Thistle Parks on a Google map
More information:
www.edinburgh.org
www.borderstouristboard.com
www.visiteastlothian.org
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EDINBURGH, THE LOTHIANS
AND THE BORDERS
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Whether you come from Scotland or further afield, you are sure to love Scotland's capital city and East Lothian, a beautiful part of Scotland. Here are some ideas on where to visit.
EDINBURGH AND THE LOTHIANS
Edinburgh's main attraction is the Castle, but there are many more visitor attractions worth a visit – the fabulous National Museum of Scotland is open again after four years of extension and refurbishment. Plus Dynamic Earth, Gladstone’s Land, the Museum of Childhood, the Royal Yacht Britannia and the Royal Botanic Garden. You don’t need to be based in the city to enjoy its benefits – there are holiday parks on the outskirts or you could make a choice from several in East Lothian. There is a good train service to Edinburgh from North Berwick and Dunbar, so access is easy and you don't have the hassle of parking and you can use the Edinburgh Bus Tour to get around.
At the harbour in North Berwick is the Scottish Seabird Centre, where live cameras allow close contact not only with the thousands of seabirds (gannets and puffins) on the Bass Rock, but also grey seals. Along the coast and especially near Dunbar, there are coastal paths and a choice of sandy beaches in the John Muir Park. Eyemouth is a fishing village, with a maritime musem and in the pretty village of Coldingham is a ruined Abbey and a small, sheltered beach. Not far away is Paxton House, an historic house, with gardens, woodlands and walks along the River Tweed. If you are looking for a fun day out with all the family, try East Links Farm near Dunbar - there's plenty to keep them happy.
If castles are your main interest, then visit Historic Scotland’s Tantallon Castle perched on the cliff-top near North Berwick or Dirleton Castle and Garden and, on the outskirts of Edinburgh, Newhailes (NTS), an outstanding example of an 18th/19th century grand manor, where much of the original furnishings have been preserved.
Golfers also find this area one of the most appealing in Scotland, with both links and parkland courses, including Muirfield and Gullane, and, whilst it may be difficult for you to get a tee-off time on the former, Gullane and several other courses in the area welcome visitors.
THE BORDERS
The Borders stretches from the east coast right across to the M74 in the west and takes in wild moorland and remote castles, such as Hermitage, near Newcastleton. Other castles and historic houses are easier to reach – Manderston, near Duns; Floors Castle, just outside Kelso; Abbotsford (near Melrose), is on the banks of the River Tweed, and was once home of Sir Walter Scott; and Traquair, a few miles from Peebles - visited by 27 Scottish monarchs, is an important historic house - and it has a maze to intrigue the kids.
The Borders’ gardens and abbeys are worth visiting; make sure you include Kailzie on your trip, as well as Dawyck Botanic Garden, and Priorwood Garden in Melrose, with traditional apple trees. In the 12th century, King David I of Scotland, founded several abbeys and eight hundred years later, although now magnificent ruins, they can still be admired – Kelso, Dryburgh, Jedburgh and Melrose, where the heart of Robert the Bruce lies buried in a special casket.
National Trust for Scotland: In Edinburgh visit Gladstone's Land and the Georgian House and see the different styles of living in the Old Town and the New Town. Nearby is the magnificent mansion of Newhailes in Musselburgh, as is Inveresk Lodge Garden. In the countryside you can visit Preston Mill, a charming place, complete with millpond. In the Borders there is a complete contrast between Harmony Gardens in Melrose and Robert Smail's in Innerleithen, with its Victorian printing works. For information call 0844 493 2100 or check www.nts.org.uk
Historic Scotland: If you are heading for the beautiful Borders, the abbeys of Dryburgh, Melrose and Jedburgh are fascinating places, while Hermitage Castle and Smailholm Tower recall the days of the swash-buckling Border Reivers. The Borders' Explorer Pass is great value for money at just £31 for two adults plus up to six children. Available from the Historic Scotland properties in the Borders or at www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/explorer
View the Thistle Holiday Parks in Edinburgh, the Lothians & the Borders
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