Edinburgh Places to Go
From major cities to the off-the-beaten-track destinations, we’ve got this place covered. We’ll share the hidden gems that only a local can discover.
3 Day tour of the Isle of Skye with Macbackpackers
“Carry the lad that’s born to be King
Over the sea to Skye”
– Skye Boat Song –
Shrouded in mystery and myth, the Isle of Skye is a magical place with enough history to fill more than one text book. Join Macbackpackers, an independent Scottish owned tour company, on their 3 day exploration of legends and history, faeries and warriors, love and war as you journey from Edinburgh through the highlands and up to Skye.
Day 1
Leaving on a Friday morning we are met by our kilted guide, Neil Mclennan. After picking up the rest of the troops we head out of the city on our faithful steed, the Macbackpacker bus. Neil is a fantastic story teller and is soon entertaining us with legends and stories. Our first stop is “The Hermitage” (see photo left) , where, Neil reveals, he was possibly once approached by faeries who hoped to lure him to their kingdom. There is certainly a strange magical feel about the place for sure.Killicrankie is our picnic spot where Neil enthusiastically recreates the highland charge that scared the shite out of the British troops. A brief stop at Culloden Battle Field to pay homage to the many men who lost their lives in this historic battle, a battle that was surely a turning point in Scottish history. Nearing the end of a long day of traveling we search for Nessie at Loch Ness and dip our feet in the frigid water. Finally pulling into Kyleakin Town on the Isle of Skye in the early evening.
Date: July 22nd, 2008 |
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Deacon Brodie’s Tavern
Leave it to a pub to glorify an 18th century burglar in such a way as to turn the pub into a tourist attraction and the burglar into a celebrity.
Deacon Brodie’s Tavern on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile gets its name from a former resident of the city, a cabinet maker and city councillor who rose to the rank of deacon of his guild. Deacon William Brodie was a respected member of society, rubbing elbows with Edinburgh’s upper crust as he also fitted their cabinets with locks.
This level of access apparently gave him the grand idea that since he was installing and repairing the lock mechanisms he could easily make copies of the keys while he was at it. Brodie then embarked on a second life, a nighttime life, of a burglar. Certainly, part of the allure of the burglary was the excitement of potentially being caught, but Brodie also had developed something of a gambling habit - and the goods he stole helped to fund his addiction.
Brodie’s double life is said to have inspired the famous tale of “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” but even if that’s a stretch Brodie’s real-life adventures are interesting enough on their own. Deacon Brodie’s Tavern showcases both sides of Brodie’s existence, one on either side of the pub’s sign hanging over the front door. You’ll see the “By Day” Brodie on one side, and the “By Night” Brodie on the other - complete with bag of stolen loot.
Date: October 8th, 2007 |
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All tours include…
Sorry…from the last post…tours include accomodation, passes, transport options within Edinburgh and free goodies. Check out VisitScotland for more.
Date: October 1st, 2006 |
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Tim’s embarrassing situation displayed for all the public to see
Tim’s a nice guy, a real Gentleman. He’s the kind of guy you meet who seems quiet at first but once he open’s up you find there’s plenty beneath the lid. I’m not talking double over head cams or sub woofers - he’s a smart fella and knows how to make you laugh. I was not at all surprised when I received a text message asking me to join him for a pint on Wednesday night. I was surprised however to learn he wanted to go to the walkabout, an uber-cheesy chain bar in the Omni centre that’s popular with travellers who don’t know where to go yet and locals who should no better. I reread the text message and it all made sense “Shitty bar but there’s a bikini comp on”.
Date: September 30th, 2006 |
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Acting the fool, taking the mickey and other forms of entertaining banter
I like taking the piss. I like it alot. I’m no sadist…if the person you’re taking the piss out of doesn’t actually know, it can’t be at their expense, right?
Date: September 29th, 2006 |
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St. Giles Cathedral
St. Giles Cathedral is not only Edinburgh’s most important church, it’s also the most important church in all of Scotland. It’s also sometimes called the High Kirk of Scotland, and is considered the place where the Presbyterian church was founded.
The church is dedicated to St. Giles, the patron saint of cripples and lepers, and the oldest parts of the structure dates from the early 12th century. John Knox, the founder of the Scottish Protestant Reformation and the Church of Scotland, preached at St. Giles from 1560 until his death in 1572, which is what helps to give the cathedral its current status as Scotland’s most important church. A statue of Knox is inside the church near the west end.
There are several interesting stained glass windows in St. Giles Cathedral, although the windows from the medieval era did not survive. Most of the windows worth mentioning are from the 19th and 20th centuries and depict both religious scenes and also non-religious things - like Scotland’s favorite poet, Robert Burns. The church’s organ is also worth noting, although it’s a recent addition (1992), because of the glass panel in the back that lets you see the instrument’s inner workings.
Date: October 15th, 2007 |
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Museum of Childhood
Travel has a way of bringing out the kid in everyone - diet and curfew be damned! You get to let loose your inner child and do just as you please for the duration of your holiday. Which is why a visit to the Edinburgh Museum of Childhood is so perfectly appropriate.
Located right on the Royal Mile, the Museum of Childhood is chock full of toys and other items children have found interesting for generations. It was originally opened in 1955, and was the world’s first museum to focus on the history of childhood. Then Edinburgh Town Councillor Patrick Murray thought it would be a good idea to open such a museum, and the museum’s continued success seems to have proved him right! Today, it’s billed as “the noisiest museum in the world,” which could be a selling point or a deterrent, depending on who you are.
Date: October 2nd, 2007 |
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Touring Edinburgh/Scotland
I’ve been ranting alot recently, and I’m thankful to get it all off my chest, but I thought it appropriate today to get back to some down to earth travel advice. It is afterall (supposed to be) a travel website first and a soapbox second 
I’ve come across several tours in Edinburgh and further afield to suit the culture buff, the historian, the drinkers, the nature enthusiasts as well as the casual sightseer.
VisitScotland organises a range of tours to suit all tastes. All tours include…
The Hogmanay break, taking in Edinburgh’s renowned New Year’s celebrations in the Princes …
Date: October 1st, 2006 |
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Mushroom hunting in the Scottish countryside
I was quite surprised to learn that up until recently, magic mushrooms had been legal in the UK. Magic mushrooms are the name given for the collection of different fungi that are imbibed for by a user in order to have a psychedelic experience. As far as I know, magic mushrooms have been classified as dangerous (or class A) drugs in most Western countries (bar Holland of course) for some time. A self-professed “friend of the fungi”, I was happy to learn that there remain legal ways of sourcing and enjoying fresh local fungi. Like the …
Date: September 30th, 2006 |
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Trainspotting and Trendsetting
Like any other metropolis, Edinburgh has its share of glitz and glamour, stoops and slums. The thing that has always intrigued me is the way that trend and fashion are often born in the precincts of the poor, only to be worn out by the machinations of popular culture and the lumbering action of the bandwagon. Edinburgh’s Leith district provides an illustration.
Date: September 26th, 2006 |
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