Musselburgh

Understand

The Romans were fond of mussels, as good a reason as any to camp here circa 80 AD. They built a bridge over the River Esk that (now in its third incarnation) still stands: the town's High Street was aligned with it but the New Bridge opened in 1806 to carry the Great North Road (the later A1), and the town developed a second spine. In the mid-1980s the A1 was diverted onto a bypass to the south. To the west, Musselburgh adjoins the Edinburgh suburbs of Portobello and Joppa. To the south was the coal-mining district of Newcraighall, now redeveloped, where Inveresk has somehow survived as a charming 17th / 18th century village. The main reason to visit Musselburgh is to go to the races.

Getting there

For long-distance routes by air, rail or bus, see Edinburgh. From the airport take Skylink Bus 400 to Fort Kinnaird, then local buses for the last 3 miles into town.

By bus For long-distance coaches change in Edinburgh: these fly past on the A1 and don't call at Musselburgh. Lothian Buses 15, 26, 30 and 44 run to Musselburgh from Edinburgh. East Coast Buses X5, 124 & X24 run from Edinburgh Fountainbridge along Princes St (close to but not into the bus station) then via Musselburgh along the coast road to North Berwick. They run daily every 30-60 min. East Coast Bus 104 runs every 30 min from Edinburgh West End and Princes St via Musselburgh, Wallyford and Tranent to Haddington. East Coast Bus 106 starts from Fort Kinnaird then follows the same route from Musselburgh to Haddington; change at Haddington for buses to Dunbar and Berwick-upon-Tweed. East Coast Bus 113 runs from Edinburgh West End via Brunstane to Musselburgh then via Wallyford, Tranent and Ormiston to Pencaitland. Night bus N26 runs hourly midnight-4AM from Edinburgh to Joppa, Musselburgh, Prestonpans and Seton Sands. At weekends night buses also run from city centre via Musselburgh to Dunbar (N106) and North Berwick (N124). East Coast Bus 140 runs from Penicuik via Roslin (for Rosslyn Chapel), Loanhead and Dalkeith.

By train 1 Musselburgh railway station has trains hourly from Edinburgh Waverley (6 min), which continue to Wallyford (for racecourse), Prestonpans, Longniddry, Drem and North Berwick. Trains from Dunbar also stop here every couple of hours, but most trains whirl straight through - coming from Newcastle and the south you go into Edinburgh and change. The station is half a mile south of town centre. It has ticket machines but no staffed office, and no toilets. There are ramps to both platforms. 2 Newcraighall has trains along the Borders Railway every 30 min from Edinburgh via Brunstane to Newtongrange (for the Mining Museum), Galashiels (for buses to Melrose, Jedburgh, Selkirk,

Getting around

The main town and racecourse are all walkable. Buses between High Street and the railway station are Lothian Bus 30 and East Coast Bus 106. Taxi firms in town are Toun Taxis (+44 131 665-0077), Mac Travel (+44 7484 879684) and Dash Taxis (+44 131 665-1000).

See

1 Fisherrow is the 17th century fishing harbour, now used by leisure craft. Town centre retains its old street pattern but is mostly modern. Musselburgh Museum, 65 High Street H21 7BZ (next to Old Town Hall), ☏ +44 131 665-6642. Apr-Oct Th-Sa 11:00-15:00. Small museum of local history. Free. (updated Jan 2023) 2 Roman Bridge was built around 80 AD and thereby defined the historic route towards Edinburgh. It was rebuilt in the 13th century and again in 1597, the version you see today. In 1806 the New Bridge was built downstream and re-aligned the route. 3 Newhailes House, Newhailes EH21 6RY (A mile west on A6095), ☏ +44 131 653-5599. Feb Mar: W-Su noon-4PM, Apr-Oct: daily 10AM-4PM. Palladian mansion house little changed since the 18th century, visit by pre-booked guided tour. The tranquil wooded grounds are free and open all year. Adult £12, conc £10, child £6, NTS / NT free. (updated Jan 2023) 4 The Lagoons are reclaimed land just north of the racecourse. Lots of resident and migratory birds here, and concrete observation hides. 5 Inveresk Lodge Garden, 24 Inveresk Village EH21 7TE (A mile south of Musselburgh), ☏ +44 131 665-1546. Daily 10AM-5PM. A garden on a domestic scale, open all year. The garden was designed in 1851 and restored by the National Trust for Scotland in 1959. No dogs. The adjacent Inveresk House (not open to the public) dates from the 17th century. Adult £3.50, NTS / NT free. (updated May 2026) 6 Battle of Pinkie of 1547 is commemorated by a stone plaque at the south edge of town. In "the Rough Wooing", Henry VIII tried to force Scotland into alliance with England, and to forego links with France. It was yet another calamitous defeat for Scotland, but the English failed to capitalise, the child Mary Queen of Scots was spirited away to marry the future king of France, and the realms remained separate until the 1603 Union of the Crowns.

Do

The Brunton on Ladywell Way was a popular two-auditorium theatre. It closed in 2025 when the concrete structure was found to be unsafe and beyond economic repair. So a new theatre is wanted but there's no word on timetable; while waiting the theatre performs at Northesk Parish Church and Loretto School Theatre in Musselburgh and in Haddington. 1 Musselburgh Racecourse, Linkfield Road EH21 7RE, ☏ +44 131 665 2859. This has flat-racing Apr-Oct and jumps races Nov-March. (updated Jan 2023) Musselburgh Old Links, 10 Balcarres Road EH21 5SD, ☏ +44 131 665 6981. Oct-Mar 8AM-4PM, Apr-Sep 8AM-dusk. Located in the middle of the racecourse, this 9-hole links golf course is among the oldest continuously played courses in the world, dating back to 1672. Par 34. Players need to work around race fixtures. (updated Jan 2023) 2 Royal Musselburgh Golf Club, Prestongrange House EH32 9RP (on B1361 towards Prestonpans), ☏ +44 1875 819000. A picturesque parkland course, 6254 yards, par 70. Round midweek £70, weekend £85. (updated Jan 2023) 3 Musselburgh Golf Club, Monktonhall Terrace EH21 6AX (B6415 towards Old Craighall), ☏ +44 131 665 2005. This parkland course has been used for Open qualifying rounds. Yellow tees 6241 yards, par 69. Round midweek £100, weekend £150. (updated Jan 2023) Rugby: Musselburgh RFC play rugby union in League Division One, the amateur second tier in Scotland. Their home ground is Stoneyhill west bank of the river. Soccer: Musselburgh Athletic play in Lowland League East, the fifth tier, at Olivebank Stadium. John Muir Way is a long-distance hiking trail, east along the coast to North Berwick and Dunbar, and west to Edinburgh, Falkirk, Glasgow and Helensburgh. Lammermuir Festival is classical music in Musselburgh and other venues across East Lothian. It's next held 9-20 Sep 2026.

Buy

Aldi west side of town centre is open M-Sa 8AM-10PM, Su 9AM-8PM. The big local shopping centre is Fort Kinnaird, 3 miles west along Newhailes Road.

Eat

Mussels served here may be Scottish but won't be local: the burgh's mussel beds were lost by the 20th century to over-harvesting and pollution. For centuries they had provided food, marl for fertilis