Gullane Bents

The beach at Gullane stretches for miles along the Firth of Forth, backed by proper dunes that shift with the wind and marram grass that cuts your legs if you're not careful. It's the kind of place where you can walk for an hour and barely see another soul, even in summer. The sand is firm and wide at low tide, making it brilliant for families who want to let their kids run about without worrying about them disappearing into soft stuff.

What you get here depends entirely on the weather. On a clear day you can see right across to Fife, and the light on the water is genuinely lovely. Wind it up a notch and it's a proper blustery Scottish beach - exhilarating if you're into that, slightly miserable if you're not. There's a small car park right at the entrance, though it fills up quickly on decent weekends.

Gullane Bents works well as part of a wider East Lothian beach circuit rather than as a standalone destination. It's free to access and you can spend as little as forty minutes or as long as you fancy walking. Families will appreciate the space and the lack of crowds, though there's nothing in the way of facilities - bring your own supplies. If you're staying at Haven Seton Sands Holiday Village down the coast, this is within easy striking distance and makes for a proper change of scenery without much effort. History buffs might be less gripped - it's a beach, not a ruin - but walkers and photographers will find plenty to keep them occupied.