Family days out near me: Yellowcraig, East Lothian - Retrace the footsteps of Long John Silver to discover a hidden treasure

Fidra Island in the Firth of Forth is said to have been the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson’s swashbuckling novel, Treasure Island.Why not head to the coast of East Lothian and create your own stories of buccaneers and buried gold?

Name: Yellowcraig

Description: A natural cove and beautiful sandy beach, overlooking Fidra and set against a backdrop of dune grassland and coastal woodland. The area is managed by East Lothian Council’s countryside ranger service and there’s a large children's play area hidden among the trees.

Location: Dirleton, East Lothian.From Edinburgh, leave the A198 at the first turning signposted to Dirleton. Head through the village and take the left turn signposted to Yellowcraig. The car park is at the end of this road.East Coast Buses operate service 124/X24 from Edinburgh to North Berwick, stopping at Dirleton. The nearest train station is at North Berwick, from where buses can be taken to Dirleton, as above.

The coastline at Yellowcraig is a beautiful combination of rocky shore – with pools teeming with life – and open sand where people can relax in the sun or play on the beach

Suitable for: The beach is an easy five-minute walk from the car park, accessible to anyone with reasonable mobility. A wheelchair-accessible path and ramp has been provided to allow wheelchair users to enjoy coastal views

Entry costs:

Access is free, but parking charges apply.

Opening hours: While the coastal area can be accessed around the clock, the showers and toilets are open from 9am to 8pm during the summer (closing earlier in the winter) The car park doesn’t close but overnight parking is not permitted.

The natural cove provides views to Fidra Island and the Bass Rock

What they say: “The coastline at Yellowcraig is a beautiful combination of rocky shore – with pools teeming with life – and open sand where people can relax in the sun or play on the beach.“Wildlife abounds in both, though you need a keen eye, and a quiet day to see all of the animals that live here.“The Firth of Forth is internationally important due to the abundance of the seabirds that occur there, so it is little wonder that many can be seen from Yellowcraig, particularly if you have binoculars.

What visitors say: “Brilliant place to spend time. Great view of the Firth and islands. Great for chilling on the beach and fantastic rock pools.”“We have been to many beaches around the world but Yellowcraig is our favourite. Calm and tranquil, with long, uncrowded sands and stunning views.”“Fab kids play park in the woods before the beach.”

Look out for: Before going into rock pools check the tide. The water can creep up with alarming speed if you’re not paying attention.Rocks can also be slippery, so take care.

Parking: There’s a charge per vehicle of £2.50 a day and you can use your ticket to visit any of East Lothian’s coastal car parks throughout the day.Tickets can either be purchased from the on-site ‘pay and display’ machines or with cashless payments using RingGo .

Facilities: The site has its own toilets and showers near the a car park and two picnic benches, one with wheelchair access.

Website: www.eastlothian.gov.uk/info/210569/countryside_and_wildlife/12080/countryside_sites/4