Haddington - town in East Lothian, Scotland, UK

Haddington is in East Lothian, 15 miles east of Edinburgh in central Scotland. It's a market town and the administrative centre of East Lothian council area, with a population of 10,360 in 2020.

Understand

"Haddington" means the farm where Hada's folk live. The name is Anglo-Saxon not Gaelic, as until the 10th century East Lothian and Edinburgh were ruled by Northumbria. The area is lowland, with well-drained bright red sandstone soil and bedrock, and it's astride the main transport route from England. When it was ceded to Scotland, Haddington became a Royal Burgh and developed as a market town, manufacturing cloth. In 1645 those who worked in the cloth mills were exempted from military service, so hiring became a whole lot easier. However this enterprise foundered in the 18th century and Haddington never became industrial as the villages on the coalfield to the west had long been. That meant its medieval street pattern was preserved, and modern developments have respected this. The town therefore retains a pleasant rural ambience while traffic scurries past just north on the A1.

Get in

Haddington is just off the A1. East Coast Bus X7 runs from Edinburgh to Haddington (50 min), East Linton and Dunbar, daily every 30 min.

East Coast Bus 104 runs from Edinburgh to Haddington via Musselburgh, Wallyford and Tranent. It runs daily every 30 min and takes an hour.

Night bus N106 runs after shortly midnight F Sa from Edinburgh to Musselburgh, Wallyford, Tranent, Macmerry, Haddington, East Linton and Dunbar.

Cyclists may not use A1, take the old road parallel, nowadays A199.

Drem 📍 four miles north only has hourly trains on the Edinburgh to North Berwick line. Bike-on-train from Edinburgh would work.

Dunbar 12 miles east has trains on the Edinburgh-Berwick-Newcastle route, which hurtle through Drem.

Get around

Eves Coaches Bus 121 runs from Haddington to North Berwick via East Fortune and Drem railway station, daily every couple of hours.

See

• St Mary's Parish Church, Sidegate Haddington EH41 4BZ, 55.9532°, -2.7718°. Closed for rebuilding. Substantial attractive church from the 14th century. The interior is being rebuilt, you can admire the exterior but entry is limited to services, held Sunday 09:30 and 11:00. 2023-01-09
• St Martin's Kirk is the scenic ruin of an 11th century Norman church. It's 100 yards east of the river.
• Lennoxlove, Haddington EH41 4NZ, 55.9389°, -2.7778°, +44 1620 623720. Apr-Oct W Th Su 12:00-16:00. Imposing tower house, begun the 15th century and expanded since. Visit by guided tour. Adult £10 2023-01-09
• Hailes Castle 📍 is a ruin near East Linton. Built in the 13th century, it was part-demolished by Cromwell in the 17th, and is fenced off as unsafe.
• Traprain Law, 55.9661°, -2.6744°. 24 hrs. Crag 221m / 725ft high, where glaciers scooped away other rock leaving a scarp, a tail of debris and an easily defended site. On top was an oppidum or hill fort, occupied from at least 1500 BC. When the Romans arrived they found it occupied by the Votadini, who later decamped to the similarly-formed Castle Rock in Edinburgh. In 1919 a hoard of broken-up 5th century Roman silver was found here (now in the NMS, Edinburgh): it may have been sawn up to use as coinage. Free 2019-01-22
• Chesters Hill Fort 📍 is an Iron Age earthwork, circa 500 BC. A well-preserved system of ditches and ramparts protected a settlement.
• The National Museum of Flight 📍 is at East Fortune Airfield off B1347 three miles east of Haddington; bus 121 runs this way. See Gullane listing.
• Aberlady Bay five miles north is a bird reserve.
• Preston Mill, Preston Rd, East Linton EH40 3DS, 55.992°, -2.651°. Th-M 12:30-17:00. Picturesque 18th century watermill with a conical red-pantile roof, now managed by NTS. See also Phantassie Doocot just across the river. Adult £7, conc £5, NTS / NT free 2021-07-12

Do

• Golf: Haddington GC is half a mile east of town, white tees 6403 yards, par 71, visitor round £20.
• Glenkinchie Distillery 📍 is open daily Mar-Oct 10:00-17:00, Nov-Feb 10:00-16:00 for tours (standard £10) and tastings. It's at Peastonbank EH34 5ET, off A6093 midway between Haddington and Dalkeith. They offer a shuttle service between Edinburgh Waterloo Place and Glenkinchie twice a day at 10:00 and 13:30, £14 return, phone +44 1875 342012 to book.
• Haddington Agricultural Show is held in June / July on East Fortune racing circuit northeast of the air museum. A shuttle bus runs from Haddington. The next show is Saturday 1 July 2023, adult £12.

Buy

• Tesco a block north of town centre is open M-Sa 07:00-22:00, Su 08:00-20:00.

Eat

• Waterside Bistro across the footbridge is open daily 11:00-23:00.

Drink

• Pubs are The Green on Court Street and The New Pheasant on Market Street.

Sleep

• Victoria Inn (La Teraza), 9 Court St EH41 3JD (town centre), +44 1620 248110. This has five modern rooms en suite. 2023-01-09
• Maitlandfield House Hotel, 24 Sidegate EH41 4BZ (between St Mary's and rugby pitch), +44 1620 826513. Pleasant little hotel in 17th century mansion but decor showing its age. B&B double from £90 2019-10-22
• Letham House, EH41 3SS (off B6471 west edge of town), +44 1620 820055. Upscale hotel in mansion built in 1645. B&B double from £150 2019-10-22

Connect

Haddington and the main roads around it have 4G with all UK carriers. As of July 2021, 5G has not reached this area.

Go next

• North to the sandy beaches of Gullane and harbour of North Berwick, for boat trips to Bass Rock.
• West to Musselburgh for the races.
• East to the historic fishing village of Dunbar and clifftops towards Eyemouth.