Wonderful old place now managed by Historic Scotland. Easliy reached from Edinburgh, the old church…read moreis set back off the A198 road to Gullane and has only the one indicator sign to say it is there, but park in the small car park and stroll through the woodland to the entrance and you are met with a beautiful view of the building set in grassy lawns with old trees and a burn running through the grounds. Dating from the 15th Century, the place is no longer used as a place of worship but the atmosphere is very peaceful and the whole place is a tranquil escape. Interesting stonework to see, and the acoustics are stunning - great for a recital venue or wedding! - plus the wardens on site are a wealth of info about the church and the history. Site is open April to October. Highly recommend for a visit.

There are not many ruins or castles left for which you do not need to pay any entry fee. Having…read moresaid this, Hailes castle was the first castle I encountered that is part of some sort of Trust called Historic Scotland and for which I did not have to pay any entry fee at all! Good start :-) Whilst driving along some country roads the other day, I saw a sign post near North Berwick, indicating a way to Hailes Castle. So I could not resist to drive back and check out this place. I made my way and followed my guide that is called "Sat Nav". After having left behind some suitable country roads and being asked to follow down a one way road with hardly any space to maneuver in case another car came the opposite way, I felt a bit too much exposed to the wilderness :-). Not sure what I would have done if there would have been a car approaching from the other side?!? Finally my Navigation system said that I had reached the destination, but all I could see was a bit of space for two cards to park on the side of the road. Thought the Sat Nav fooled me! Fortunately, I was not lost and after some looking around, I found the entrance to the castle grounds. No entrance fee! Whoop. Firstly a tablet tells you a bit about the history. The original tower was founded by a Northumbrian Gourlay family in the 13th century and was taken over by the Hepburn family in the 1400's. I believe Mary Stuart also stayed there once. Henry "Hotspur" tried to besiege this castle, but failed. Nowadays it's only a ruin, but if you have imagination you can appreciate its idyllic setting and past purpose. The castle is not a large one compared to other castles nearby, however, it has something special : untouched from the modern world! I walked around the ruins and even explored (from the top) a dungeon, which looked a bit scary from the outside. Am I glad we have hygiene in prisons today :-) A tor opened up to the back of the castle and it was soooo romantic. Nobody there either. Thinking back, some solitude could be a frighting thought, but because the scenery was so nice, it was easy to relax sitting down in the grass and watch the world go by - including the white swan that made its way down the banks of the river Tyne. Another reviewer mentioned a wedding party. Oh yes, I can definitely imagine that too. This place offers the perfect setting for an outdoor wedding. The only drawback is that there would not be enough parking spaces! I noticed that there were a few walkers passing by. So maybe an idea to plan a day of hiking and walking.

I'm in! I'm in! Hailes Castle, in kid-speak, is COOL. Its' partial remains still holds 2 pit…read moreprisons, and overlooks the river Tyne, where you can play spot the fish. On a summers day, it's clear that it made a perfect picnic spot for a few families, and later in the day, a wedding party as well. I could think of few spots that would be less picturesque to hold nuptials in. It is still free, and still in a stunning location - but beware - there are few passing places, so if you get stuck with a wedding car going the other way, one of you will have to switch to reverse.