Can anyone recommend some good beaches near edinburgh?

Question

Visiting early July, I will be staying in edinburgh. Are there any good beaches (with a good amount of tourists, i dont want to be alone) ....a hot sunbathing crowd in the summers is what i'm looking for......

Answer 1

Portobello is pretty good and fairly busy. The best in the area, although you will need a car, is Yellow Craig nr Gullane.

Answer 2

North Berwick beach is lovely.  I've been going there all my life.  Its picturesque and so is the town.  Good amount of people go.  You've got the cornered off pool in the sea if you fancy a swim, and the best ice cream i have ever tasted at the stand next to it.

Answer 3

Aberdour Silver Sands on the Fife coast - just a short drive out of Edinburgh, is definitely one of the prettiest. My father used to drive the family out there when I was little, and I always remember how lovely it was. I'm sure you would like it too. :-)

Answer 4

Beaches

Edinburgh is surrounded by some of the most peaceful beaches in Scotland. And you don't have to travel far from the city before you can enjoy a fresh sea breeze!

Aberlady Bay

About 17 miles east of Edinburgh, and just past the Aberlady village, is one of the area's most interesting beaches. As well as being great for bird and wildlife watching (you can often glimpse deer at dawn and dusk), the beach has some hidden surprises. Half buried in the sand are two midget submarines, which were deliberately sunk here at the end of World War II.

Take in the views with an energising walk - the round trip takes about 90 minutes and is well worth the effort.

A word of warning: be aware of the tide - it comes in very fast here.

Gullane Bents

Popular with surfers, Gullane is just 20 miles from Edinburgh on the A198. It's also easy to reach by bus - a regular service runs to Gullane from Edinburgh - and the beach is just a short walk from the village.

The beautiful long beach is a great setting for a peaceful stroll. Edged by dunes, it offers superb views west to Edinburgh and you can enjoy spectacular sunsets.

The village of Gullane is also worth exploring and boasts an impressive range of pubs, shops and restaurants, making it a great place for a day out.

Yellowcraig

Named best UK beach for urbanites in search of the sea by Condé Nast Traveller (2007), this long sandy beach is popular with families and dog walkers. There's loads of room for the kids to run about, fly a kite or enjoy a game of football. If you prefer to take things at a more leisurely pace, you can take a gentle stroll along the sand, taking in the great views over the Firth of Forth to Fife and the island of Fidra.

Yellowcraig beach is east of Edinburgh, just before North Berwick on the A158.

Portobello

3 miles to the southeast of Leith lies Portobello, Edinburgh's town beach. Once a lively seaside resort, it still retains a faded charm - and on a hot summer's day, the beach can be a mass of swimmers, sunbathers, surfers and pleasure boats.

A walk along the promenade is pleasurable at any time of year.

Buses to Portobello from Princes Street.

Cramond

A small beach, close to Edinburgh and easily reached by car or bus, Cramond is a popular choice with Edinburgh residents who head here to walk and cycle on the beachside paths.

At low tide you can cross the causeway to Cramond Island and explore, but be careful as the changing tides come in fast and there have been cases of people getting stranded on the island overnight!

♣

Answer 5

portobello is edinburghs beach area,large prom,sands are a lot cleaner now,i doubt you will find a hot crowd though,burntisland beach is ok,but its chav city in summer,all the chavs come for a **** up and the kids run riot on beach,while parents play bingo at the fair or go to the (rubbish)pubs,aberlady and gullane are nice but more golf oriantated,but very scenic

Answer 6

Edinburgh's beach is Portobello 3 miles or so/1 bus from city centre (such as very regular 26), when its is hot and sunny you will have plenty of company, anything less and it will be pretty deserted. Sometimes it can be nice and sunny in the City centre and a cold wind at the coast - if its nice somewhere high such as the Castle Esplanade then you should be ok to travel out.

Portobello is ok, but not especially nice - staying on the 26 for 20 minutes would take you out to Seton Sands which is a much nicer beach. Its next to a holiday camp, so you would share the beach with holiday folk rather than locals who may share your sunbathing objectives better and be in greater numbers than at Portobello when its anything less than 'scorching'.

Aberdour's Silver Sand's is the most famous beach in the whole area probably, but its 40 minutes on the train then a fifteen minute walk away. Its nice as part of a day out and for those that live on that side, but probably doesn't justify the extra travel time for the beach alone. Same goes for a number of east Lothian beaches further East than Seton Sands.