Scotland is an American favourite for holidays due to its historical connection with the original settlers to the US. With its ancient and proud history it boasts some amazing scenery, beautiful wildlife and amazing coast lines. In each small town and village across this country you will find little gems that put in perspective how insignificant everyday troubles can be. For me finding something breath-taking is better than a ten hour sleep and copious amounts of caffeine for lifting my spirit and setting me up to tackle the world.

Some examples of these hidden gems that you just have to see From Edinburgh down the East Coast.

Forth Rail Bridge at Night

Edinburgh is a city with many splendid sites but concentrating on their coast line there is one working monument that sums up the industrialisation of this nation, the scale of this engineering feit that was first constructed in 1890 is something that has to be seen. The Forth Rail bridge is the crossing which connects Edinburgh and the East to the Kingdom of Fife and up to Aberdeen. This route has been vital for trade for centuries and this landmark was a great boost for this to expand quickly.

Gullane Beach

Moving down the coast into the small towns and villages which hug the coastline, settled due to the fishing industry we came across Gullane, which features one of the best and biggest beaches in Scotland. With sand that would not look out of place in more tropical climates this is a great place to walk for miles watching the ocean roar.

Outdoor pool in North Berwick

For a country that faces the North sea with a temperature that just sits above freezing for majority of the year it is amazing to see that outdoor pools exist. Although not used frequently anymore and often in a state of disrepair this shows you a glimpse into the type of holidays many generations had before the popularisation of the package holiday. If you’re feeling brave just dipping your toes in will show you how cold the sea is!

Bass Rock

Further down the coast this strange island appeared and with our zoom lenses you could see clearly there was a lighthouse on the rock. This is known as bass rock and due to the local fishing community serves a vital purpose. It is also home to a huge array of nesting seagulls, which give its painted white look.

The Bridge to Nowhere

There are many unfinished bridges across the world that have been left as works of art and this is a great example. When high tide it appears to float in the water and the imagination wonders thinking of what use this could be.

Dunbar Harbour

This working harbour is a glorious example of how food should be produced, straight from boat to local restaurant it is amazing to watch early in the morning as the boat goes out for its daily catch. The sound of the seagulls squawking overhead and diving into the water looking for any scraps from the boats is deafening. Dunbar is known locally as Sunny Dunny due to the amount of sunshine it enjoys thanks to its position on the coast with the winds from mainland Europe blowing the clouds past.

Coldingham bay

One of the most hidden gems on the East coast is Coldingham bay. Known locally for its tremendous surf the sheltered high sides to this bay provides you with a sun trap that is popular with holidaymakers who like to sunbathe. With only one entrance it gives a lovely feeling of peace and tranquillity.

Steven Hill