Home away from home: our favourite places in the scottish borders and East Lothian
The Scottish borders and East Lothian is a home from home for us, we visit every year without fail. What's not to love? Beautiful countryside, quaint seaside towns, friendly locals and so much to see and do with a complete feeling of R&R. Here's our list of top things to do and places to visit;
North Berwick
This well-known East Lothian coastal town is not only known for its famous golf course but its thriving high street full of independent shops, cafes and restaurants, plus stunning beachfront walks. We always make a stop in North Berwick - treating ourselves to a brew at Steampunk Coffee and an award-winning ice cream from Alandas Gelato. There is free parking in the centre which is a stone's throw from the high street. If you are here for lunch - theres nothing better than grabbing fish and chips and sitting on the seafront!
Haddington
My favourite Scottish town. There is something so sweet and homely about this friendly little town - a real community feel. There are plenty of places to grab brunch, a spot that we highly recommend is The Loft Cafe & Bakery, they offer a wide range of breakfast options using high-quality, local ingredients. The town often has a food market with great local produce and bakes - be sure to keep an eye out here for dates. Haddington is also great for the kids, The Jabberwocky - is a cute little soft play with a cafe right in the centre. We have spent many rainy afternoons watching the kids blow off some steam while we relax with a coffee!
Kelso
Kelso is in the heart of the Scottish borders and home to the magnificent Floors Castle, one of our all-time favourite family days out. Floors Castle is a must to visit if you have children as they hold so many amazing events throughout the year - keep an eye on those here - the Fairytale trail in the summer, and Halloween trail are particular highlights of ours; we go every year.
Jedburgh
The historic town of Jedburgh is a true hidden gem in a somewhat remote part of Scotland - but worth a visit nonetheless. We took a tour around the old castle jail which the kids loved (it’s also free - which helps!), there’s the famous Jedburgh Abbey which is very impressive and the Mary Queen of Scots visitors centre. Jedburgh is bursting with history and character - the town square features many colourful houses and plenty of independent shops and cafes.
Dunbar
Dunbar is hard to miss if you’re on the way up to Edinburgh, it's easily accessible directly from the A1 motorway. A great coastal town to stop off at and stretch your legs - a highlight for us is grabbing a pizza from Hectors in the centre, it’s not to be missed! On rainy days - Dunbar Leisure Centre is perfect for a swim with the kids, the large main pool has a shallow end for the younger ones, plus a slide and a wave pool. There’s a fantastic range of beaches and coastline to be explored in and around Dunbar - Cove and Cockburnspath are just two of our favourites.
Gullane
Gullane may also be widely known for its golf scene (which Scottish towns aren’t!) - this picturesque beach town along with its neighbour North Berwick, is among the region’s most prestigious places to live. We always call in and head down to the beach - with ample parking on the cliff top it’s one of our favourites for accessibility and exploring - and don’t forget to grab an ice cream from Imma’s Gelato before or after!
Melrose
Melrose is one of those dreamy towns that you wish to move to! Endless beautiful houses and an impressive, if not imposing, medieval abbey all set in the quaint countryside. Home to a small but plentiful high street with everything you could ask for. We recommend Apples for Jam for breakfast - it’s a real treat. Eden Coffee House for a quick pitstop, and Simply Delicious for a range of Scottish sweets and confectionary! We stayed in this Airbnb in St Boswells not too far away.
