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Gullane

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Coastal cycling beyond the course

While Gullane is famed for its championship golf links, the quiet coastal road that snakes between the cliffs and the Firth of Forth offers a different kind of low‑impact sport. The two‑kilometre stretch from Gullane to the neighbouring hamlet of Dirleton is almost entirely traffic‑free, flanked by seabirds and occasional sight‑lines to historic tower houses. Cyclists who favour a leisurely pace can stop at the ruins of the 12th‑century St Andrew’s churchyard, where the wind carries the scent of salt and the distant rumble of surf. Unlike the well‑trodden promenade, this route is rarely congested, even in summer, making it ideal for a morning ride that combines coastal scenery with a touch of medieval ambience.

A taste of East Lothian’s maritime heritage

Gullane’s harbour, though modest, reflects a centuries‑old relationship with the sea that extends beyond the modern tide‑bays of leisure craft. The old fish market, now repurposed as a community space, still displays the wooden ladders and net‑racks used by local fishermen. Visiting in early autumn, when the catch of the day includes herring and cod, gives you a chance to watch seasoned crews unload their boatloads, a ritual largely invisible to tourists focused on the golf. Pair the fresh catch with a locally brewed ale at the nearby inn, and you’ll experience a culinary tradition that predates the village’s reputation as a sporting resort, linking you directly to the working‑class rhythms of the Firth of Forth.

When the sand storms speak

The abandonment of Gullane’s medieval church after a series of sandstorms hints at a subtle environmental dynamic that still shapes the landscape. Seasonal winds from the North Sea can raise fine dunes that creep inland, a phenomenon observable during the late spring months when the dunes near Gullane’s western fringe shift noticeably. A short walk across the undulating sandbanks, guided by the occasional ear‑to‑ground listening post for gull calls, reveals how the terrain silently re‑creates the conditions that once forced a congregation to seek higher ground. Observing this natural process offers a perspective on how the community has historically adapted its architecture and settlement pattern to the ever‑present, though often invisible, force of coastal sand.

Introduction

Village in East Lothian, Scotland For the defunct British company, see Gullane Entertainment. This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.Find sources: "Gullane" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (October 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Human settlement in ScotlandGullaneScottish Gaelic: GualainnGullane Village, looking along the A198GullaneLocation within East LothianPopulation2,810 (2020)OS grid referenceNT486830Civil parishDirletonCouncil areaEast LothianLieutenancy areaEast LothianCountryScotlandSovereign stateUnited KingdomPost townGullanePostcode districtEH31Dialling code01620PoliceScotlandFireScottishAmbulanceScottish UK ParliamentEast LothianScottish ParliamentEast Lothian List of places UK Scotland 56°02′13″N 2°49′37″W / 56.037°N 2.827°W / 56.037; -2.827 Gullane church window Gullane (/ˈɡʌlən/ GUL-ən or /ˈɡɪlən/ GHIL-ən) is a town on the southern shore of the Firth of Forth in East Lothian on the east coast of Scotland. There has been a church in the village since the ninth century. The ruins of the Old Church of St. Andrew built in the twelfth century can still be seen at the western entrance to the village; the church was abandoned after a series of sandstorms made it unusable, and Dirleton Parish Church took its place. Gullane Beach Gullane Bents, the village's award-winning beach, is backed by large sand dunes that in recent years have become rather overgrown by invasive shrubs like sea-buckthorn. Gullane is part of the John Muir Way, a long-distance footpath along the coast between Musselburgh and Dunglass. The local population includes a higher than average percentage of elderly people, but also attracts young families and commuters for Edinburgh. Urbanisation has led to some recent housing developments being approved on greenbelt land around the village, and Gullane is gaining popularity as a commuter village for nearby Edinburgh (22 miles or 35 kilometres away), despite the poor transport to the village. Amenities include the village hall and a variety of shops. There is a primary school, and local children attend secondary school (5 mi or 8 km) away in North Berwick.

Toponymy

[edit] The etymology of Gullane is uncertain. It may come from Scottish Gaelic word Gualainn or A' Ghualainn. However, this could be unlikely, as East Lothian and surrounding regions were mostly outside of the Gaelic sphere of influence, even at the language's peak in the country around the 11th century. The region mostly spoke Old English, Middle English, or Early Scots, depending on the timeframe. The village used to be known as Golyn. So the name could come from a Brythonic language (likely Cumbric) word lyn or linn (cognate with the Welsh word lyn/llyn, meaning lake.) This name may have come from a now drained piece of water that sat at or near the old parish church of St Andrews. The name Golyn may also come from the Middle English work gōl (meaning boundary or limit.) This could be because Golyn parish (the kirk being moved from Gullane to Dirleton in 1632 by an act of the Scottish Parliament) was one of the most northern parishes of Anglo-Saxon influence in Britain in early medieval times, as anything north of the Firth of Forth would have been under the control of the Picts or Gaels. It is unknown if the area was named Golyn before or after the Scottish annexation. The church that served the parish was built around 1170, after East Lothian had been annexed by the Kingdom of Scotland. But the people of the time may have still viewed themselves as being Anglo-Saxons, or English, rather than Scottish.

Buildings of interest

[edit] Greywalls Hotel was built in 1901 to a design by Sir Edwin Lutyens; the gardens were designed by Gertrude Jekyll. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service formerly had their training school based at Gullane (which was relocated to new buildings in Cambuslang in 2013). A roofless ruin, St Andrew’s Church or Kirk stands at the west end of the village, just north of Main Street/Rosebury Place. The ruin consists of a nave and chancel, with a late mediaeval chapel projecting to the north of the nave. Most of the walls stand to eaves height, but the west end is lost. Due to blocking of the chancel arch and later cross walls at the west end, the full extent of the church cannot be appreciated. The most notable architectural feature remaining is the Romanesque/Norman chancel arch, but only the outer band of chevron moulding can be seen from the nave due to the later blocking. The blocked Chancel Arch from the Nave, only the outer Chevron banding being visible. The earliest stone church seems to date to 1150–1200, most likely built by the de Vaux family, but with a number of later changes. The church was abandoned after 1612 when Lord Erskine of Dirleton successfully petitioned to build a new church in Dirleton. He claimed this was in part due to sand dunes engulfing the structure, ‘continewallie overblawin with sand’, although the likelihood of this has been questioned. In 1827, the Yule family took over the chancel as a private family burial ground, blocking the chancel arch in the process and possibly extending the chancel at that date. In 2010, a full record of the church remains was made, followed by consolidation works. Gullane War Memorial was erected in 1914, reflecting both the immediate loss of life to the community, but also the emotional impact. Although not unique in having such an early memorial it is nonetheless unusual. Names were added as the war continued. The monument was designed by Sir Robert Lorimer.

Golf

[edit] Gullane is the home of Muirfield which has hosted The Open Championship on numerous occasions, most recently in 2013. In addition to Muirfield, Gullane is the site of several other golf courses in the village and surrounding area. At the Gullane Golf Club, three eighteen-hole links courses straddle a large grassed-over volcanic plug, of which a composite course hosted both the Scottish Open and Ladies Scottish Open in 2018. Aberlady Bay and Pentland Hills over the golf coursesFrom the top of the hill on each course there is a fine view over Aberlady and Aberlady Bay towards Edinburgh and the Forth Bridge as well as the coast of Fife and the Lomond Hills. Internationally acclaimed artist Frank W Wood painted a view of Gullane in 1933. Abutting Gullane Number 3 course is the Luffness Golf Club course and a Children's Course.