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30 January 2025

As you work your way anti-clockwise around the East Lothian coast towards Edinburgh the beach facilities take on a more industrial scale – with large car parks, refreshments, play areas and toilets. I’m used to remote beaches with no facilities whatsoever so it comes as a shock to visit a beach with more than one car in the car park. Yellowcraig is a fantastic beach with high dunes, golden sand and superb views over to Fidra Island, famed for being the inspiration for Robert Louis Stephenson’s Treasure Island.  The wide beach is L-shaped and backed by woodlands with nature trails galore and you can see why it is such a family favourite. This is definitely my favourite East Lothian beach, along with Thorntonloch. The problem with visiting these photogenic beaches on a sunny day in January is that the sun remains low throughout the day, so if you attempt to take a photo with the sun behind you, your own long shadow ruins the shot!