Best beaches in Lothian

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Below are a list of the top 12 beaches in Lothian as selected by the users of the Beach Guide website.

The current most popular beach in Lothian is Yellowcraig. If you would like to have your say on which are the best beaches in Lothian just follow the link to the beach and vote by clicking the star ratings at the top right of the page.

  • 1. Yellowcraig Beach

    Yellowcraig © Ikeofspain | BY-SA

    Yellowcraigs, sometimes referred to as Broad Sands Bay, is a sandy beach surrounded by forest and grassland. The natural beach affords visitors lovely views out to Fidra Island and its lighthouse built in 1885. Fidra Island is most famously known as the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island. Yellowcraig is a popular family beach…

  • 2. Gullane Beach

    Gullane © Michael Ely | BY-SA

    The town of Gullane in East Lothian is best known for its golf courses, however it also boasts a magnificent sandy beach with excellent views out onto the Firth of Forth. The beach is popular for windsurfing and kite flying when the weather is windy, and for picnics, family days out and sand castle building…

  • 3. Seacliff Beach

    Seacliff © Walter Baxter | BY-SA

    This beautiful beach is a genuine hidden gem.  It lies in a remote part of East Lothian at the mouth of the Firth of Forth. The beach is in private ownership and there is a small charge to access the narrow track leading to the car park.  

    From the parking area a narrow path winds…

  • 4. Tyninghame Beach

    Tyninghame Beach © Richard Webb | BY-SA

    This long sandy beach is often cited as one of the finest in the South of Scotland. A wild expanse of golden sand backed by dunes the beach here is often deserted except for during the summer months.

    Set a little way from the nearest parking it is a fair walk to the beach. Depending on…

  • 5. Belhaven Beach (Dunbar)

    Belhaven © Sarah Charlesworth | BY-SA

    Set within the John Muir Country Park, Belhaven is a wide stretch of sandy beach spanning approximately one mile in length; from the mouth of the River Tyne in the north, to the village of Belhaven on the outskirts of Dunbar to the south. The beach has lovely views out onto the Forth Estuary and…

  • 6. Milsey Bay (North Berwick)

    Milsey Bay © Richard Webb | BY-SA

    Milsey Bay is a sandy beach at the eastern end of North Berwick. It has lovely views out over the Firth of Forth and the Bass Rock some 2 kilometres offshore. It is a perfect place for swimming, walking, exploring rock pools, sun bathing or for a family day out. At the western end of…

  • 7. West Bay (North Berwick)

    West Bay © Richard West | BY-SA

    West Bay is a sandy beach close to the seaside town of North Berwick. It has excellent views over the Firth of Forth, 12th Century North Berwick Harbour and Craigleth and Bass Rocks, both of which are about a mile from the coast. It is ideal for paddling, sun bathing, walking and picnics. Behind the…

  • 8. Cramond Beach

    Cramond © Ninaswan3 | BY-SA

    Cramond Beach is located just to the north of the historic village of Cramond, today an outer suburb of Edinburgh, about 5 miles west of the city centre. The beach is situated on the estuary of the River Almond, just to the west of the beach. At low tide the beach is vast and it…

  • 9. Portobello Beach

    Portobello © Callum Black | BY-SA

    Portobello is a popular sandy beach in the Edinburgh suburb by the same name, slightly less than 2 miles east of the city centre, offering views across to the north side of the Firth of Forth and out towards Inchkeith Island. Being close to the city, it draws many summer visitors who flock here to…

  • 10. Gosford Sands Beach

    Gosford Sands © Richard Webb | BY-SA

    Popular with walkers, bird watchers and kite-flyers, this attractive strip of beach, with its backdrop of forest and cliffs is just a short drive from Edinburgh. Behind the beach are the gates to the magnificent Georgian mansion of Gosford House. This is still privately owned, although it is open to the public during the summer.…

  • 11. Seton Sands Beach (Longniddry)

    Seton Sands © Richard Webb | BY-SA

    Seton Sands is a long, rural beach on the south bank of the Firth of Forth, between Cockenzie & Port Seton and Longniddry. The beach is popular for a range of activities such as windsurfing, canoeing and horse riding. There are also plenty of interesting walks in the area. In addition Seton Sands beach is…

  • 12. Longniddry Beach

    Longniddry © Mary And Angus Hogg | BY-SA

    Longniddry beach is a mixture of sand and rocks in a quiet, relatively undisturbed setting, despite being a mere 10 miles from the centre of Edinburgh. It is popular for water sports, family days out and for walkers. There are nature reserves in the vicinity and the beach is an excellent place for spotting wading…