Landscape Designation and Protection
East Lothian’s landscape stretches from the outstanding coastline to the north, through the central area of fertile farmland including many fine designed landscapes, to the rolling and occasionally rugged and mysterious areas of the transitional fringe landscape before opening out onto the wide moorlands of the Lammermuirs which frame the county to the south. Intimate wooded river valleys dissect the area, while remnants of past volcanic activity such as the Bass Rock, North Berwick Law, Traprain Law and the Garleton Hills form highly visible rugged outcrops.These features combine to give an area of great diversity and interest forming the distinctive East Lothian landscape.
The landscape character throughout East Lothian is defined in Supplementary Planning Guidance on Landscape Character (Special Landscape Areas SPG Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3) which should be used to inform planning applications.
Other landscape designations exist across East Lothian. Please use the links on this page for further information on these.