Walkers, Backpackers & Hikers Welcome

Dog friendly camping and glamping site Scotland, on Edinburgh's doorstep, accessible by public transport

East Lothian, known as Edinburgh's Coast and Countryside, offers a great variety of landscapes for walking, both long-distance and more local day hikes. 

• Lammermuir Hills 20 miles to the south;
• Pentland Hills 12 miles to the West;
• 41 miles of stunning East Lothian coastline of sandy beaches, rocky shorelines and cliffs;
• Expanses of arable farmland and rural countryside in between, 

Guests to our camp site near Edinburgh at Drummohr will never be short of something to choose from on their East Lothian walking holiday. Whether you’re planning to come to East Lothian on a short-stay walking holiday, an organised rambling trip, want Edinburgh camping or a John Muir Way campsite or simply plan to explore some of the beautiful countryside during your weekend or mid-week stay glamping or camping, Drummohr Camping and Glamping Site is an ideal base for a walker-friendly stay in Scotland. 

Drummohr - Walker-friendly campsite all year round

Our walker-friendly campsite near Edinburgh offers a range of accommodation and amenities to help make your walking holiday more comfortable whatever the season or weather. 

• Somewhere warm and dry to hang wet clothing
• Place for your muddy boots
• Details of local East Lothian walking routes
• Information on public transport to and from start/finish points along your chosen routes
• Laundry on-site
• Local Musselburgh takeaways deliver to the Drummohr campsite if you are too tired to cook
• Backpacker/cyclist pitches available
• Glamping pods for single travellers with a real bed, warmth and electric (our Octo Single glamping pods) so you can enjoy a walking holiday to East Lothian at any time of year without needing to bring your tent
• Easily accessible from the John Muir Way, the long-distance footpath that runs the length of the East Lothian coastline 

Pet-friendly campsite and East Lothian walking near Edinburgh

• Up to two well-behaved dogs on our touring and tent pitches
• Scottish holiday lodges and family glamping bothies allow up to one well behaved dog
• Best dog walks Edinburgh

We are therefore an ideal choice if you want to go walking with your dog in Musselburgh or are looking for a walker-friendly campsite near Edinburgh.

Local Walking Routes

There are so many dog-friendly walks direct from the Drummohr campsite entrance through Edinburgh's coast and countryside.

• Explore Portobello and Newhailes Estate - There are a variety of dog friendly woodland walks along the River Forth and around the Estate grounds visiting the Shell House, Tea Garden and Ladies Walk. There is also a beautiful walled flower garden and an apiary. The estate is a haven for birds and wildlife. Newhailes estate is also home to the Weehailes Adventure Playpark and Stables Café if you need a refreshment after your walk. Various events are held at the estate during the year including the popular Doghailes at the end of July and Carhailes at the end of August. Find out more about this walk here.
• Explore Roslin Glen Country Park - The most famous building in the Roslin Glen Country Park is the magnificent Rosslyn Chapel, founded in 1446, made famous by Dan Brown’s novel Da Vinci Code. It is well worth ensuring that you have ample time whilst exploring the park to visit the gorgeous chapel and visitor centre (entrance fee payable). Roslin Castle is also worth a visit from the country park as well. Roslin Glen Country Park was once home to Scotland’s largest gunpowder mill and is now a beautiful place to enjoy the great outdoors. Suggested walks can be found here. It is a 20-minute drive from Drummohr to Rosslyn Chapel. Alternatively guests could cycle along the Penicuick to Musselburgh Cycle-Walkway, a dis-used railway track.  There is a tearoom at Rosslyn Chapel as well as additional parking otherwise you are advised to bring your own refreshments. 
• Discover Pentland Hills - This 4-mile (6.3km) route up Allermuir Hill starts from the road up to the Snowsports centre. There are fabulous views across to Edinburgh City and Arthurs Seat. There is a helpful trigonometry stone at the 493m summit showing you what you can see and you may even spot some Highland cattle on the walk. 
• From the small car park follow signs for ‘Capital View’ until you reach some steps. At the steps, turn left and take a steep uphill path going diagonally across the slope until you reach a bench and viewpoint. Continue uphill until you reach a cairn for Caerketton Hill. You’ll go downhill before your final ascent up to the trig point for Allermuir Hill. 
• The return route takes you along a burn into Swanston village which has a number of thatched properties. The Steading Pub is a good place to stop for a drink and a bite to eat and has a large beer garden. Dogs are also welcome in the public bar. There is also the Swanston Farm Brasserie.
• Explore the woods and industrial heritage of the Preston Grange Mining Museum located opposite the campsite entrance and free to enter
• Head 5 minutes down the road left from the campsite entrance to the shores of the Firth of Forth to walk along the John Muir Way, 2 miles West past Musselburgh Links or 1.5 miles East to visit the Murals Trail or Happy Trails at Prestonpans. 
• Walk around Levenhall Links, 5 minutes from the site entrance, perfect for an evening stroll, especially on a gorgeous summer evening as the sun is setting over the sea. The lagoons (which were built in the early 1960s) are a great spot for birdwatching. There’s even a bird hide on the reserve if you fancy settling in for an evening of spotting the local wildlife.
• The River Esk Walkway from Musselburgh is a lovely stroll although dogs must be kept on a lead. The Plaque Trail points you to find various plaques along the route depicting local characters or historical events. 
• The Pencaitland Railway Walk is a shared cycling and walking trail and offers a longer route (13 miles out and back) from Musselburgh.

