At that time it was called ‘Friggate Muir’ and didn’t take on its current name till 1740 when retired sailor George Hamilton built a cottage near the seafront which he named ‘Puerto Bello’ after the victorious battle of Panama in 1739.

One point to note for visitors that like a good walk is that Musselburgh Lagoons is part of the John Muir Way, the 134-mile long-distance walking route that runs from Helensburgh on the west coast to Dunbar on the east coast. Opinion: The beach can be approached through Direlton on the A198. Families can have a good time out here and so do kids as the beach is spacious enough for them to hop around. The view of Fidra across the Firth of Forth to Fife is awesome. The coastal area comprising of the forest, grassland and beach is indeed a mirth for walkers. The beach is comparatively clean with enough space to accommodate each of its visitors. Best on summer evenings. An interesting stretch of the beach is the Gullane Bents found close to the village main street. To the west the beach has a hookup with the Aberlady Reserve. The highest point in the park is Arthur’s Seat which is a long-extinct volcanic plug that offers stunning views across Edinburgh and the surrounding countryside. Popular areas to visit in the park include Salisbury Crags and Duddingston Loch.Wake up to the sound of the waves by wild camping on Gullane Beach. Avoid the wind by bagging a spot protected by the sloping sand dunes, but don’t go so far that you don’t wake up to gorgeous views of the Firth of Forth to the west.

It doesn't get better than Edinburgh for sights, food and culture, but this city often gets overlookedfor all of its coastal beauty. That's right: there are beautiful beaches right around the corner, so you can get all the ice-cream, fish ‘n’ chips and chilly ice-water dips you desire, while soaking up all that is great about the big city. The construction of elegant Georgian and Victorian villas along the coastline contributed to the area’s growing reputation as a fashionable place to visit, and before long it became one of Scotland’s premier Victorian holiday destinations featuring a Lido (a type of outdoor pool), one of the UK’s first Turkish baths, and a 2-mile promenade that’s as popular today as it was when it was originally built in 1866. As Edinburgh and the surrounding areas became more gentrified in the late 18th century, Friggate Muir changed its name to ‘Portobello’ and started to transform into a seaside resort for the wealthy residents of Edinburgh who sought a quiet retreat away from the bustling city. As already mentioned, Portobello becomes very crowded in the summer months so if you’re looking for a quiet place to relax in the sun you might prefer heading west a couple of miles to Musselburgh Beach instead.While working for the latter, Alex discovered a gin recipe in Leith. It had always been his plan to create a gin made to the recipe, and in 2010 Edinburgh Gin was launched. Inspired by its city’s gin-making heritage, Edinburgh Gin has been a huge player in the Scottish capital’s own gin renaissance.