The visitor to Edinburgh can very easily spend all their time within the city itself, there is so much to see. But do try to find time to look around the nearby countryside which also has many spectacular views.

Steeped in history the Lothians has many castles and historical sites and the eastern part is well known for its golf courses - Mary Queen of Scots played at nearby Musselburgh.

The Edinburgh and Lothians Tourist Board publish many helpful leaflets including some about "car touring trails". These give a suggested itinerary and the historical sites on a reasonable short drive of up to 40 miles from Edinburgh.

My wife and I chose to follow the East Lothian trails to North Berwick via the coastal road along the Firth of Forth through the small towns of Musselburgh, Prestonpans, Cockenzie and the golfer's paradise of Gullane, (there are some 11 courses in this area ) to the ancient burgh of North Berwick. From here we chose to go off one suggested route to another to see places of interest to us.

Prestonpans got its name from the salt pans there dating from the 12th century, but its monopoly on salt was ended by the Act of Union in 1707 which allowed salt to be brought in from England. It was the location of a great victory for Bonnie Prince Charlie in 1745 when the army of Sir John Cope was routed in minutes.

In Port Seton can be found the 15th century Collegiate Church and Aberlady has some pretty cottages with a motor museum nearby at Myreton. The Gullane area includes Muirfield golf course which will host The Open championship in 2002.

Elsewhere off the coastal road are the 12th century Dirleton Castle and gardens. Behind the town of North Berwick stands the 600 foot North Berwick Law, a conical hill on top of which are excellent views as well as a ruined watchtower and an arch formed from the jawbones of a whale. From North Berwick the road can take you to Tantallon Castle, the home of the Douglas family until 1699 and the Bass Rock, famous as a Covenanter prison.

Tantallon castle was the home of the Douglas family probably built by William, the first Earl Douglas, and it remained the family's stronghold until 1699. It was from here that the Douglas' exercised enormous power and influence and indulged in their intrigues with English kings. Their coat of arms bears the emblem of a heart, symbolizing the heart of Robert the Bruce which Sir James Douglas was to take to the Holy Land to fulfil the Bruce's dying wish. The intrigues with the English meant that Tantallon was itself subjected to attack by Scotsmen themselves, although it surrendered to General Monk in 1651 after a 12-day siege and bombardment.

The castle was built in the 1300s on a natural promonotory jutting into the sea, which has three sides dropping sheer to the shore. The fourth side is protected by two dry ditches cutting across from cliff to cliff , and a a narrow drawbridge for access to the castle itself.

The walls of the castle with its towers and gatehouse are 12 foot thick and the outer gate has a gun platform dating from the 1500s (when guns took place of bows and arrows). In its day, the castle must have been an impressive sight with five floors in the West Tower, lean-to buildings against the curtain wall and a hall block, a bakery and a brewhouse.