East Lothian Without a Car

Exploring East Lothian Without a Car: Stay at Drummohr Camping & Glamping

Where is East Lothian?

With a sunny and mild climate, over 40 miles of gorgeous Scottish coastline, more than 20 East Lothian golf courses and award-winning local beaches, our East Lothian campsite is the perfect location for exploring the delights of what locals call Scotland’s Golf Coast, Scotland’s Sunshine Coast and Scotland’s Food and Drink County.

East Lothian stretches from Dunbar in the West to Musselburgh in the East and there are stunning views across the Firth of Forth to Fife. The Pentland and Lammermuir Hills form the rural backdrop to the county. Located on the east coast of Scotland, close to Edinburgh, East Lothian’s prime location is easily accessed by road and rail from both England and from the rest of Scotland. 

You don’t need a car to enjoy the beauty of Scotland’s east coast. There are excellent East Lothian public transport links and guests at Drummohr Camping and Glamping site near Edinburgh can explore East Lothian’s beaches, castles, golf courses, and towns with ease. Whether you’re planning a city break, a coastal holiday, or both, staying car-free is not only stress-free but also eco-friendly. 

What are the East Lothian public transport links from Drummohr?

• Bus - There is an Lothian bus stop just a 5-minute walk, turn left at the campsite entrance and walk down the hill towards the Prestongrange Mining Museum. East Lothian bus 26
• Train - Wallyford train station, with trains every hour into Edinburgh Waverley, is a 15-minute walk or short drive. Scot Rail trains take 10 minutes
• Wallyford Park & Ride - Your Gateway to Edinburgh. As well as being a useful free car park for the train station, the large Wallyford Park and Ride can be used for buses. Lothian Buses 44/44A/N44 serve Wallyford Park & Ride and depart for Musselburgh & Edinburgh City Centre every 10 minutes at peak times and during the day on Monday to Saturdays, with a half hourly service on Sunday. There are EV charging stations and that car park is big enough for motorhomes if you do not want to take your motorhome into the city. 10 cycle parking spots.
• Bike - the John Muir Way which links Dunbar in the East and Helensburgh in the West passes close to the site and can be used for exploring Edinburgh and East Lothian by bike

Our How to Get Here page has more information on East Lothian public transport, including links to timetables.

East Lothian by Bus 

Lothian buses are frequent, reliable, and scenic. Dogs are allowed on Lothian buses. Hop on a Lothian Bus or East Coast Buses service to reach: 

• Gullane – home to golden beaches and world-famous golf courses, as well as The Bonnie Badger Gastro pub
• Dirleton – a picturesque village with an impressive medieval castle and access on foot to the stunning Yellowcraigs beach (1.3 miles)
• Haddington – a traditional market town perfect for exploring on foot, with some wonderful independent food stores

The Lothian Buses website is full of useful information on timetables. The majority of East Lothian bus stops are also linked to the buses so you can see in real time how far away the next bus is. The prices are very reasonable with the “TapTapCap” system ensuring that adults never pay more than a cap per day no matter how many times you ride. Day and family tickets are also available for convenience. All buses are contactless. There are also night buses if you are camping near Edinburgh and want to enjoy the city nightlife. East Lothian buses are dog-friendly and welcome well-behaved dogs. 

If you are staying at Drummohr for a few days we recommend downloading the Lothian Buses App which gives you alerts for when you should set off. East Lothian Bus number 26 from Princes Street Edinburgh (direction Seton Sands or Tranent) stops at the Mining Museum Prestonpans bus stop, less than 5-minutes’ walk from the entrance to our East Lothian campsite.  

If you are visiting Edinburgh by bus you may want to take advantage of an open top bus journey as a convenient way to see the highlights of the city. Most tours operate on a “hop-on, hop-basis” allowing you to explore the attractions as you go. Popular operators include Edinburgh Bus Tours who have a sightseeing tour as well as a trip to see the three magnificent bridges on the Firth of Forth. 

If you want to explore the East Lothian beaches then Bus Number 124 between Edinburgh and North Berwick is operated by East Coast Buses and stops at places like Longniddry, Aberlady, Gullane and North Berwick where there are wonderful East Lothian beaches. Buses run every 30 minutes, 7 days a week. 

East Lothian by Train 

From nearby Musselburgh or Wallyford stations, regular Scot Rail trains connect you to: 

• North Berwick – a charming seaside town with golf courses, sandy beaches, independent shops, seafood cafes and the Scottish Seabird Centre from where you can take a boat to Bass Rock or the Isle of May to see the seabirds and marine wildlife of the Firth of Forth. The train journey between Wallyford and North Berwick takes about 20 minutes. 
• Dunbar – a historic harbour town, birthplace of John Muir, with cliff-top walks and a family-friendly beach
• Edinburgh – Scotland’s capital, just minutes away by rail. Edinburgh has 2 train stations – Edinburgh Waverley and Edinburgh Haymarket, a 20-minute walk. Edinburgh Waverley is close to the main Princes St thoroughfare and there are excellent onward bus connections. Please be aware which station your train is going into when making onward travel arrangements. The Edinburgh train from Wallyford stops at Edinburgh Waverley only. Trains depart approximately once an hour. 

East Lothian by Foot 

The coastal town of Dunbar was the birthplace of the famous John Muir, a Scottish-American naturalist and conservationalist, known as the Father of the National Parks in the US, widely known in being key in saving Yosemite National Park. He was passionate about the preservation of the Wilderness. In his honour a long-distance footpath, the John Muir Way, runs from his birthplace in the East, Dunbar to Helensburgh in the West and passes close to Drummohr Camping and Glamping Site. The walk can be tackled in three sections in East Lothian - Edinburgh to Prestonpans, Prestonpans to North Berwick and North Berwick to Dunbar.  A popular walk from Drummohr is along the coastal path into the town of Musselburgh. The John Muir Way can be explored either on foot or by bike. 

East Lothian by Bike 

There are numerous opportunities to explore East Lothian without a car and we would recommend bringing your bike. East Lothian is not too hilly, with quiet roads, making it a perfect destination for family-friendly cycling in Scotland. As well as the John Muir Way there are a variety of both on and off-road routes, including the Pencaitland Railway Path and Ormiston Gravel Tour. There are a number of national cycle routes in East Lothian including National Route 1 through the heart of Edinburgh along traffic-free paths and quiet roads. National Route 76 connects Edinburgh to Musselburgh and Haddington. National Route 196 is a beautiful East Lothian cycle ride and is mostly traffic-free along leafy railway paths and quiet roads between Haddington in East Lothian and Penicuik in Midlothian, with a wonderful diversion to the famous Roslyn Chapel.  Read more on Local Cycling Routes.

The Wallyford park and ride has 10 bike parking slots but we would always recommend storing your bike securely. Scot Rail welcomes bikes on its trains for free, but you may need to make a reservation on some services. Folding bicycles are allowed on Lothian Buses but only in their bag. Otherwise bikes are not allowed on the buses. 

Why Stay at Drummohr Without a Car? 

Choosing Drummohr Camping and Glamping site means you don’t need a car to enjoy the best of Edinburgh and East Lothian. We’re ideally located for: 

• Edinburgh day trips via Wallyford Park and Ride 
• Train journeys to coastal towns like North Berwick and Dunbar 
• Bus connections across East Lothian 
• On-foot exploration of Musselburgh and the local coastline 

Plus, with our range of luxury hot tub lodges, glamping pods, and camping pitches, you can enjoy a comfortable stay whatever your style of travel.