Best Scenic Drives Around Edinburgh Guide

The A701 Through the Pentland Hills: Scotland's Urban Escape Route

The A701 road stretches from Edinburgh's southern edge through the Pentland Hills, offering one of Scotland's most accessible scenic drives within minutes of the city center. This route covers approximately 25 miles of varied landscape, climbing from around 300 feet elevation at Edinburgh to peaks exceeding 1,800 feet in the hills. The drive typically takes 45 minutes to an hour without stops, though most visitors spend several hours exploring.

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Starting from the Lothianburn area in South Edinburgh, the A701 winds upward through moorland and grassland that changes dramatically with the seasons. In summer, the hills display golden and green tones, while autumn brings browns and deep purples from heather blooms. Winter transforms the landscape into stark grey and white, and spring brings new growth to the moorland vegetation. The road passes through the Pentland Hills Regional Park, which covers 21 square miles and sits entirely within five miles of Edinburgh city center.

Notable features along this route include Flotterstone, a small parking area approximately 12 miles south of Edinburgh's center, where several hiking trails begin. From this spot, visitors can see across to the Moorfoot Hills and the Lammermuir Hills in the distance. The road also passes near Glencorse Reservoir, constructed in 1822 to supply water to Edinburgh. On clear days, visibility extends to the Firth of Forth to the north and the Scottish Borders to the south.

The A701 continues south through Carlops and toward Biggar, but the most scenic portion for a day trip is the section between Edinburgh and Carlops, approximately 20 miles. Weather significantly impacts visibility and safety on this route—fog frequently rolls across the hills, particularly in autumn and winter mornings, reducing visibility to just a few hundred feet. The road does experience snow and ice during winter months, and driving conditions can deteriorate rapidly.

Practical takeaway: Plan this drive for mid-morning to early afternoon to maximize visibility, allow 2-3 hours including photo stops, and check weather forecasts before departing. The route works year-round, but spring and early summer offer the most reliable weather conditions for clear views across the landscape.

The A90 Forth Bridges Route: Coastal Elegance and Engineering Marvels

The A90 heading north from Edinburgh presents one of Scotland's most dramatic coastal drives, featuring two of the world's most recognizable bridges and sweeping views across the Firth of Forth. This route spans approximately 30 miles from central Edinburgh to St. Monans on the Fife coast, taking roughly one hour of driving time. The journey showcases industrial heritage, natural beauty, and coastal settlements in a relatively compact distance.

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The drive begins by crossing either the iconic red Forth Railway Bridge (opened in 1890 and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site) or the Forth Road Bridge (opened in 1964, with a new parallel bridge added in 2017). The railway bridge spans 2,765 meters and required 55,000 tons of steel in its construction. Crossing these bridges offers remarkable views down the Firth toward the North Sea and across to the Fife coast. On clear days, visibility extends approximately 20 miles across the water.

Beyond the bridges, the A90 descends into Fife, passing through towns including South Queensferry, Dunfermline, and Kirkcaldy. South Queensferry, directly beneath the bridges, offers several viewpoints where visitors can stop and photograph the structures from water level. The town contains various restaurants and cafes positioned to take advantage of bridge views. Dunfermline, approximately eight miles north, sits on high ground offering views back toward Edinburgh across the Firth.

The coastal section around Kirkcaldy, approximately 15 miles north of the bridges, features promenades and beaches along the Firth shore. The town's waterfront has undergone significant redevelopment in recent years, creating walking areas and viewing platforms. From Kirkcaldy, the A915 continues east toward coastal villages like Dysart and St. Monans, where narrow streets lead down to small harbors and rocky shores.

Weather conditions on this route frequently include sea breezes that can feel notably cooler than inland areas, even on warm summer days. Wind speeds tend to be higher near the coast and on the bridges themselves. Visibility can be reduced by sea fog (often called "haar" in Scotland), particularly in late spring and summer mornings.

Practical takeaway: This drive works well as a half-day excursion, allowing 3-4 hours total including bridge crossing and a stop in South Queensferry or Kirkcaldy for food or refreshments. Summer weekends see heavier traffic, particularly during morning hours when tourists head toward St. Andrews and northern Fife.

The A702 Carlops to West Linton: Rural Valleys and Historic Villages

The A702 provides a scenic alternative to major routes, threading through the valleys between the Pentland and Moorfoot hills. This drive covers approximately 18 miles from Carlops through West Linton, taking roughly 35-40 minutes of driving time. The route passes through some of the least populated areas near Edinburgh, with extensive views across rolling farmland and moorland.

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Starting from Carlops, a small village approximately 22 miles south of Edinburgh, the A702 descends into the valley of the River Lyne. This river system has shaped the landscape for millennia, creating fertile lowland areas surrounded by higher ground. The drive follows the valley southeastward toward West Linton, passing through countryside with minimal commercial development. Stone walls dating back 200-300 years divide fields, and traditional Scottish farm buildings dot the landscape at regular intervals.

West Linton itself is a village of approximately 2,000 residents, notable for its position on the A702 and its historical significance as a market center. The village contains a historic marketplace square and several buildings dating to the 17th and 18th centuries. A stone monument in the village marks the location where Sir Walter Scott drew inspiration for his novel "The Lay of the Last Minstrel." The area surrounding West Linton contains several walking paths, including routes toward the Moorfoot Hills and connections to longer-distance trails.

This route provides particularly good viewing conditions for observing seasonal changes in Scottish agriculture. Spring sees fields being prepared and planted, early summer shows crop growth, summer displays full vegetation and occasionally golden grain fields, autumn brings harvest activity (particularly August-September), and winter reveals bare fields and reduced daylight hours. Photography opportunities exist year-round, with particularly dramatic light conditions during sunset in summer when days extend to nearly 17 hours of daylight.

The villages along this route offer limited commercial services—no major supermarkets or chain restaurants. However, small local shops and one or two pubs exist in both Carlops and West Linton. Fuel stations are not present on the A702 itself, requiring visitors to plan accordingly. Mobile phone coverage is generally reliable in villages but can be patchy in more remote sections.

Practical takeaway: Combine this drive with the A701 route to create a longer loop drive of 40+ miles, allowing 4-5 hours including stops. This pairing showcases different landscapes—moorland heights and valleys—within a single journey. Summer afternoons offer the best light for photography along this rural route.

The A822 Through Strathearn Valley: Scotland's Agricultural Heartland

The A822 heading west from Perth toward Crieff and Comrie offers a moderately scenic drive through Strathearn Valley, Scotland's productive agricultural region. From Edinburgh, this drive requires taking the A90 or A93 westward for approximately 45 miles before reaching the A822 near Crieff. The complete scenic drive covers approximately 25 miles, taking 50 minutes to one hour. While longer than other options from Edinburgh, this route provides distinctly different landscape characteristics than southern drives.

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Strathearn Valley runs east-west between the Sidlaw Hills to the south and the Grampian Mountains to the north. The valley floor, at approximately 200-300 feet elevation, contrasts with surrounding hills reaching 2,000+ feet. This elevation difference creates distinct environmental zones—the valley supports intensive agriculture including grain crops, fruit farms, and dairy operations, while higher ground contains moorland and forest.

Key towns along the A822 include Crieff (population approximately 6