Dirleton Castle Sessions is a new series of intimate outdoor concerts held within the grounds of Dirleton Castle — one of Scotland's most evocative medieval ruins, standing at the heart of East Lothian since the 13th century.

Each session brings together the finest local and visiting musicians for an evening of live performance under open skies, surrounded by ancient stone walls and the castle's celebrated gardens.

Whether you're coming for the music, the setting, or simply a beautiful summer evening in the East Lothian countryside, there is nowhere quite like this.

Dirleton Castle is one of the oldest and most romantic castles in Scotland. Built in the 13th century by the de Vaux family, its warm sandstone ruins have watched over the village of Dirleton for over 800 years.

The castle passed through the hands of the Halyburton and Ruthven families before being partially dismantled in 1650 by General Monk during the English Civil War — giving it the evocative, open-to-the-sky character that makes it such an extraordinary setting for live music today.

Surrounding the ruins are the celebrated gardens, maintained by Historic Environment Scotland, which include a beautiful Arts and Crafts herbaceous border — said to be the longest in the world — and a restored Victorian garden.

On a summer evening, with the light fading and music drifting through the ancient walls, there is nowhere quite like it.

Make an evening of it. The Castle Inn sits directly beside the castle entrance in the heart of Dirleton village, and offers a special one-course supper menu exclusively for Dirleton Castle Sessions concert-goers from 5:30 pm on event evenings.

It's the perfect way to arrive — unhurried, well-fed, and ready to enjoy the music. The inn is a short walk from the castle gate, so you can take your time over supper before the doors open at 6:45 pm.

Booking is strongly advised as tables fill quickly on concert evenings. Call the inn directly to reserve.