If I am being honest, I didn’t even know where East Lothian was until recently, never mind having considered it as a holiday destination. Then I stumbled across Harvest Moon Holidays, which inspired thoughts of a trip to the area. It turns out that East Lothian occupies the chunk of land directly to the south of the Firth of Forth, basically stretching east of Edinburgh to the Scottish coast.
And it also turns out that it is something of a hidden gem.
It is here in East Lothian, nestled behind huge sand dunes on the east coast of Scotland, between the seaside towns of North Berwick (not to be confused with Berwick-Upon-Tweed) and Dunbar, that you’ll find Harvest Moon. Set down a surprisingly long gravelled track through beautiful woodland – with towering pines, fairy toadstools and wild deer – they offer glamping in treehouses and beach cabins in a totally secluded and heavenly location.
On arrival say goodbye to your car and the stresses of modern life; cars must be left in the car park and you have to transfer your belongings the short distance to your treehouse (wheelbarrows are available). It is time to relax.
All of the luxury treehouses have wood-burning stoves, en-suite toilets and hot showers. They also have basic electricity (lights, a fridge, heaters and a few plug sockets) but there is no WiFi at all on site. The treehouse accommodation comprises of a octagonal combined kitchen/ dining/ living space and two cosy bedrooms (a double and a double with a single bunk over), there is also an adjacent shower room with flushing toilet. The beds are comfortable with lovely clean, warm duvets. The living and sleeping quarters are separate but connected by a covered walkway and there is a huge outside decking area.
It was super snug in the living area with the wood-burner lit and it provided such a lovely, homely space in which to chill and play games. Use of the miniature electric kettle was outlawed (by me – it’s cheating!), which meant getting up early and lighting the wood burner before dashing back to bed for a bit, whilst the fire got going, before we could put the kettle on for a morning cuppa.
A set of swings were incorporated into the treehouse along with a love seat hanging underneath the deck. We also had a fire pit and a hammock with stand.
On site there are communal BBQ and campfire facilities, but given social distancing restrictions we took our own portable BBQ. There is also an honesty shop selling basic provisions.
The kids loved the cheeky chickens who had free-range of the site and thought they owned it. There were also ponies, alpacas and pygmy goats which roamed in the dunes. Helping to feed the curious and slightly crazy looking alpacas each morning was also a big hit with my kids and the staff were very obliging and friendly .
The main appeal for me with Harvest Moon is the family friendly nature, the back to basics, slow living feel and the fabulous secluded location right by the beach. And what a beach; a short walk from the treehouses brings you to the most wonderful sweep of dazzling white sand. I can guarantee that this is one of the most beautiful beaches in the UK, even though it is never mentioned as such.
Backed by giant dunes and woodland with stunning panoramic views of Bass Rock to the north and St. Baldred’s Cradle to the south, there is a huge expanse of golden sand and crystal clear sea. There is also a rocky outcrop with rock pools exposed at low tide. The beach is absolutely stunning and full of interest, it is also pretty much deserted.
Ravensheugh Sands (also known as Tyninghame Beach), like many of the beaches in this area, is well off the beaten track and finding it is half the fun; it is definitely not easy to locate. Unless you are staying at Harvest Moon – from where it is a 5 minute walk from the treehouses – access involves a walk along rough woodland trails from the nearest car park (about a mile away). As a result Ravensheugh feels secluded, almost isolated, and when you discover it you feel like you have discovered somewhere special – which you have.
Not only is it beautiful, it is also one of the cleanest beaches I have been on; there is not a scrap of plastic or litter to be seen and the sea is perfectly clear.
We spent our first full day exploring the beach and surrounding area; following the signs from Harvest Moon we and made our way over the dunes onto the glorious sands, where the sun miraculously came out and the kids splashed in the waves.
We continued along the beach to the grassy headland at the south end, known as St. Baldred’s Cradle. The massive grassy mound being the remains of an ancient cairn. St Baldred was an 8th century monk who once inhabited a cell out on Bass Rock.
At the point of the headland there is a stone seat which makes a great place to take a break and enjoy the stunning views out over the sea and to the Bass Rock, but by this time the mist had typically rolled in and we could see very little. We circumnavigated the headland then made our way back to camp, through the atmospheric woodland with its ancient trees and tangled rhododendrons.
Late afternoon we took a drive into North Berwick where we enjoyed fish and chips at the Berwick Fry, followed by delicious ice cream from Alanda’s Gelato for desert. Both are located on Quality Street!
We returned to North Berwick next morning and I absolutely fell in love with this quaint and bustling seaside town. It’s such a great place to explore, with the lovely old harbour area and a traditional high street with lots of independent shops. There is absolutely loads of foodie stuff going on, from great coffee at groovy Steampunk to an artisan bakery, real ale, cider, ice cream and fresh seafood. The kids enjoyed a visit to The Sugar Mountain, a traditional sweet shop, packed with delights.
The town is flanked by two lovely beaches and there is also a concrete tidal paddling pool on the shore.
The Scottish Seabird Centre is situated at North Berwick harbour, with a cafe and stunning views across the Firth of Forth and the iconic Bass Rock. There is a Discovery Centre where you can control the interactive live cameras on the local islands to zoom in on wildlife in its natural habitat. We didn’t visit on this occasion as it was open for pre-bookings only, but we would definitely like to return.
