Cozy Comfort at Traprain Cottage B&B

Update: Traprain Cottage B&B is permanently closed.

East Lothian is a coastal place with loads of beaches, golf courses, and cliffs curling round the headlands of North Berwick on their way south toward Dunbar and the nearby English border. The interior of the region is largely given over to farm fields and the royal burgh of Haddington, East Lothian’s cultural center.

And another iconic landmark: Traprain Law.

My interest in the Law extends back to its Dark Ages history, and it, along with Tantallon Castle, became the driving force for my visit to East Lothian. When I found Traprain Cottage B&B standing in pastoral fields shadowed by the Law, I knew I had found my accommodation.

The drive up to East Lothian from the Scottish Borders is an easy one through the wild Lammermuir Hills, though it is a surprisingly empty and austere landscape. The roads are narrow and the signage more akin to personal reminders to the farmers driving their tractors between the rapeseed fields. I exited the A1 near East Linton and then followed the looming mass of Traprain Law to my destination.

Traprain Cottage B&B is the home of Kirstie and Jim Shearer, and a whole wing of the cottage is reserved for guests. If you’re wondering about what type of accommodation to choose on your trip to Scotland, I always recommend B&Bs. The warm welcome and coziness of B&Bs provides you with a sense for the Scottish people and what it might be like to live in the region you’re staying in, and it’s always nice to not feel like a tourist, to feel like you’re among friends.

That is exactly how I felt when Kirstie greeted me. We crunched over the gravel path into the house where she prepared tea and delicious scones. We chatted about East Lothian and my travels, and as she heard of my interests she would retrieve books and maps that might be worth my perusal. She even led me across the street to a copse of trees where there was a curious standing stone believed to be King Loth’s burial stone (for whom the Lothians are named)

Guests staying at Traprain Cottage B&B have their own sitting room. It’s a bright place loaded with books and comfy furniture and perfect for relaxing in after a day out exploring castles, hiking, and drinking cider. I found it an excellent place to decompress and do some work while on the road. Looking out the windows to see Traprain Law was pure fuel for the imagination.

I’ve grown to appreciate the little details that the owners of accommodations sprinkle around their abodes. Traprain Cottage B&B was no exception. Beautiful artifacts evocative of the region decorated walls, bookshelves, and mantelpieces around the house.

My bedroom was upstairs, at the apex of the house, and the skylights brightened the space considerably while providing views out to the Law. I did manage to bang my head a half dozen times, but I think that’s more a matter of my carelessness than design. The room was snug and cozy and very private given I was the only guest. Another room with twin beds stood opposite my room at the top of the stairs, and I had to walk through it to get to the shared bathroom, which was clean, tidy, and fitted with another of the glorious skylights.

In the morning I had the delight of eating Kirstie’s Scottish breakfast. Everything was cooked perfectly, and the oregano on the baked tomatoes was an inventive touch that lightened the meal with herbaceous notes. The sausages were exceptional: slightly sweet and delicately flavored with apple. The hot cross bun at the end stuffed me and set me up for a day out exploring East Lothian.

When I returned to Traprain Cottage B&B in the evening, Kirstie set a fire in the guest fireplace to fight off the April chill. While the internet was not always cooperative, the ambience of the cottage more than made up for it.

East Lothian is a small place, and I found Traprain Cottage B&B a perfect, central base to explore the area. Kirstie and Jim were exceedingly warm, the food was great, and the rooms were cozy and comfortable. It felt like home away from home, and I couldn’t ask for anything more.