CLICK HERE for some suggested walking routes in the Levenhall and Monktonhall areas or HERE for suggested Musselburgh walks including Levenhall Links and the Musselburgh harbour area. 

If you like walking along the coastline the 2.5 mile walk from Musselburgh beach to Portobello beach should not be missed.

4-star accommodation on the John Muir Way

The John Muir Way is a long-distance walking and cycling route which stretches 134 miles or 215km across Scotland's heartland, running between Dunbar and Helensburgh in the west.  The John Muir Way route is named in honour of the conservationist and founder of America's National Parks, who was born in Dunbar in East Lothian in 1838. Magnificent views of East Lothian can be viewed on this route including much of the coastline and a chance to see the natural history and historic sites of this unique landscape.  It links with many other paths, so small sections can be tackled on their own or as part of a circular route. The John Muir Way passes within a few hundred yards of Drummohr Camping and Glamping Site, making us an ideal John Muir Way campsite, the perfect place for an overnight stop for those walkers, hikers and cyclists tackling this trail. CLICK HERE to view the route map an find out more about the places and attractions along the way.

Dunbar to East Linton

The Dunbar to East Lothian route will take you roughly 3 hours to complete and follows the waymarked John Muir Way walking route. The majority is along footpaths on a mixture of surfaces, including some loose and sandy sections. While there is not much elevation change along the path, it does include the clifftop walk leaving Dunbar, which has many steps.

Download a PDF map and plan your trip here.

Best East Lothian Walks 

Our favourite walks in East Lothian from our walkers’ campsite Edinburgh include

• Gullane Bents loop from Aberlady, round 8-miles taking in sandy beaches, golf courses and a nature reserve. 
• Climb the North Berwick Law – the views on a clear day out to sea and Bass Rock are stunning although try not to climb it on a windy day! 

We are spoilt for choice between Edinburgh's coast and countryside, with 40 miles of stunning coastline and 20 gorgeous sandy beaches from Portobello in the West to Whitesands Bay in the East. There are fabulous walks both from and along all of these amazing East Lothian beaches. The Lammermuir Hills form a natural boundary between East Lothian and the Scottish Borders and there are a large number of paths to explore, taking you past a number of fortified buildings. 

The East Lothian Countryside Volunteers website contains a healthy guide to walks and footpaths in East Lothian and some of the best dog walks East Lothian.