Scotland
© Jim Barton · CC BY-SA 2.0 Musselburgh Beach
Visit Musselburgh Beach: scenic river mouth, leisurely promenade, and local wildlife, ideal for tranquil walks and family outings.
About Prestonpans Beach
Prestonpans sits on the Firth of Forth between Musselburgh and Cockenzie, with a rocky, cove-like shore beside the main coast road. Potteries worked here from around 1750 and there were glassworks in the area too, so the beach is full of worn glass and pottery. Collectors report filling bags in a single visit, and the coastal path west towards Morrison's Haven and Musselburgh is just as productive.
Sea glass at Prestonpans Beach
Mostly green, white and brown, with some blue, yellow, seafoam and the odd tiny red; Morrison's Haven (opposite the Prestongrange Museum, a former glassworks site) has also given lavender, aqua, teal, orange and cobalt. The high tide line is especially good, and Morrison's Haven is best at low tide. Lots of sea pottery as well.
Visiting Prestonpans Beach
- Safety
- Check the tide times before you go and head out on a falling tide, so you're never cut off. Keep away from the bottom of cliffs, wear sturdy shoes on rocks, and only take sea glass and other man-made rubbish: pebbles, sand and shells should stay on the beach.
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Sources
- odysseyseaglass.com : Several collector reports: two bags of well-rounded glass, mostly green/clear/brown with some blue and yellow, one tiny red; plenty of pottery; notes potteries from c.1750 and later glassworks.
- beachcombingmagazine.com : Dunbar beachcomber names Prestonpans as a good East Lothian spot for sea glass and pottery.
Last updated 23 October 2026
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