I have often puttered around Musselburgh Beach and Fisherrow Harbour but then stop. I don’t know why.
Fisherrow Harbour
Musselburgh Beach
As I pondered the map, I noticed that there are lagoons behind Musselburgh’s race track.
We are such creatures of habit. I have no idea why I had not ventured further than Fisherrow Harbour especially since I consider myself an explorer! How did I miss that? So this walk had a mission to visit the lagoons.
As I ventured east, I smiled at the statues that recognised the fishermen of days gone by. The Fisherrow fishermen.
The views were amazing. I could see Arthur’s seat and the shores of Portobello in the distance.
To continue east, I had to walk along the River Esk. What a lovely walk! It was a great day for it.
While crossing the bridge I stopped to scan the lovers’ locks.
Crossing the Bridge
The wildflowers along the river bank were in full bloom and looked marvellous. It was evident that a lot of effort has gone into this path.
I loved that there were maps posted regularly and in my case specifically, the maps highlighted the location of the lagoons.
I continued the walk east until I reached the Nature reserve where the lagoons were located
I found them! My photos do not give the lagoons justice. What a tranquil beautiful site. A nature reserve with birds as its primary focus.
My hometown is Edinburgh which I love. It offers so much. However, I do like to change it up and when I want to quickly treat myself to Summer vibes, North Berwick is a lovely option. My first stop is always getting a treat on the High Street followed by a walk around the town.
Original St Andrew’s Church
(Ruins, ~1664)
A walk by St Andrew’s church ruins reminds me of its historic past, as I make my way to the Lodge Grounds.
The Lodge
The Lodge has lovely gardens and public paths. As an amateur gardener, I always like to see the botanic offerings of others.
View of North Berwick Law
The Lodge paths always make for a delightful stroll with bonus views of North Berwick Law.
On this trip, I really enjoyed the elevated path just north of the Lodge. It has breathtaking views of the town and bay.
Up early on a November Saturday morning with a friend to explore Dunbar. That’s right Dunbar. I had not appreciated the drive from Edinburgh before. It was so picturesque even for a November morning. Enroute, we saw Tantallon Castle in the distance and decided to stop 😆 We were living large 😆
We were really lucky; we were the first visitors of the day and had the grounds to ourselves. Perfect.
Tantallon Castle
The castle was more impressive than I had imagined it. It was in a commanding position. The waves added to the drama of the location. It was stunning with its raw simplicity.
The Castle dates back to the 1300s. The outer wall was surrounded by an expansive area of grass; a service area where supplies were brought into the castle. Under the morning light and with the sound of the waves, it felt like s a place for quiet contemplation. Although there were several storyboards sharing the history of the castle, I did a quick search to learn more. I found an excellent write-up on the undiscovered Scotland site.
Due to all the rain, we have had, entrance into the castle structure was not allowed. As a result, we had to admire it from a distance. On this morning, the waves were high and the force as they hit the banks was quite extraordinary. It is a wonder how any of the castle structures were still standing.
It was so good to breathe the morning air.
The view of Bass rock was a wonderful sight. I wished I could have done a better job in capturing what I was seeing but hopefully I have captured its essence. It was a great start to the day.
Bass Rock
Drifter Coffee House
After our stroll around the castle, my friend suggested breakfast at the Drift Coffeehouse. What a great suggestion that was! Great service, good food and panoramic views in a unique setting.
Dunbar Harbour
We finally made it to Dunbar and the first stop was the harbour.
The wind made its presence known. There was no doubt what time of year it was. November! At the same time, we were on the coast so it was to be expected. We were well-wrapped. We chose a small alley to get to the water.
When we arrived I was surprised by what I saw. It was so quiet and so few boats. It is usually a hive of activity but not on this day. I had not seen the harbour so inactive before. It had a very different feel.
Boats and people were few but the waves were plentiful! We had a quick look at the memorial and took in the view of what was left of Dunbar castle, then made our way to the beach.
John Muir Country Park & and Dunbar beach
I had a “thing” about seeing Dunbar beach mainly because I have not been there before and secondly a friend told me that sometimes they train horses at that location. I have had an itch to go there ever since. We drove to the John Muir Country Park as the locals advised that it was a nice walk and had good access to the beach.
We were taken by the open landscape and the share size of the beach. The tide was low which added to the sense of scale.
Of course, we had to see Belhaven Bridge, sometimes called “The Bridge To Nowhere”. As the tide was low, it did not have the same impact or effect but it was good to see nonetheless.
We both agreed we need to return in the Spring or Summer. After all, it would be nice to see horses 😆
I had planned to return to Haddington in Spring but life had other plans for me. As a result, Spring came and went with very little walking in beautiful Scotland. So when I saw plans for a group walk last week for Haddington, I jumped at it.
The Malting Building and Bridge across the Tyne
Haddington is truly a pretty town. After walking through the town centre, one passes a small dam and river Tyne next to the malting site.
With a short walk, we were surrounded by beautiful countryside.
This garden lies just outside Haddington town. Dating from the late 18th century, it is one of the largest walled gardens in Scotland. I had no idea that this was there. It had large herbaceous borders, fruit and vegetable beds/orchards, wildflower meadow and woodland plantings.
A great find indeed. I could not get over all the apples! Especially those that climbed the walls.
Walled Apple Trees
Given the year we had, with so little rain and record breaking temperatures, it was lovely to see so many beautiful flowers.
Flowerbeds at Amisfield
The wall gardens were truly delightful. We continued our walk across the old bridge towards St Mary’s Church.
This post is long overdue. Earlier, back in January, I wrote about Haddington’s lovely, colourful storefronts but did not share the fact that the rest of the town is just as pretty. So, this is well overdue! I took a lot of photos. It is time to share them.
Walking along the River Tyne in Haddington
As Haddington is on the water, this was my immediate destination. The River Tyne. Do you like reflections? I do. The reflections were hypnotic and uncannily soothing. I find they immediately slow you down to take note. Well, for me at least and I need it! It was a glorious day.
The Waterside Bistro
I passed by what seems like one of the local’s popular pubs, The Waterside Bistro. Lovely.
Opposite the Bistro was St Mary’s Parish. What a lovely town!
Even with its Winter undress, the town was picturesque. I’m going to have to return later in Spring/Summer to see how it outshines its Winter offering.
The Old Bridge, Haddington
A stroll around the town centre was like being wrapped in a rainbow. It is so colourful.
Town Centre, Haddington.
I remember being quite taken by this complex at Dickson Close with its bold yellow walls. I wish I knew the history. I am definitely going to do a return trip to do a little digging. This visit was one of those “hop on a bus and see where it takes me fling!” LOL!
Well, Haddington was definitely worth the bus ride!
As I walked the streets of Haddington on a brisk January day, what struck me immediately was COLOUR.
Now, I love Edinburgh however the predominant colour of the buildings is grey. Especially in the city centre. As I think though the different neighbourhoods in Edinburgh, I tried to think of one that compares. Perhaps Victoria Street and Morningside but they are not as vibrant.
Haddington’s colours of their storefronts and residential homes welcomed me like a rainbow.
Come on! Don’t you agree?
I felt like a kid entering a Sweet-shop. This burst of colour was a welcome change! And needed this time of year.
It set the mood. Thank you Haddington
If you know of a neighbourhood in Edinburgh that is colourful, let me know in the comments. Better still, add a photo! I would love to know and see.
