Dunbar Area

Dunbar Town House

Dirleton Castle

Gullane No.1 Golf Course

Area Main Page

North of the Lammermuir Hills the A1 bypasses Dunbar on its way to Edinburgh. Dunbar is well worth the slight diversion needed to reach it. The town is built around its harbour, which lies in the shadow of ruinous Dunbar Castle. Dunbar is internationally famous as the birthplace of John Muir, who founded National Parks in the USA.

Getting to North Berwick, twelve miles north west of Dunbar, requires a more significant diversion from the A1 near the pretty village of East Linton, but again a worthwhile one. En route you will pass Tyninghame, St Mary's Church in Whitekirk and the imposing clifftop Tantallon Castle. Much less well known than Tantallon is the nearby beach and harbour at Seacliff.

A little inland is East Fortune Airfield is the Museum of Flight, and close to is is Athelstaneford, birthplace of the Saltire, Scotland's flag, celebrated b the Flag Heritage Centre in the grounds of Athelstaneford Parish Kirk. On minor roads near East Linton, are Preston Mill & Phantassie Doocot and Hailes Castle.

North Berwick itself combines attractive beach and harbour with an interesting town, all overlooked by the towering North Berwick Law, a 187m or 613ft lump of volcanic rock visible for many miles. Offshore is what looks like its sea-bound twin, Bass Rock, home to an important seabird sanctuary that can be viewed from the Scottish Seabird Centre close to North Berwick's harbour.

West from North Berwick is the attractive village of Dirleton with Gullane, home of Gullane and Muirfield Golf Clubs, and Aberlady beyond it. Sandwiched between the two is Aberlady Bay Nature Reserve. In Dirleton you find the attractive remains of Dirleton Castle set in its own large gardens. Heading south you find the Myreton Motor Museum, one of the oldest in the country, and Chesters Hill Fort.

Inland and close to the A1 is Haddington, the county town of East Lothian. This is a remarkably attractive town built around twin market areas and boasing Scotland's largest parish church, St Mary's. South west of Haddington and close to the villages of Pencaitland and Ormiston, is Glenkinchie Distillery, Edinburgh's "local" distillery and open to the public throughout the year, but with more restricted hours in Winter. The visitor centre can be contacted on 01875 342004.

Further inland there are a number of attractive small village along the edge of the Lammermuir Hills. These include Gifford and Garvald.