporised paraffin oil converted into a bunsen gas for heating a mantle. Since that time a new biform ML300 synchronised bifilament 20-watt electric lamp has been used.

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 2005, the Suffolk based brewery Greene King completed a £187 million takeover of the company. The brewery complex is designated Category A listed.

Belhaven Bridge, known as the ‘Bridge to Nowhere’, is a bridge across the Biel Water. The Biel Water is a stream that runs from the Luggate Burn through the village of Biel into Belhaven Bay. The image of this lonely bridge surrounded by water is very evocative and it has become very popular with photographers. The colours reflected in the water, the sand dunes, and the bridge combine to deliver a memorable sight. There are lots of interesting bird species in this area that add to the beauty of

A decidious and attractive mixed woodland of confers ash birch and mixed broadleaves. There is a car park and two way-marked trails with a number of wild-life themed sculptures. The terrain is generally flat. The wood lies between Tranent and Haddington and is popular with local walkers.

Canty Bay is a coastal hamlet with two beaches separated by a rocky headland. The western beach is uninhabited and accessible by two paths that descend the grass covered cliffs from the eastern end of the Glen golf course. The eastern beach is by the hamlet. The Canty Bay Inn offered hospitality to the tourists who came to see the Bass Rock. The tenant of the Rock was usually also the innkeeper.

Chesters Hill Fort was probably built in the first millennium BC, and was occupied into the Roman occupation of Britain in the early centuries of the first millennium AD. It remains an impressive and imposing monument despite the intervening 2,000 years. This fortified village with its system of ramparts and ditches around a settlement of about twenty roundhouses is in the care of Historic Environment Scotland, who describe it as "one of the best-preserved examples in Scotland of an Iron age for

Dirleton Castle is a medieval fortress in the village of Dirleton, East Lothian, Scotland. It lies around 2 miles west of North Berwick, and around 19 miles east of Edinburgh. The oldest parts of the castle date to the 13th century, and it was abandoned by the end of the 17th century.

This small sandy beach with rock pools is just south of the historic harbour in the middle of the town. Public toilets and car parking nearby .Dog friendly. The beach is quite popular with kayakers and a surf school runs paddle boarding sessions here.

Dunbar Harbour Trust is located in Dunbar town, on the South Eastern coast of Scotland, only 28 miles away from Edinburgh. Dunbar is one of East Lothian’s most beautiful seaside resorts, with stunning landscapes and it was in the past a quite important herring and whaling port. It is the home port for a commercial fishing fleet, offering moorings and fuel and water facilities for pleasure yachts. It is the base for local sailing, rowing and diving clubs, as well as for the RNLI lifeboat station.

This is an ultimate centre for aquatic fun for all the family! The pool has a beached area with water characters for younger children to play on, as well as a wave machine, water jets and flume. It is also home to a state-of-the-art Bodyworks Gym, health suite with steam room and sauna, activity hall and a variety of fitness classes for you to enjoy, please have a look at our fitness timetable.

Dunglass Collegiate Church was founded in the 1440s and dedicated to St Mary. It was a point of strategic importance during the ‘Wars of the Rough Wooing’ in the 1540s, fell out of religious use at the Reformation in 1560, and was converted into a farm building in the early 1700s. It is now in the care of Historic Environment Scotland and is situated in an idyllic situation surrounded by well manicured lawns and thick woodland. An interesting sundial stands on a mound adjacent to the ancient e

The town’s East Beach is a mix of sand and shingle stretching south-east from the harbour. The beach is quite popular with kayakers and a surf school runs paddle boarding sessions here. One of the iconic location for a holiday trip and also it is a family friendly beach.

East Links Family Park is a farm themed activity park that brings out the child in all ages. It is a multi award winning 20 acre farm-themed adventure park providing a fun day out for all the family. Their narrow gauge railway takes visitors on a train safari through the paddocks of friendly farm animals, while the driver gives a fun and interesting commentary. There are also somany things to see and feel around this place.

East of Scotland Microlights is operated by Gordon Douglas, Chief Flying Instructor with over 30 years' experience of flying microlights, and is the longest established school and club in Scotland, located at East Fortune Airfield, East Lothian. The club has around 100 members, a welcoming and friendly atmosphere and plenty of flying activities including fly-outs, fly-ins and competitions, as well as social events.