Edinburgh end of August.

[Bodgedboxdye]

Hey.

Does anyone know what Edinburgh will be like due to COVID at the end of august? Will places be open? (Castle, shops)

Thank you.

@WaxOnFeckOff I read about that, then it slipped my mind and you’ve just reminded me.

I’m gunna make sure we’re around for that. I might not say anything about it though. 😏

It's just a loud bang and a puff of smoke but you might get it on camera if you are ready, need to be on the westish end of Princes street

@Invisimamma I know. I tried booking the castle last week, but they’re doing the bookings in stages, so will have to book before we go.

@WaxOnFeckOff as we haven’t really booked anything for Thursday, I’m going to try and get everyone excited for Stirling. I think they’ll enjoy a day out somewhere else. (: I’m going to have to make a list of all the things you’ve mentioned so I remember. ❤️❤️

No worries, I'm usually about somewhere on here if you need any local info.

I’ll be honest, I wouldn’t pay the money for Edinburgh Castle. I felt seriously ripped off when my DH & I paid a few years ago. Stirling however is definitely worth it, chalk and cheese.
I also wouldn’t bother visiting Glasgow.

@FelicityPike Tuesday was meant to be for Edinburgh castle, but we could always swap it for Stirling.

Will I be sad I didn’t go? 🙃🙃

[quote Bodgedboxdye]@FelicityPike Tuesday was meant to be for Edinburgh castle, but we could always swap it for Stirling.

Will I be sad I didn’t go? 🙃🙃[/quote]
I just thought it was a half empty shell, a collection of buildings (similar to the Tower or London). I expected a CASTLE castle (like Stirling). Hardly anything to see or hold my interest. I just thought it was a lot of money for next to nothing. I do love the esplanade and it’s views though.
I understand why tourists flock to the castle, but again, in my opinion there are much better, nicer castles in Scotland.

Have you considered visiting East Lothian? Very close to Edinburgh and lots of lovely beaches - Gullane and Yellowcraigs are our favourites. Archerfield Walled Garden is good too, cafe is back open, lovely gardens and fairy trail (although your daughters are probably too old!). Yellowcraigs beach is a couple of minutes from Archerfield. Lots of lovely towns/villages too. I’d avoid North Berwick though, lots of things shut and not a lot of space in the town as streets are quite narrow.

Lots of good eating options too - The Bonnie Badger in Gullane, The Ducks Inn in Aberlady, really really great fish and chips and ice cream in lots of places (Alanda’s ice cream in NB is legendary and they have a fish and chip shop in Prestonpans).

Also - Glasgow is wonderful but a lot of the reasons to visit are still closed. Come back when more things are open!

We are off to Edinburgh too in a couple of weeks - some really good prices on apartments/ hotels at the mo. Last time I went was for the festival years ago so I'm sure it'll be a very different experience but with 3 DC and a dog in tow that was always going to be the case as it rules out the zoo and botanics. Also going to spend some time on the coast in Fife which I'm looking forward too although I suspect will be busy as nearly all holiday accommodation looks booked up...

@Lega yeah, we got accommodation really cheap.

@Lizzosflute honestly, we hadn’t really looked at places out of Edinburgh until everyone suggested it. (:

Would it be possible to do East Lothian and Stirling in the same day?

Wednesday is the only day we’ve kind of got booked. I’m taking my daughter to The Dome for afternoon tea, my partner is taking his daughter to see Edinburgh Dungeons. We could possibly fit some Edinburgh stuff in there. (:

Would it be possible to do East Lothian and Stirling in the same day? Fine if you don't really want to do anything.

Depending on where you are staying, Edinburgh to Stirling is about an hour. East Lothian is (funnily enough ) on the East side of Edinburgh and stirling to the West and North so youd be at least an hour and half (depending on by pass traffic) between Stirling and East Lothian. You could feasibly do Edinburgh to Stirling, do stuff and then head across to Fife and stay reasonably close to the bridges and come back over the forth into Edinburgh that way. you could do a beach at say Aberdour if you wanted a beach?

Other Fife folk might be able to direct you better. Aberdour is the closest beach to Stirling as far as I know though Loch Lomond in the other direction is similar I think

@WaxOnFeckOff as I wrote it I thought “bet they’re all on the opposite sides of each other” 🤣

We’re staying on the outskirts of Edinburgh, not actually in it. I’ll have a look and see where it is. (:

Had a goose, we’re actually quite close to Leith.

Edinburgh is pretty small city wise but the bypass has particular clog points and various times which make going from one side to the other quite painful, it also has 20pmh zones pretty much all over inside the bypass which makes slow going as well. Stirling is tiny city wise. Population about 40k I think.

@WaxOnFeckOff and I bet it’s crap for parking. 😬

I defo want to do Stirling castle now. Might try get that in for the Tuesday. (:

I’m so grateful to you all. I was already excited, now I’m really excited. 🤣🤣🤣

i haven't tried to park there in years, we never drive into the city anymore. We either get the train or park up near my mum's old house which is on the tram line and jump on the tram.

@WaxOnFeckOff I’d rather walk/tram it as we can see more than in the car.

I’m not sure if there’s a tram near where we are, when I googled it, it didn’t look trammy. Just a road with cars. (:

Last stop on the tram is just at the top of Leith walk/East end of Princes street approx. Then it goes right out to the airport. there is talk of extending it down Leith but Edinburgh and Trams is long running saga..

Bus services are pretty comprehensive but legs cost nothing :)

If you’re near leith, pop down to Newhaven for fish and chips at ’The Fishmarket.’ It was recently on the BBC’s remarkable places to eat program and luckily is at the end of my street 😀

As we’re only 5 mins from Leith, it’s on the cards.

Think New Haven is about 15. But still totally doable. (:

National Museum of Scotland is reopening on 19th, but only the ground floor and first floor galleries, approximately half of the museum. The remainder will be subject to a phased opening.

Most of the things kids will be interested in are on the first floor along to the right-hand side, but the upper floors house a lot of the Natural History exhibits etc, so initially it will definitely feel like half a museum in terms of content. It's across the street from Greyfriars Kirk though, so if it's open and recovered from it's former quagmire state, you could do both of those in a couple of hours.

About a 2 minute walk in the opposite direction is the Surgeon's Hall Museum, which is definitely open, and though it's quite gruesome it is absolutely fascinating and well worth a visit.

@WaxOnFeckOff

If you have the car then a trip to Cramond might be good? If you time the tides right you can walk out to the island but allow enough time to get back.

Things are starting to open up. I noticed that our local (Stirling) old town jail tour is restarting so similar will be opening up in Edinburgh. Definitely get on line and plan and book, even get some restaurants sorted. Locally to me we still need a slot for the chippy takeaway on weekends.

Some nice drives and walks down by Peebles and delicious ice cream and local butchers pies.

Cramond Island is still closed but numerous people climbed the fences and went across anyway. The local life boat have put up a number of posts regarding how they are still having to rescue people who get stranded there. But the walk along the river Almond is lovely or along to Silverknowes.

Thanks Groovee, didn't know it was closed, we had a thread about it last week - ish.

Friends posted a picture from the walk yesterday, they aren't the climb the gate type though?