I pause before the stark white barrier of a horseracing track, a rush of Scotland’s salty North Sea wind sweeps in from the Firth of Forth ahead. I stand in a moment of quiet reflection, captivated by the oldest course in the world; Musselburgh Links is nothing short of breath taking. Ancient trees aligning the track groan warm whispers under a shifting coastal sky; listen close enough and you can hear their quiet retellings of legendary medieval Queens, of tragedy and brutal romance, night raids, great rebellions and glorious revolutions. I’m urged over grassy greens and swaying bracken; past solid grey stone and whitewashed buildings. Walking on Musselburgh Links’ mythical grounds tilts me back in time, to the rule of the fifteen-year-old, effervescent Mary Queen of Scots who reportedly played here while the paint was still wet on the Sistine Chapel.

My full article on Musselburgh and our trip to Scotland’s Golf Coast is available in The Links Diary Ep2 - AVAILABLE HERE