A Walk in East Lothian, Within Sight of The Law

A walk in East Lothian, within sight of The Law; North Berwick Law, that is. We start in Drem, then make for The Chesters hillfort, a short dander that turns out to be anything but straightforward what with an electric fence and so on. The hillfort, said to be one of the best Iron Age hillforts in Scotland, has plenty of defensive banks and ditches but not a great deal to actually see inside. We then make for Kilduff Hill, but footpaths marked on the map are not evident on the ground, and instead of skirting the north side of the hill we end up at the top. Thankfully it's a low hill. Beyond the steading of Kilduff we stop for lunch at a crossroads of paths close to the village of Athelstaneford, the birthplace of Scotland's flag. Apparently, according to tradition, an army of Pictish and Scottish warriors were doing battle with an army of Northumbrians when a white cross, like St. Andrew's cross, appeared in the blue sky above them. They made a banner of the image, which then became the flag of Scotland. From Athelstaneford we climb up to Seaton Law, above Hanging Craig, passing the site of yet another Iron Age fort and the ruins of Barnes Castle, before heading south by Barney Mains. We then pick up a footpath by the River Tyne and end in Haddington. A glorious hike in a stunningly beautiful part of Scotland, with awesome views and plenty of ancient history along the way.