East Lothian is in Scotland and is on the border of Edinburgh, the Scottish Borders and Midlothian. This area is also known as the 'Garden of Scotland' and is said to be the sunniest area of Scotland.
This county has over forty miles of stunning coastline with long, golden beaches, towering cliffs and gentle countryside. Combine that with popular tourist attractions that win awards and the best links golf courses and you have the most superb spot for a perfect holiday! There are wonderful places to explore like Tantallon Castle - a fortress clinging to the cliffs - or the quaint villages where art galleries and museums abound among the theatres, gift shops and restaurants. John Muir Way is a long coastal walk that stretches from East Lothian to Dunbar and offers breathtaking views and great countryside to enjoy on the way.
The food is a culinary delight and you'll find seafood specialities in the cafes and delicatessens as well as in the pubs and restaurants. The farmers markets are a good opportunity for tasting sessions as are the many food festivals hosted throughout the year like the Slow Food Festival in North Berwick. If you enjoy whisky, head to the five star Glenkinchie Distillery for a wee dram! To the east lie historical buildings and ruins dating back thousands of years including the hunter gatherer house from 8300 BC! Newer ruins include the amazing hill forts of Traprain Law and many castles like Tantallon and Hailes Castle. Battle sites here are clearly seen and remain largely intact.
Beaches in the area are remarkably unspoilt and yield up rich treasures like nature reserves, birdlife, great walks, clean sands, dunes, watersports, rockpools, BBQ sites, woodland and grassland to explore.
If you're a wildlife enthusiast you'll enjoy the hares, frogs and birdlife that herald Spring in the area whilst Summer brings good Bass shoals, loads of butterflies, orchids, badgers, hedgehogs, bats and dragonflies and the rock pools are flooded with marine life too. Winter brings the stoats and weevils, geese and ducks and if you're lucky, the odd deer!
Why not check beaches nearby as we have 18 beaches in East Lothian, or have a look at our list of East Lothian dog friendly beaches, or even our United Kingdom Blue Flag beach list.
East Lothian Coast Search Bar
Where would you like to go? Use our search bar to search across all our local listings, ideal for finding that nearest spot to visit:
Want some ideas on where to visit?
Every favourite location must be visited for the first time. Want some ideas, why not check out the below small selection of coastal locations, including beaches, activities, things to see and do, places to stay and eat:
- Seacliff beach is a private beach of sand, rock pools, ideal for families and watersports.The beach includes Seacliff Harbour which is the smallest harbour in the UK. A sheltered spot accessible through a narrow channel, just 2m wide, all blasted out of the red sandstone cliffs. The harbour was constructed in 1890 by Andrew Laidley, the then laird, who used a steam engine and compressed air to cut the stone.Parking is available but as this beach is private charges apply for cars, barrier controlled private road.
- 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. This former fishing hamlet has been immortalised by William McGonagall in his poem “Beautiful North Berwick and its surroundings”.
- White Sands Bay is a sandy beach with golden sands and a large area of grass at the back of the beach. The beach and ample parking on the grass at the back of the beach and provides a good starting point for easy coastal walks.
- Port Seton beach is the harbour end of the long Seton Sands beach. As you get close to the harbour the beach becomes more rocky/shingle. Great for exploring rockpools. Facilities include car parking, toilets, children’s play area, pub and hard path promenade and grass area behind the beach. We have no dog information for Port Seton beach.
- The Bass Rock is an island in the outer part of the Firth of Forth approximately 2 km offshore, and 5 km north-east of North Berwick. The rock is a near vertical sided volcanic rock, 107 m (351 ft) at its highest point an is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in part due to the world’s largest colony of Northern gannets. You also have a few buildings, a castle that was used as a prison, the Bass Rock Lighthouse was constructed on the rock in 1902, and the remains of an ancient chapel survive.
- Gosford Sands is a rural sand and shingle beach in the west facing Gosford Bay. High tide covers just about all of the beach. Car park and toilets at Ferney Ness on the southern end of the bay that splits Gosford beach from Longniddry beach.
- The east beach at Dunbar is a gently sloping sandy beach close to harbour. Popular for beach sea fishing. Facilities include parking, toilets, cafe and shops.
- Longniddry beach, sand and shingle popular with water sports enthusiasts and walkers nearby nature reserves. Facilities include parking, toilets, cafe and shops.
- Belhaven beach to the west of Dunbar is a large rural flat sandy beach backed by some grassy areas. Car parking is available but for facilities like shops, pubs, cafes and restaurants you will need to go into nearby Dunbar.
- Milsey Bay is a sandy beach with views of the Bass Rock and the Firth of Forth across to Fife. A popular family beach that is ideal for sun bathing, bird watching, picnics, walking and exploring rock pools. There is a tidal pond built into the rocks which holds the water when the tide is out, providing a safe place for children to sail boats and paddle. Facilities include car parking, food and toilets.
- Dunglass beach is a shingle and rocky beach. The beach has no facilities.
- Thorntonloch beach is a sandy beach that stretched to the south from the rocky outcrop of Torness Point. The beach is backed by grassy sand dunes. A car park is a short walk from the beach and you have a nearby campsite.
