Am I mad to drive into Edinburgh?!

[krustykittens]

Myself and the kids would love to go to the Samhuinn Fire Festival on Halloween night BUT we live in the Borders and there is no way we could make the last train without missing a couple of hours of the performance. It seems daft to pay for tickets to an event you know you will have to leave very early. Is there a place I could park the car on the Borders side of the city and get a cab or bus in, should I just park at the airport (but will that not cost a small fortune?) or should we just give up on this as a bad idea? Thanks in advance!

Yes loads of options! P&Rs at Shawfair and Straiton but I'd probably take the car closer and park closer to the centre and get a Lothian Bus (see route planner on Lothian Bus website, its very user friendly). Which road are you coming up on (A7, A68, A702 etc) and where is the event being held?

I drive into Edinburgh frequently. I avoid the festival and Hogmanay, but otherwise, its fine!

It will be manic but if you drive on early you can park in the multi storey in kings stables road. You will have to pay for it. The parade is free, what tickets are you buying? I go for free every year.

Oh, that is brilliant, thank you! We really want to go but we have newly arrived in the Borders and normally get the train. People have told us we would be mad to try and drive in! The event is at Calton Hill, so very central. It is not over until midnight but if there are crowds at it, it would take a while to get away.

Ah right the Calton hill bit you pay for but you can watch the parade on
The Royal mile for free

Hello, it isn't free, tickets are £8 for adults via Citizen Tickets. It used to be free when held on the Royal Mile.

definitely a better idea to drive into Edinburgh, go in plenty time, lots of parking at castle terrace/king stables road or fountain park/streets around there. which will still be cheaper than a taxi.

Likethebattle I don't mind paying for parking at all, so thanks for the tip about Kings Stables. I had a look on the website for the event and the organisers say it is a ticketed event? beltane.org/about-samhuinn/

I'm not familar with the event, but could you park at Meadowbank (shopping centre) or London Road and get the bus along a few stops/walk? Or even park in Restalrig (houses) & walk/bus?

Use the A702 then A703 and you can use the park and ride at Straiton. Free to park, easy to get to and the buses are every ten mins in and out of the city centre.

Alternatively, use the A7 and park a train station. Go into town that way

Enjoy!

Park in the residential streets in the Grange or Newington and walk in. It's about half an hour to calton hill or you can get Lothian buses depending on where you park (no. 5 covers both).

Don't park in kings stables road because loads of the streets between you and it will be access only for Hogmanay ticket holders.

Don't rely on cabs and buses to get you back to where you park for the same reason.

for calton hill you can still get parked in leith or the omni centre, I'd go but get there early to get parked.

I understand the entire festival has now moved to Calton Hill, gates open at 7.

I'm an idiot. You're asking about Halloween, not Hogmanay. Sorry.

You could drive in to somewhere like the Mayfield area if you're coming from the Borders, and park in one of the residential streets and get the bus. On the way back if all the buses are crowded you'd be close enough to walk to your car (if your kids can walk that distance - it's a couple of miles from Calton Hill).

I don't think samhuinn goes down the royal mile anymore? I think they changed it, so the set up is now similar to the Beltane spring/summer festival.

I think you'll be fine driving in. I don't think samhuinn is that busy? Not like Hogmanay or anything. If I were you I'd try to park somewhere around meadowbank. From there it won't take you too long to get out of town via the A1.

My girls are young teenagers and taller than me, so will have no problem walking! Thank you all for the replies, we are really excited now! I have been very nervous about driving into Edinburgh previously so this opens a lot of possibilities for us - like the theatre!

Yeah I used to live near Straiton, the park and ride facilities are spot on. Driving in Edinburgh is fine, but when big events are on the buses are generally quicker due to the bus lanes and the drivers take no prisoners mentality

Sounds like youve got a plan OP, enjoy the festival!

*you've

Park at Meadowbank shopping centre and walk. It would only take 15/20 minutes

Right, tickets are booked and the kids are hopping around the house with excitement! I wish I had asked you all about this last year!

We did just this a few days ago from Kelso, loads of competition on the street for parking so we paid 8 50 to park in the castle car park. First time I had ever driven into Edinburgh, piece of cake, just follow the signs.

Loads of places you could park for free about 20/30 minutes walk away. Meadowbank way or somewhere to south like off Clerk street.

Driving into Edinburgh from the south is really easy. You could also probably park for free at hermisten gate so just round bypass. And then get tram in

I lived many years ago near the top of leith walk, between leith walk and Easter road. Calton Hill was only a 10 mins walk from there... Id have a look to see if you could park on those streets! Round about Montgomery street/brunswick Street!