Category Archives: Things to do

This is not just a list of attractions that will just eat into your wallet, though it would be good if you spent your hard earned money here.

Remember the 4th, the 5th and the 6th of November

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November 4, 2011
November 5, 2011
November 6, 2011

The third Lennoxlove Book Festival is billed by the promoters to be a cracker.

Alistair DarlingIt seems that the authors on the programme give their time completely free and go to Lennoxlove for the love of it – which is understandable, for it can be quite lovely. But not all events are free. A respectable number of events are child-friendly, and the adult sessions suitably grown up.

On balance it should be an entertaining 3 days, even with that miserable Alistair Darling, whose palate drying and almost imperceptible sense of humour could well have saved us from an even Greater Depression. Thrilling and unmissable? I’ll let you be the judge.

Historic buildings and monuments

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Historic buildings and monuments in East Lothian open most of the year round. Tantallon is a stone’s throw from Dunbar, which itself has a castle in the harbour.

Strategically positioned between Berwick and Edinburgh, Dunbar (‘Dyn-baer’, meaning ‘summit fort’) has had a colourful history. There have been fortifications and settlements from the Iron Age onwards. Dunbar Castle was regulalry hit hard by successive wars and feuds, and its eventful history included a period as a French army garrison in the 16th century.

Dunbar’s was elevated to the status of a royal burgh in 1445, with its port and fishing fleet bringing a degree of prosperity in succeeding centuries.

Scottish Archaeology Month

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September 10, 2011

Scottish Archaeology Month is the sister event of Doors Open Days. Free access to hundreds of fascinating buildings across Scotland each September.

Check out the East Lothian Events in the pop up window.

Dunbar’s rich past is reflected in the diversity of its surviving archaeology – prehistoric enclosures to the south of the town, Iron Age and Anglian settlement in Castle Park, the medieval castle, its friary, tollbooth, parish church, as well as more recent buildings such as the Belhaven Brewery and the harbour warehouses.

Dive from Dunbar

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The marine life around Dunbar is regarded as extraordinary with seals to keep you company. If you into that sort of thing (smelly suits, diesel fumes, semiotics) Dunbar and its environs are not to be overlooked. St Abbs is only a short drive. Sponges, orange soft corals and large red dahlia and plumose anenomes, dead man’s fingers, brightly coloured nudibranchs that feed on hydroids, butterfish, flatfish, pollack so numerous that they look like kelp forests, huge lion’s-mane jellyfish and, the obligatory conger eel can all be found.

Here is what Scott Macdonald has to say about the secrets of Dunbar … “definitely worth the extra effort, as there is a good mixture of shore dives and intact wrecks, all without the crowds of divers ..”

There are wrecks of all ages. http://www.divesafariscotland.com/wreck_sites.htm has a list.

Gosford House & Gardens

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August 4, 2011toSeptember 11, 2011

Gosford House & Gardens are among a number of properties (buildings and land) and collections (works of art and other objects), that benefit the nation under an inheritance tax and/or capital gains tax exemption. The taxes are not paid under the exemption as the new owner has agreed to look after the item, allow public access to it and, if it is moveable, keep it in the UK. It is only a conditional exemption, so the owner obliged to fulfil their side of the bargain, or else the exemption is withdrawn and tax is payable.

While the Marble Hall, in the south wing, is arresting it feels a bit like a City Chambers, which I believe it was modelled on, chilly and cold.

Completed as recently as 1891 by William Young for the tenth Earl of Wemyss it is the older Adam exterior, delightful gardens, and picture galleries (before they are all sold, a Poussin recently sold fetched £6m – nice if you can get it) that you should really visit. The nice Venetian windows tie in with Adam’s original design.

The house is open each Thursday to Sunday from 1pm to 4pm starting on Thusrday August 4th through to Sunday 11th September 2011.

Tours depart at approx 1:30pm, 2:30pm and 3:00pm each day the gates close promptly at 4.45pm. http://www.gosfordhouse.co.uk/webpages/the-house.html

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Artroot – open studios

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September 24, 2011toSeptember 25, 2011

Art Roots is an Artists Open Studios weekend event with workshops and demonstrations. Our aim is to introduce and connect a new audience to the artistic community in East Lothian, to raise awareness of the rich diversity of artistic life in the area and to encourage involvement and participation in the visual arts.