East Lothian, previously known as Haddingtonshire, has both benefitted and suffered from its strategic location between Scotland's capital city and England's northernmost county. Prior to 1707, the region bore the brunt of battles between the two countries, not only on land but along 32 miles of coastline. The rich, fertile soils, on the other hand, have produced wealth through agriculture and the patchwork of large, neat fields are synonymous with the landscape of East Lothian today. The proximity to Edinburgh makes it a prime location from which to commute. Attractive pantiled properties abound throughout the villages and countryside, all within short distances of the clean beaches or links golf courses, while tranquillity can also be found in the woodlands or gentle moorland slopes of the Lammermuir Hills. The reminders of troubled times can be viewed today by a stroll around a castle, but twenty-first-century East Lothian is thriving.