Down on the harbour is the Lobster Hatchery, dedicated to ensuring the sustainability of the Forth lobster fishery and a rare chance to see live lobsters and discover more about their life cycle. A friendly member of staff dressed as a lobster showed us a berried hen (female lobster with eggs) which was really cool.
We had booked a boat trip out to view the Bass Rock gannet colony (operated by the Scottish Seabird Centre) which was a brilliant experience, even in the mist! Over 150,000 gannets nest on this huge rock during the summer months and the lower ledges of the Bass are home to kittiwakes, shags, guillemots and razorbills. We were also lucky enough to see a couple of seals frolicking in the water at the base of the rock. When viewed from the mainland, large regions of the rock’s surface appear white owing to the sheer number of birds (and their droppings, which apparently give off 152,000 kg of ammonia per year). It is an assault on the senses for sure; the noise and smell of so many seabirds is intense and it’s quite a spectacle to see them filling the sky overhead. The scientific name for the northern gannet, Morus bassanus, actually derives from this rock. The 351ft rock, formed from a volcanic plug, also houses the ruins of St. Baldred’s Chapel, a lighthouse and impressive fortifications used at various times as a defence and a prison. It’s a truly fantastic place and a rare chance to see such amazing wildlife in its natural habitat.
On our return to dry land we all enjoyed fresh lobster with double dipped chips and salt and pepper squid, from the Lobster Shack on the harbour. Half a coral lobster sat on top of a portion of crunchy chips is just shy of £20, so not a cheap meal, especially when the kids aren’t for being fobbed off with a fish taco and insist they want a portion. However, washed down with a local beer, cider or even fizz, it is a real indulgent treat.
The lobster shell comes pre-cracked for you, but you’ll still need get properly stuck in to retrieve all the sweet meat; it’s fiddly and a messy job, or you are not doing it right.
The fabulous harbour views and the fact that the sun made another surprise appearance made for a lovely casual meal.
After refuelling we walked to the top of North Berwick Law, a conical shaped hill formed, like Bass Rock, from an ancient volcanic plug. It offers spectacular, uninterrupted views of the coast and countryside, but alas on this occasion the mist descended once again as we reached the top. It made an enjoyable early evening walk all the same.
Thursday was forecast warm and sunny so we planned on taking advantage by spending the day on the idyllic beach. First we headed out for some breakfast and BBQ supplies to sustain us.
We headed for Bostock Bakery in the nearby village of East Linton and enjoyed the best pastries (blueberry & lemon and hazelnut & chocolate) along with fat, sugary, custard filled doughnuts and great coffee. Breakfast heaven. The sourdough bread baked here is pretty special too and you can watch the bakers at work in the open plan bakery. There’s a modern and trendy vibe here, the bakery and cafe are housed in a former car showroom, but it works and the results speak for themselves; this is proper baking and the bread is full of texture and flavour.
They have a shop on North Berwick High Street too.
Next we headed to The Brand Family Larder, a farm shop located at East Fortune Farm. They sell a great range of their own home-reared pork and lamb and we stocked up on delicious sausages, burgers and lamb koftas for a BBQ later.
So to the beach, where we spent a happy day body boarding in the waves and digging deep holes in the sand, wearing only an inflatable turtle (not me!).
Back at the treehouse we enjoyed a delicious BBQ, the sausages and meat from the farm shop were outstanding, and then marshmallows and stories round the fire pit before bed.
Just up the coast from Harvest Moon is the formidable fortress of Tantallon Castle. It is impossibly picturesque, perched high on the cliff edge, looking across the Firth of Forth to the Bass Rock. Unfortunately it hadn’t reopened whilst we were there so we didn’t get the chance to explore so, again, something for another visit.
Drive towards North Berwick on the coastal road, past Tantallon Castle, to Canty Bay, and you’ll come across Drift, a new cleverly designed café almost balancing on the cliffs, with knockout views of the castle and Bass Rock. It is made of upcycled shipping-containers with floor to ceiling windows looking overlooking the coast and out to Bass Rock. I love this photo which looks like a picture hanging on the wall but is actually the view through the interior of the cafe to the Bass Rock beyond.
It is the ultimate coastal coffee and cake spot.
We stopped by for a picturesque coffee before setting off on our journey home and I cannot wait to return at some point, once it has reopened inside. They are currently serving takeout coffee, cakes and breakfasts from a converted horse-box, with benches outside making the most of the fantastic views.
Our trip had come to an end. Originally it had been booked for May half term and we had intended to tag on a couple of nights in Edinburgh, just 30 miles to the west. However we dropped this idea as, given the Covid situation, we thought the big city may have lost something with all the restrictions. It would be a great addition in more normal circumstances.
With hindsight we would definitely have liked to stay longer at Harvest Moon. East Lothian has miles of award-winning golden coastline, walks, water sports, a growing foodie scene, history and wild nature experiences. It has it all. We absolutely loved it and will be back.
East Lothian – it’s the best holiday destination you have probably never heard of!
You will find Harvest Moon Holidays at Lochhouses Farm, Tyninghame, Nr Dunbar, East Lothian EH42 1XP.
For mor information check out https://www.harvestmoonholidays.com
