EDINBURGH CITY OF GHOSTS
Through its hundreds of years, the Scottish capital has been home to kings, queens, literary giants and even body snatchers. A day here is sure to set your heart racing, writes Julie Barker
09:30AM DO BREAKFAST
Stockbridge, the bohemian east end of Edinburgh, is host to delis and the independent bookshop, The Golden Hare. Peter’s Yard is a Swedish bakery designed in the minimal Scandi style. This artisan café specialises in Swedish crisp bread (knäckebröd), made from sourdough, and delicious breakfasts such as Parma ham, soft poached eggs and shaved asparagus. Delicious and good for you!
● petersyard.com
11AM FACE TIME
The Scottish National Portrait Gallery, in a huge, neo-gothic red sandstone building, houses portraits of the most famous and infamous of Scotland, including Robert Louis Stevenson, the Stuart monarchs, Robert the Bruce, and Tilda Swinton. It’s mostly free, apart from selected exhibitions. In the print room, look at the lithograph by RH Nimmo of “body snatchers” William Burke and William Hare. Arguably Edinburgh’s first serial killers, they murdered 16 people in 1828 to sell the bodies to Dr Robert Knox, for his infamous public postmortems.
● nationalgalleries.org/ visit/scottish-national-portrait-gallery
1PM LUNCH
Grab a good-value lunch at Spoon, a second-floor restaurant opposite the Festival Theatre in the centre of town. It has quirky surroundings, friendly staff and fresh, locally sourced food that includes soups and breads, with choices for vegetarians and the gluten-intolerant too.
● spoonedinburgh.co.uk
2.30PM STORM THE CASTLE
Edinburgh Castle is a medieval fortress on a hill looming over the Old Town. On a warm day, soak up the panoramic view. St Margaret’s Chapel is the oldest building, finished in 1130 in memory of King David I’s mother Queen Margaret, who was later canonised. Its bare stone walls and vaults reflect a simple spirituality. Be dazzled by the oldest crown jewels in the British Isles, which were first used for the 1543 coronation of Mary Queen of Scots, and marvel at the Stone of Destiny, used to inaugurate monarchs for centuries.
● edinburghcastle.gov.uk
5PM TIME FOR TEA
Wind (or stagger) your way down from the castle, past age-old, turreted buildings. If you feel like you have stumbled into the world of Harry Potter, that’s because JK Rowling wrote her first novel in The Elephant House, a gourmet tea and coffee shop a mere 16 minutes’ walk from the castle. It’s cosy and welcoming, and they serve excellent coffee and cake. It’s a relaxed pit stop to take the heat off your burning feet.
● elephanthouse.biz
6PM BOOK BROWSING
If books, politics and philosophy are your thing, pop in to the “radical bookshop”, Lighthouse. Dedicated to the left wing, LGBT rights, feminism and all things radical, this lovely bookshop is open until 8pm on week nights. If none of the above makes your heart sing, it’s still worth a visit for the novelty factor.
● lighthousebookshop.com
7PM DINNER
The gracious, expansive Outsider has breathtaking views of the castle — dinner here is a mouth-watering experience and well worth the money. For lovers of Scottish food, there are unusual choices on offer, including seared venison with carrot and nutmeg purée, pink, peppercorn-encrusted lamb rump, and coffee-cured pigeon breast. With its chatty staff, it’s also one of the few restaurants in Edinburgh that wants patrons to linger and have a good time.
● theoutsiderrestaurant.com
9PM DAMNED IF YOU DON’T
Hidden beneath the city is a mass of streets, tunnels and vaults. These were the original streets of Edinburgh before structures were built on top. From the 17th century, the city’s poorest residents lived in these dangerous and disease-ridden vaults and tunnels. The Underground City of the Dead Tour is a nerve-wracking experience with creeping dread and sudden shocks. You can also take a tour to the Greyfriars Kirkyard (where Rowling got most of her characters’ names — look out for Tom Riddle’s tomb). If you’re lucky/unlucky enough, you may even encounter the Mackenzie Poltergeist. Definitely not for the faint of heart.
● cityofthedeadtours.com
10.30PM RECOVERY DRAM
After the thrills and chills of a ghost tour, slink into The Sheep Heid Inn, one of the oldest pubs in Edinburgh, to revive your spirits with a single malt. If you scroll through Twitter while you drink, to look at the numerous postings of wounds inflicted on unsuspecting tourists (@CotDtours) by the Mackenzie Poltergeist, you may just need a second — and third — round.
● thesheepheidedinburgh.co.uk