–
Cycle along the Water of Leith
Leith Shore, Edinburgh photo credit: iStock
Below the hustle and bustle of the city, surrounded by leafy trees, the Water of Leith river snakes its way from the Pentland Hills to the Leith shore. Here, otters can be spotted lunching on brown trout by the riverbank, while herons and kingfishers rest on the rocks. The riverside path is a favourite getaway for local walkers and cyclists, and takes you under majestic stone bridges, past historic sites, and through ancient woodland. You can choose to join it and leave it wherever suits. One scenic route starts off in Roseburn, with a detour to the excellent Scottish Gallery of Modern Art, via picturesque Dean Village, finishing with a drink in a Stockridge bar.
Drink in a sailor’s pub
After the regeneration of Edinbugh’s sketchy harbour area, a wide range of new and cutting-edge bars have cropped up in Leith. But at the Port O’ Leith bar, nothing much has changed for 30 years, which is why the pub is still loved by seafarers and locals alike. This Leith institution, where Irvine Welsh, of Trainspotting fame, was once a regular, is a real sailors’ pub, complete with ship flags on the roof, and a display of banknotes from around the globe.The scruffy, but charming, tavern oozes character, draws an interesting mix of people and has cheap beer. We guarantee that you will never be lonely here – nor will you be sober when you leave …
Port O’ Leith Bar, 50 Constitution Street, 0131 5557019
–
–
Cycle along the Water of Leith
Below the hustle and bustle of the city, surrounded by leafy trees, the Water of Leith river snakes its way from the Pentland Hills to the Leith shore. Here, otters can be spotted lunching on brown trout by the riverbank, while herons and kingfishers rest on the rocks. The riverside path is a favourite getaway for local walkers and cyclists, and takes you under majestic stone bridges, past historic sites, and through ancient woodland. You can choose to join it and leave it wherever suits. One scenic route starts off in Roseburn, with a detour to the excellent Scottish Gallery of Modern Art, via picturesque Dean Village, finishing with a drink in a Stockridge bar. (waterofleith.org.uk)
Click the next page for another secret
Second-hand shopping in Stockbridge
Clock Tower, Stockbridge, Edinburgh photo credit: geograph.org.uk
The cobbled streets of Stockbridge are lined with independent shops selling everything from gramophones to handbags, as well as tempting delis, quirky cafés and a great assortment of charity stores. Although this slightly upmarket neighbourhood is only a 15-minute walk from the centre, it has a laid back village-feel, with a bohemian edge. There’s a wide variety of charity outlets spread along Raeburn Place and St Stephen Street, selling a mix of clothes and household items. There are also a few specialist charity book and music shops worth a serious browse. Real bargains – from designer clothes to unique artefacts – are often found. Every Sunday, there’s also a market offering delicious foods, crafts, vintage clothes and more.
stockbridgemarket.com or edinburgh-stockbridge.com
The other Edinburgh festivals
Jazz Club photo credit: iStock
As the host of one of the most famous festivals in the world, Edinburgh knows how to put on a cracking event. The Edinburgh International Festival, held in August, draws hordes of visitors. But there are also many less well known festivals worth seeking out: Being home to cinemas such as the Cameo and Filmhouse, which show a unique mix of art-house and indie movies, it’s no wonder that the Edinburgh Film Festival in June offers such a brilliant selection of flicks. edfilmfest.org.uk The Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival in July is the warm-up to the capital’s August festival season. It’s best enjoyed, pint in hand, at an outdoor concert in the Grassmarket on a sunny afternoon. edinburghjazzfestival.com. For those who prefer something a little more low key, the beer festival at Scotland’s oldest pub, the Sheep Heid Inn, at Easter, offers 75 types of beer and cider, live music and an award-winning barbie. sheepheid.co.uk
–
–
Drink in a sailor’s pub
After the regeneration of Edinbugh’s sketchy harbour area, a wide range of new and cutting-edge bars have cropped up in Leith. But at the Port O’ Leith bar, nothing much has changed for 30 years, which is why the pub is still loved by seafarers and locals alike.
This Leith institution, where Irvine Welsh, of Trainspotting fame, was once a regular, is a real sailors’ pub, complete with ship flags on the roof, and a display of banknotes from around the globe.
The scruffy, but charming, tavern oozes character, draws an interesting mix of people and has cheap beer. We guarantee that you will never be lonely here – nor will you be sober when you leave … (Port O’ Leith Bar, 50 Constitution Street, 0131 5557019)
Click the next page for more secrets…
Picnic at Cramond beach
Cramond, Edinburgh photo credit: iStock
Cramond, a 20-minute bus ride from Edinburgh’s city centre (No. 41 Lothian bus), still retains the feel of a sleepy fishing village, complete with a quaint row of pretty, whitewashed houses facing the sailboats moored at the river mouth. A promenade, popular among cyclists, walkers and rollerbladers, follows the wide sandy beach for miles.
