More information:

www.edinburgh.org Edinburgh

www.borderstouristboard.com The Borders

www.visiteastlothian.org East Lothian

 Whether you come from Scotland or further afield, you are sure to love this beautiful part of Scotland - inland or on the beaches.

EDINBURGH AND THE LOTHIANS

Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland, a magnificent city where the Castle dominates the town, but there are many more visitor attractions worth a visit – the National Museum of Scotland, Dynamic Earth, Gladstone’s Land, the Museum of Childhood, the Royal Yacht Britannia and the Royal Botanic Garden. And 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 to Edinburgh is easy.

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 with grey seals;  a great place for the whole family! 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 bustling town, with an interesting 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.

If castles are the focus of your interest, then check out 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.

If you fancy a day in Edinburgh, then take the relaxing route - hop on the ScotRail train from either Dunbar or North Berwick and use the Edinburgh Bus Tour to get around..

THE  BORDERS

The Borders stretches from the east coast right across to the M74 and takes in wild moorland and remote castles, such as Hermitage, near Newcastleton. Other castles and historic houses are perhaps easier to reach – Manderston, near Duns; Floors Castle, just outside Kelso; Abbotsford, near Melrose, on the banks of the River Tweed, once home of Sir Walter Scott; and Traquair, a few miles from Peebles – visited by 27 Scottish monarchs, it 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, which has a range of 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 – in Kelso, Dryburgh, Jedburgh and Melrose, where the heart of Robert the Bruce lies buried in a special casket.  

Closer to the border, on the east coast, is the busy fishing village of Eyemouth, with a Maritime Centre, past which the coastal path goes, while just to the north is Abbey St. Bathans, a small fishing village.

National Trust for Scotland:  In Edinburgh be sure to visit Gladstone's Land and the Georgian House and see the very 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 Tower and Smailholm Castle recall the days of the swash-buckling Border Reivers.  The Borders' Explorer Pass is great value for money at just £28 for two adults plus up to six children. Available from the properties or call 0131 668 8797 or go to www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/explorer

View the Thistle Holiday Parks in Edinburgh, the Lothians & the Borders