Scotland is full of scenic and historic gems all around and discovering new, unseen corners of it is a feeling like no other. I was extremely delighted to team up with VisitScotland and Visit East Lothian and create a 1-day itinerary from Edinburgh to picturesque East Lothian. Let me show you around!
Paid collaboration with VisitScotland
The Mart farm shop & cafe
I set off from Edinburgh in the morning and it took about 40 minutes to reach East Linton. I started the day with breakfast at The Mart cafe and farm shop which was such a lovely find – the farm shop has an array of delicious and fresh produce such as various jams, chutneys, cheese, vegetables and you can even bottle some fresh kombucha for yourself. I enjoyed a delicious coffee and a lovely heart-shaped jam donut at the cafe, what a delicious way to start the day!
Preston Mill
After filling up with food and coffee, it was time to visit the historic Preston Mill. The mill has been here since the 18th century and it’s free to walk around and explore the grounds which have also been featured in the TV series Outlander! Sitting on the banks of the River Tyne, this beautiful construction was working in full swing until 1959 producing oatmeal and was the region’s last working watermill. Today it’s certainly a magnificent sight to witness – it feels like stepping into a fairytale or an old movie! The mill is currently closed so I just wandered around the grounds which were beautiful, however, you can find some information about the opening times and ticket prices on their website.
John Muir Country Park
After visiting the Preston Mill, I headed to the nearby John Muir Country Park for a leisurely walk. It’s a great place to visit for a slow wander to clear your head as you listen to the soothing sound of the waves crashing at the nearby Belhaven Bay beach. It is also an excellent place for walking your dogs – I met several cute pups along the way.
Tantallon Castle
A short 20-minute drive away you will find the impressive Tantallon Castle which was built in the mid-1300s and used to be the headquarters for the notorious ‘Red Douglas’ family. The glorious castle is unique from many others across Scotland due to being positioned by the sea. Being surrounded by magnificent coastal views of the North Sea and Bass Rock is definitely part of the charm, adding a majestic feel to the scene. It felt so glorious to imagine all this castle has witnessed while gazing at the waves and listening to the seagulls – we even spotted a few puffins around! The visits to the castle are currently closed, however, it will open up after a refurbishment that’s currently being carried on. Find more information about the opening times here.
Tyninghame Smithy
After a long day of walking and sightseeing, I was looking forward to some delicious lunch at Tyninghame Smithy, which was my last stop before heading back to Edinburgh. This place is very homely and charming – getting cosy with the fairy lights and having some great food was the perfect way to end such a scenic trip. Tyninghame Smithy is a great place for exploring some local products such as candles, soaps, and postcards – an excellent stop at the end of the trip for a little souvenir!
It was overall a very full and exciting day – I liked the balance between visiting historic sites and learning some interesting facts, and also going for a calm walk as well as sitting down to have some food and take it all in. I will certainly implement this structure into my future trips! I hope you found this guide useful and it inspired you to visit this love part of Scotland.
Until next time, East Lothian!
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