Discovering Aberlady and Haddington
Aberlady
This historic, conservation village is situated on the coast of East Lothian. A main featuring fact about this area is that used to serve as the Port of Haddington but now acts mostly as a hub of thriving tourist activity and golfing events.
Aberlady is set on the southern shores of the Firth of Forth, between Gullane and Longniddry. The village is in the heart of the coastal reaches of East Lothian and sits on the shore of the Aberlady Bay nature reserve, a site of special scientific interest.
Notably, there are also championship golf courses at Craigielaw and Kilspindie for residents of Aberlady to enjoy. There is excellent primary education in Aberlady and first class education for secondary school students in nearby North Berwick.
Aberlady is the ‘King of Clubs’ when it comes to activities. The Aberlady Bowling Club, The Badminton Club, The Aberlady Football club and the Curling Club are all well frequented and open to new members young and old; all prime examples of this tight knit sporting community.
Haddington
Haddington is known as the main cultural and geographical centre for East Lothian and is well known for nearby Hailes Castle along with St Mary’s Collegiate Church and Amisfield House.
It is five miles away from Aberlady and within easy access to surrounding towns such as North Berwick, Drem and Dunbar and the Scottish capital, Edinburgh.
Haddington is the County town for East Lothian and as such has an excellent shopping centre, schooling for all ages and a wide range of leisure and recreational facilities.
These include modern sporting facilities for swimming and keeping fit including squash courts, a golf course and numerous sports and social clubs.
The town is surrounded by lush East Lothian countryside with the Lammermuir Hills to the South and the coastline to the North both being easily accessible.
Eat Out
Our ESPC Media Sales, Moyra and Claire, recently reviewed the Duck’s in Aberlady which is a very popular destination for golfers, local families and tourists. Moyra had this to say about their experience.
"Located in Aberlady, East Lothian, Donald’s Bar Bistro offers locally-sourced ingredients served in relaxed and comfortable surroundings."
"I chose a starter of Buccleuch Beef Carpaccio with goat’s cheese, berries and homemade crackers. Lovely slices of beef fillet dressed with a sprinkling of baby amaranth (this tasted like beetroot) and basil accompanied by cubed goats cheese and raspberries."
"Claire chose a Winter Caprese to start with, a beautifully presented buffalo mozzarella accompanied by seasonal vegetables."
"My main course was Belhaven Best Battered Haddock. The generous portion of haddock, which had been coated in a batter made with a touch of mustard, was crunchy and ridiculously addictive."
"Claire went for Roasted Chicken Breast, Mushroom Risotto, Rocket and Red Wine Jus. Again, the substantial portion would have satisfied the hungriest of diners."
"The chicken was well cooked and the rocket and parmesan salad was the perfect accompaniment to the earthy risotto."
“We couldn’t manage a dessert after such a feast so rounded up the meal with a great cup of coffee. While you may find the prices competitive, the friendly atmosphere and well stocked bar (particularly good for whisky aficionados) is worth it.”
