Click on the links below for more information:
- Administration and Schools
- Church
- Local Services
- Broadband and Mobile Phone Information
- Cinema
- Children’s Activities
- Local Walks
- Nunraw Abbey
Administration and Schools
Garvald and Morham villages are served by East Lothian Council and Garvald and Morham Community Counciil (GMCC). Morham is also on Facebook (Morham Parish East Lothian) as is Garvald, though most relevant information can be found on this site. For local information and talks, the Gifford Society provides lectures on art, literature, history and natural history.
The local primary school is Yester Primary School at Gifford. Secondary school provision is at Knox Academy in Haddington. East Lothian Council provides a school bus service to transport children to school. For timetables, see the website of current school bus service provider, Don Prentice of Haddington. Local private schooling is available in Haddington (The Compass School) and Dunbar (Belhaven Hill).
Church
Garvald and Morham villages both have a Church, with a minister running services alternating weekly in each location.
Copyright 2012 Graham Barnes
Local Services
The mobile Post Office visits Garvald Village Hall on Thursdays from 9.15-10.15am. The nearest newsagents and Post Office (mornings only) is located at A.M. Hogg, High Street, Gifford. The local Fire Station and Police Officers are based in Haddington. For more information see Police Scotland and Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. Banks, supermarkets, a petrol station and a full time post office are located in Haddington. There is no longer a public bus service to Garvald but you can catch a bus from Haddington to Edinburgh. Alternatively you can use one of the ‘park and train ride’ services to travel to Edinburgh (from Drem, Dunbar, Wallyford or Newcraighall stations). The Gifford Circle bus travels between Haddington and Gifford.
Newspaper deliveries are made by Knox Newsagents, Dunbar. Food and drink is available at the village pub, the Garvald Inn. The nearest grocery store can be found in Gifford and larger supermarkets are in Haddington.
Local chimney sweeps, as recommended by Garvald and Morham residents (charging approximately £50-80 per chimney):
- Chimney Roofing Services, Prestonpans (07951137803)
- Kleen Sweep, Prestonpans (01875 819992)
- Tom Brock, Edinburgh (0131 6660848).
- Alternatively, contact Tim Flinn at Beech Cottage who is happy to lend equipment and advice if you fancy doing it yourself.
Broadband/Mobile Phone Services
Lothian Broadband Ltd provides fast broadband to the village and provides free WiFi broadband at the village hall. BT broadband is also available in Garvald, as is broadband provided by other suppliers using the BT network. At present there is no mobile signal in the village unless you have a signal-booster (available either as an app or a piece of hardware from the mobile phone companies, e.g. SureSignal/SignalBox/HomeSignal), which uses your land-line broadband to route your mobile texts and calls. Development plans include the possible installation of a mast near to the village.
Cinema
Films are shown once a month at Gifford Village Hall on a Friday night. For more information, see Yester Community Movie Association
Local Clubs and Activities for Children (and some for Adults!)
- Parent and baby group at Gifford Village Hall on Wednesdays 10.00-11.30am.
- Local scouting/guiding groups: Gifford Cub Scouts on Mondays, Haddington Cub Scouts, Pencaitland Girl Guides, Gifford Brownies on Wednesdays, Haddington Scouts on Mondays or Fridays.
- Lamp House Music Rehearsal and Teaching Studio for music classes (children and adults).
- Haddington School of Dance and Music run classes in Haddington and North Berwick (ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, acro, cheerleading, theatre and more). Also offers adult classes and dance workout classes.
- Andrea Mannion Dance School.
- Morag Alexander School of Dance.
- Dunbar School of Dancing, Dunbar.
- Dance Discovery, Dunbar.
- Destination Judo at the Trinity Centre, on Tuesdays.
- Haddington Hockey, Youth Section trains on Wednesdays (term time) at the Aubigny Astroturf pitch. Haddington Mens (age 14+) and Ladies Hockey Clubs train on Mondays 6.30-8pm at the Aubigny Astroturf pitch.
- Haddington and District Amateur Swimming Club.
- David Clark Tae Kwon Do Schools.
- Gifford Mini Goblins Rugby Club.
- Haddington Table Tennis Club (children and adults).
Local Walks
There is a Core Path Network route from Garvald to Gifford. There is a useful path description for this walk. The section of core path (236) between Garvald Mains and the Donolly reservoir was upgraded in 2017. Fences were installed to separate the path from the fields in which cattle graze and a bridge was built to replace the ford across the Papana water.
Also the path along the embankment on the NW side of the Donolly reservoir has been cleared and although it is not to the same standard as the core path (220) on the SE side, it is possible for a reasonably agile person to do a circuit of the reservoir.
Information on other paths being developed can be found on the East Lothian Countryside Volunteers Website. There are East Lothian Core Path maps and you can read information about the John Muir Way.
For a shorter stroll, you can walk from Garvald to Stoneypath Tower along the Papana Burn by following the path down by the church (turn left before Africa Cottage).
Nunraw Abbey
The Sancta Maria Abbey, Nunraw is located close to the village.