East Fortune, East Lothian

Flower Delivery to East Fortune by Clare Florist

Located two miles northwest of East Linton, East Fortune is better known for the presence of an airfield that was constructed in 1915 to protect Britain against an attack from German Zeppelin airships during the First World War. Now, this East Lothian village is home to the National Museum of Flight which is housed at the airfield and serves as a tourist attraction for the village.

Surely, history buffs would delight in what East Fortune has to offer. However, the village can also be made into a starting point for other great destinations nearby.

HISTORY

East Fortune played a huge role during the First World War that started in 1914. The Admiralty was given the responsibility of establishing a string of home defence airfields located along the southeastern seaboard of the UK, from Edinburgh to the south coast of England.

The Director of Naval Air Services gave approval for the construction of an air station at East Fortune in September 1915. Because of East Fortune's close proximity to stretches of the North Sea, the Admiralty also stationed airships for carrying out sea-lane patrols in the village.

Two hangars were built to contain the airships and they measured 90 metres long and more than 30 metres high.

East Fortune continued to be a used in between the first and second World Wars. After the Wars ended, the village became the site of a tuberculosis hospital that remained open until 1997. The remnants of this still remain to this day and at a sadly decomposing state.

On 7 July 1975, the National Museum of Flight officially opened to the public. With this, the village continues to be associated with flight, whether from low-flying RAF jets or from air displays put on by the museum.

ATTRACTIONS

National Museum of Flight – home to 43 aircraft ranging from those used during the early days of flight up to the sophisticated Concorde machines. At the museum, questions such as:
‘How difficult were these aircraft to fly?’
‘What were the maximum speeds of these aircraft?  
‘What is it like to build an aircraft and fly it?

These are just a few of the ones you will learn when visiting this interesting museum.

The museum also has several exhibitions that allow you to learn more about flight and planes. The National Museum of Flight also holds several events which you can check out by visiting their official page.

Couples who are aviation enthusiasts or history lovers will definitely enjoy what the museum has to offer. Partners can even make the trip more romantic when they send flowers to East Fortune in advance.

Another good thing to do while at East Fortune is to head out to nearby attractions, and these include:

Inveresk Lodge Garden – located in the village of Inveresk, East Lothian, this garden is in the care of the National Trust for Scotland. Located on the south of Musselburgh, this garden is set on a hillside and features a stunning display of herbaceous borders, unusual plants, old roses and shrubs.

So, if you can't get a fixture of flowers in East Fortune, might as well visit this charming garden that is a must see for keen gardeners.

Dirleton Castle – a great example of a fortified medieval residence located in the village of Dirleton, which is about 3.6 miles away from East Fortune. If you can't find enough East Fortune flowers, one of the best things you can do is take a trip to this old castle and marvel at its colourful gardens, which include the largest herbaceous border in the world.

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