Walk: An honest amble about Musselburgh

📌 Musselburgh, East Lothian
★★

For anyone with time to spare around the so-called Honest Town of Musselburgh, this part-urban, part-rural walk is an excellent way to fill it. Our 7 mile circuit takes in many of the town’s highlights – the beach, riverside and Main Street – with Newhailes and Inveresk Lodge Garden just a few minutes off route. If there’s a downside, it has to be the monotonous stretches surrounding Queen Margaret University, with the attractive campus pond providing a welcome break.

📷 Chronological photo guide

🌍 Location

📌 Start / finish at Fisherrow Harbour, New Street, Fisherrow, 0.5 mi west of Musselburgh town centre

🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NT 334729

🛰️ GPS coordinates: 55.944875,-3.067346

🚌 Edinburgh Road (A199) | 🚆 Musselburgh (1 mi) | 🚗 Car park

📝 Key info

▶ 12 km / 7 mi | ▲ 50 m | ⌛ 2.5-3 hr

Features: 🏖️ Fisherrow Sands ★★ & harbour; 🏠 Musselburgh ★; 💧 River Esk; 🎓 Queen Margaret University; 💧 Brunstane Burn

⬤ Easy | Level paths, mostly tarmac, with sandy beach to finish.

➡️ Clockwise circuit: start & Fisherrow Sands – mouth of River Esk – Musselburgh – River Esk east bank until footbridge after railway line – Queen Margaret University – Newcraighall – Brunstane Burn – start

Download file for GPS

🥾 On our last visit

Wildlife: Varied riverside, woodland and coastal birds; small fish in the River Esk.

Weather: Sunny but with a cool onshore breeze, temperature in high teens.

May 2020