Planning on heading t Yellowcraigs beach from Musselburgh, on a CX bike with a 2 year old on the back. Needing a suggested route on quiet roads or smoothish tracks. Gosford and Luffness estates probably offer a way through but I’m not familiar with the areas at all…. Anyone got any pointers?

No way you’d be able to avoid the coast road for at least some sections I’m afraid, and cycling not officially permitted at Gosford. You’ll manage off road to west of Longniddry on the John Muir way and then you’ll hit the coast road, I’ll cycle on it but not with the kids. When you hit Aberlady you can take the back road by the old Drem airfield but at Fenton Barns to Yellowcraigs you’re back onto fast roads.

Mmmm, confirmed a couple of things I was thinking…thanks Zeffir

zeffir is wrong on quite a few counts.
It’s perfectly possible to avoid the coast road from Longniddry to Dirleton by heading into the village and heading along to Drem (there’s a path/pavement for a lot of it too) it’s quite a long detour for karting a 2yr old on though.
there’s plenty off-road options too but CX bike and child seat would not be a great combination, especially as all the jaggies are out in force just now.
Gossford is fine to cycle through (as are all of East Lothians estates)
But if you’re in Musselburgh anyway, why not just ride to Wallyford and take the train to Drem from there you could take the back road via East Fortune to Dirleton. it’s usually very quiet, but please look out for delivery van/lorry drivers.. and make yourself as easily seen as possible.

Not a great idea to take the top road to Drem, that has faster traffic and the pavement is all of 300 metres outside Longniddry. Next time you go past Gosford road entrances look for the no cycling signs, gamekeeper used to chase cyclists off! East Fortune is the wrong direction for you from Drem, you want to head North from the station but both fast roads.

Why not settle for Longniddry beach? Has the blue flag, quieter and you’ll do it all off road from the Esk, sorted.

Just to confirm, I’m talking about taking the B1377 from Drem train station to East Fortune. (then take B1347 to kingston then an unnamed road to Direlton) – (of course it’s not the right direction! it’s a detour to avoid the coast road).
the biggest problem with the coast road is not the speed of the traffic but poor visibility of cyclists to drivers.

not sure how you can say the “top road” has faster traffic? but it’s a much straighter road with less tree cover/shadows and drivers tend to pay more attention driving it and give cyclists more room when passing.. at certain times of day it can be quite a quiet road.

Don’t let one estate worker being a knob ruin your day! you’re perfectly entitled to cycle through Gosford anytime you want.

Having said all the above, just heading as far as Longniddry beach is a good shout though..
MussEd, if you were heading to Yellowcraig because of the excellent play park and woods too. Longniddry has a pretty nice park (opposite Gosford entrance too if you want to head into the grumpy old man’s woods 😉 ).. Longniddry also has a decent wee libraby/community/sports centre, a few shops and the pub for lunch. and if the wee one’s had enough of the harsh/tyres/kiddy seat you can always bail and take the train home.

Well. In the end we ended up heading along the coast more or less following the John Muir way. Cut inland and headed along L’Niddry-Drem road knowing it’d be faster traffic, but the wider road meant we were afforded more room(apart from some bellend in BMW suv who couldn’t wait until we got through some temporary traffic lights). The boy loved the fast road down from Drem to Direlton, even more from Drem to Yellowcraig. Only hiccup was forgetting to take a lock so the bike had to be dismantled to fit in my wife’s car.

Ted jumped in the car for return leg, so I headed back along the coast.

Oh and thanks for all the help, including a certain ex-member who must’ve read this bad got in touch with one off road suggestions, decided Ted would be rattled out his seat had we ventured off the Tarmac…