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Scottish Heritage Golf: Overnight Stays
Golf Trail of East Scotland
Bases & Overnight Stays — How to Shape the Journey
This is a longer, more linear route than Fife alone. Stretching 226 miles (364 km) with around 7 hours 45 minutes of driving (before detours and tee times), it works best when broken into logical golfing corridors.
You’re moving north and west from East Lothian through Fife and Angus, finishing via Perthshire and Stirling. The key is grouping courses geographically so you’re not criss-crossing for early tee times.
Option 1 — Three Core Bases (Most Balanced)
This is the most natural way to structure the route.
Base 1: East Lothian (2 nights)
Stay in or around:
North Berwick
Dunbar
Covers:
Dunbar Golf Club
North Berwick Golf Club
Easy access into Edinburgh
Why this works:
• Classic links golf on open coastline
• Short transfers between courses
• Easy first or final stop from Edinburgh Airport
Base 2: St Andrews & East Neuk (2–3 nights)
Stay in or around:
St Andrews
Anstruther
Covers:
The Old Course at St Andrews
Carnoustie Golf Links (manageable day trip north)
Coastal Fife attractions
Why this works:
• Concentrates iconic courses
• Keeps Carnoustie within reach
• Combines golf with historic towns and coastline
Base 3: Perthshire & Central Scotland (2 nights)
Stay in or around:
Auchterarder
Stirling
Covers:
Gleneagles
Easy reach of Dundee
Stirling Castle and central Scotland attractions
Why this works:
• Inland contrast after coastal golf
• Luxury resort option at Gleneagles
• Good onward links north or south
This three-base structure reduces early-morning pressure and keeps most daily drives under an hour.
Option 2 — Two Larger Bases (More Efficient)
If you prefer fewer hotel changes:
Base A: North Berwick or Edinburgh (3 nights)
Cover East Lothian + Edinburgh + possibly Anstruther.
Base B: St Andrews or Perthshire (3–4 nights)
Cover St Andrews, Carnoustie, Dundee, Auchterarder and Stirling.
This involves a couple of longer drives but keeps logistics simple.
Option 3 — Travelling Night-by-Night (True Road Trip Style)
Move gradually:
Dunbar → North Berwick → Edinburgh → St Andrews → Carnoustie/Dundee → Auchterarder → Stirling
This suits travellers who enjoy variety and don’t mind repacking frequently. It works particularly well if tee times are spread across the region rather than clustered.
What Works Best?
For a dedicated golf trip: three bases give the smoothest rhythm.
For a golf-plus-sightseeing blend: two bases allow flexibility.
For a scenic touring experience: move gradually north and west.
This route isn’t just about world-famous courses. It moves from exposed linksland to historic university towns, from North Sea coastline to Perthshire hills — and planning your overnight stays carefully ensures the golf enhances the journey rather than dominating it.
Overnight Stays
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Use the filter or zoom in/out to find a great place to stay on your route. Enquire directly about the place of choice.
Use the embedded mobile-optimised overnight map here or access via Google Maps here.
If your iPhone doesn’t load via the Google Map App via the button, check out the Help section at the below for how to update your phone to launch them or copy and paste the link into your browser:
https://bit.ly/golf-overnightstays
Help for iphones not launching Google Maps.
Maps are embedded above but they can also be opened in a Google Map page, depending on your settings and device.
Occasionally maps might not load on the Google Maps App due to iPhone settings/updates - and entirely beyond our control - however, this can be addressed by troubleshooting and tweaking your device settings. This only affects Google Maps app and does not affect opening the maps on a browser.
Please take the troubleshooting steps covered in the video, including: Uninstalling and reinstalling Google Maps App, re-starting your device, and checking your internet connection is strong enough to launch the Google Maps App.
Please watch the following for different troubleshooting steps covered.
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Find a mixture of touring, holiday, and caravan parks, as well as campsites, farm sites, and other types. This selection means that a variety of leisure vehicles are catered for, however, you must check directly to ensure that your chosen venue is suitable for your vehicle type, as well as your requirements.
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A collection of aires, pub stops, venues, car parks, park-up spots, and viewpoints, for those in campervans or motorhomes. Sorry, caravans are not permitted.
Secret Stays® are mostly spaces to park overnight, with no, or few facilities, where ‘camping behaviour’ is not permitted. This means you can rock up in your van but not get out awnings, chairs, etc - if you want this - book a campsite. Consider a campsite every few days, for facilities such as freshwater, waste disposal, etc.
Secret Stays® can be free but also can have a fee paid for parking, an entry ticket, or a purchase such as a meal, it's a fantastic way to support a business and stay somewhere different and probably off-the-beaten-track! Overnight stays provided correspond with the regional routes featured.
Please always respect the venue and be considerate as stopovers can be refused at any time. It's usually polite to telephone ahead and check and is often a requirement, especially as places can change seasonally. Never litter or empty waste without permission or unless there is a designated disposal at a stopover.
Book with search - (rather than contact directly from the map)
Scotland > Golf. Last updated 22.01.2025
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Disclaimer: Due to the varying combination of vehicles and driver abilities, we provide route information for information purposes only. You are always advised to use your preferred navigation system to ensure the route you choose is suitable for both your vehicle and your ability.
Inclusion within our road trips may not necessarily constitute a recommendation, you are always advised to decide upon the suitability of the relevant point by visiting the website directly, using the link provided.
Advice: We aim to verify the information contained within the road trips at least twice yearly, however, things can change quickly. Always ensure you follow the link provided for any attractions, campsites, pub stays etc to ensure you have the latest information from the relevant source, before travel. We will act upon any updates provided. Please use the link below to report any suggestions, amendments or updates.