FIVE WAYS TO WANDER AND WONDER IN EDINBURGH
This city has so many historical landmarks worth seeing, it can be difficult to know where to start.
Take in the scenery It’s not necessary to be in peak physical condition to walk the gently rising path up Arthur’s Seat and the visual reward near the crest is worth getting a little sweaty. The view in every direction is fit to be on a postcard. It is in Holyrood Park, only a short distance from the Scottish parliament, a befuddling building that is worth a visit for its political significance, even if it looks like it belongs anywhere but Scotland. Visit a world famous dog Legend says that every day for 14 years, Bobby the Skye terrier visited his master’s grave at Greyfriars Kirkyard. So many tourists rub the nose of Greyfriars Bobby for luck that it needs to be repainted every few years. The statue is a stone’s throw from George Square’s ancient Edinburgh University buildings and Bristo Square, a hot spot of street food, upbeat bars and comedy venues during the month-long August festival. Underground Edinburgh Edinburgh Castle covers medieval Scottish history. Mary King’s Close picks up sometime around the 1600s and delves into local stories capturing the everyday lives of Edinburgh people. The tour begins on the Royal Mile beside the City Chambers and quickly descends underground to the steep sloping cobbles where one of the city’s busiest markets once stood. Guides tell stories of real families fighting the bubonic plague and supernatural spirits that supposedly roam the airless hidden corridors. Sample Stockbridge It’s not a trip to Scotland without a healthy dose of seafood. Next to eclectic antique shops and handsome book stores sits the Kilted Lobster in quaint and quiet Stockbridge. “We try to make eating as comfortable and welcoming as possible,” says waiter David Sharkey, one of the most convivial hosts I’ve ever met. On Sundays, it’s the place to find a memento when local creatives converge to sell all manner of crafts and authentic local foodie delights at Stockbridge Market. A writer’s inspiration Check the Scottish countryside off your bucket list with a half-day trip out of the city on the Borders Railway. The new route runs to Abbotsford House, the home of Sir Walter Scott. Abbotsford holds the trinkets and vast library that inspired Scott’s works but its most attractive feature is the immaculate gardens enveloping the Galashiels estate. David Bateman was hosted by Visit Scotland, which didn’t review or approve this story.