The splendid views of the Firth of Forth and the hills of Fife also make it an ideal spot for a picnic. At low tide, you can cross the causeway to Cramond Island, but keep an eye on the tides, as the sea comes in fast and people occasionally get stuck.
Where to east, drink & Sleep
Where to eat
The volunteer-run Mosque Kitchen, originally set up to serve its congregation, offers amazing home-cooked curries from £3. mosquekitchen.com. A secret worth knowing is the excellent tapas diner El Bar. The food is seriously tasty and the portions are large and good value. It fills up quickly at weekends, so book ahead. albaflamenca.co.uk/elbar
Where to drink
The Brass Monkey’s big selling point is a room made up entirely of mattresses and cushions, where you can sprawl out and watch daily DVD film screenings at 3pm. 14 Drummond Street, 0131 5561961
‘The Swedish four’ – Boda, Sofi’s, Victoria, and Joseph Pearce’s – in Leith, all owned by a Swedish entrepreneurial couple, have become much-loved drinking dens for locals and hipsters alike, due to the shabby-chic Nordic style and excellent moose sausage. bodabar.com
Where to sleep
Industrial-chic boutique hostel Art Roch has a laidback, arty vibe. Dorm beds from £10pn; doubles from £55pn. artrochhostel.com. Stylish Smart City Hostel offers rooms from £50pn. smartcityhostels.com
–
Second-hand shopping in Stockbridge
The cobbled streets of Stockbridge are lined with independent shops selling everything from gramophones to handbags, as well as tempting delis, quirky cafés and a great assortment of charity stores.
Although this slightly upmarket neighbourhood is only a 15-minute walk from the centre, it has a laidback village-feel, with a bohemian edge. There’s a wide variety of charity outlets spread along Raeburn Place and St Stephen Street, selling a mix of clothes and household items.
There are also a few specialist charity book and music shops worth a serious browse. Real bargains – from designer clothes to unique artefacts – are often found.
Every Sunday, there’s also a market offering delicious foods, crafts, vintage clothes and more. (stockbridgemarket.com; edinburgh-stockbridge.com)
Click the next page for more secrets…
–
The other Edinburgh festivals
As the host of one of the most famous festivals in the world, Edinburgh knows how to put on a cracking event. The Edinburgh International Festival, held in August, draws hordes of visitors. But there are also many less well known festivals worth seeking out:
Being home to cinemas such as the Cameo and Filmhouse, which show a unique mix of art-house and indie movies, it’s no wonder that the Edinburgh Film Festival in June offers such a brilliant selection of flicks. (edfilmfest.org.uk)
The Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival in July is the warm-up to the capital’s August festival season. It’s best enjoyed, pint in hand, at an outdoor concert in the Grassmarket on a sunny afternoon. (edinburghjazzfestival.com)
For those who prefer something a little more low key, the beer festival at Scotland’s oldest pub, the Sheep Heid Inn, at Easter, offers 75 types of beer and cider, live music and an award-winning barbie. (edinburghfestivals.co.uk; sheepheid.co.uk).
Click the next page for more secrets…
–
Picnic at Cramond beach
Cramond, a 20-minute bus ride from Edinburgh’s city centre (No. 41 Lothian bus), still retains the feel of a sleepy fishing village, complete with a quaint row of pretty, whitewashed houses facing the sailboats moored at the river mouth. A promenade, popular among cyclists, walkers and rollerbladers, follows the wide sandy beach for miles.
The splendid views of the Firth of Forth and the hills of Fife also make it an ideal spot for a picnic. At low tide, you can cross the causeway to Cramond Island, but keep an eye on the tides, as the sea comes in fast and people occasionally get stuck. (britishbeaches.info).
Click the next page to find out where to eat, sleep and drink…
Where to eat
The volunteer-run Mosque Kitchen, originally set up to serve its congregation, offers amazing home-cooked curries from £3. (mosquekitchen.com)
A secret worth knowing is the excellent tapas diner El Bar. The food is seriously tasty and the portions are large and good value. It fills up quickly at weekends, so book ahead. (albaflamenca.co.uk/elbar.html)
Where to drink
The Brass Monkey’s big selling point is a room made up entirely of mattresses and cushions, where you can sprawl out and watch daily DVD film screenings at 3pm. (14 Drummond Street, 0131 5561961)
‘The Swedish four’ – Boda, Sofi’s, Victoria, and Joseph Pearce’s – in Leith, all owned by a Swedish entrepreneurial couple, have become much-loved drinking dens for locals and hipsters alike, due to the shabby-chic Nordic style and excellent moose sausage. (bodabar.com)
Where to sleep
Industrial-chic boutique hostel Art Roch has a laidback, arty vibe. Dorm beds from £10pn; doubles from £55pn. (artrochhostel.com)
Stylish Smart City Hostel offers rooms from £50pn. (smartcityhostels.com)
