Ducks at Kilspindie House, Aberlady, East Lothian

Ducks reclines just back from the Firth of Forth in the pleasantly sleepy village of Aberlady. Edinburgh may only be a 20 minute drive away, but this ‘Restaurant with Rooms’ in East Lothian feels a million miles away from the busy pubs and shops of the capital.

Superb Food at Ducks

Ducks is most renowned for its food and rightly so with legendary Edinburgh restaurateur Malcolm Duck at the helm. Guests can choose from the recently refurbished fine dining Ducks restaurant or just take it easy in the less formal Donald’s bistro next door, with fresh produce and quality paramount in both venues.

Comfortable Bedrooms

The bedrooms and corridors at Kilspindie House may be a bit faded, but the bedrooms are still perfectly comfortable. Our room had a four poster bed and every room has as standard a flat screen TV with a complimentary tea tray on hand too.

Ducks Restaurant is Truly Superb

Ducks restaurant is truly superb. We enjoyed a gorgeously creamy crab starter, followed by perfectly cooked halibut, washed down with a bottle of wine from their well stocked cellar. The other night we dined at Donald’s bistro. Here we tucked into plump mussels steamed with gorgeous local cider followed by an aged Buccleuch beef steak, the latter cooked properly rare. Aberdeen Angus may be more famous, but Buccleuch beef for us is even better and they treat it with the necessary respect here.

Coffee and Cake

There are little in the way of facilities on site at Ducks. They also have a café so you can come in for a coffee and a cake during the day if you can somehow manage to squeeze in any more food between meals. In summer the outside tables are a nice place to relax with a drink and just idle the day away. The public bar area is also often home to a few colourful local characters, which can be enough entertainment in itself. Free wifi is on hand for those looking to check their emails.

Aberlday is Right on the Coast

Aberlady, as the old port for the provincial town of Haddington, is right on the coast. The waterfront has a rock beach, but the star attraction is just a little to the east. Aberlady Bay Local Nature Reserve was the first of its kind when it was set up in 1952. We wandered along the old wooden boardwalk and took in the myriad protected birdlife on a bracing coastal walk around to the famous sands of Gullane, just an hour away.

On our other morning we took in the shops of Haddington, which were great as so far the little boutiques and old fashioned stores have not been killed off by the rise of mall culture. Another great local attraction is the National Museum of Flight at East Fortune. Here you can board Concorde as well as an array of other historic aircraft.

Ducks at Kilspindie House, Main Street, Aberlady, East Lothian, EH32 0RE. Tel. +44 (0)1875-870682. www.ducks.co.uk

InsiderScotland Rating

For Families 6/10

For a Romantic Break 7/10

For Food 8/10

For Business People 6/10

InsiderScotland Rating 7/10.