Visit East Lothian > Things To See & Do > Towns & Villages > Aberlady

Aberlady

Aberlady was one of the earliest Christian settlements in East Lothian when monks of the Celtic Church arrived in the 8th century.

Just 5miles (8kms) from the county town of Haddington, Aberlady was once a bustling harbour and the port for the town importing bark for tanning leather, cattle feed and manure and exporting grain. The area was prosperous, however, the port also enabled Haddington to be cut off in times of battle and enemies could land troops and equipment. The coming of the railways in the 19th century saw the port’s demise.

Today Aberlady is a picturesque village sitting next to Aberlady Bay, a nature reserve and home to a wide range of wading birds. The arrival of geese here in autumn to spend the winter is a spectacular sight!

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What to see and do

Head to Aberlady Bay nature reserve for a spot of bird watching and some glorious walks. At low tide look out for the remains of WWII midget submarines buried in the sand.

Pop into the Scottish Ornithologist’s Club’s Waterston House art gallery where an exhibition programme displays the best wildlife art from across the country.

Take a look at the replica of the carved Christian stone at the church.

Have a walk along the main street and check out the loupin’ stone - a flight of four stairs going nowhere which was used to leap onto horses!

Call in to the Aberlady Inn and The Leddie for some traditional Scottish hospitality and excellent local food & drink.

Visit the Myreton Motor Museum, home to a large collection of vintage cars, motorbikes and memorabilia.