Edinburgh over New Year

[musicposy]

We are going to Edinburgh from just after Christmas for 10 days. We went just for a couple of days last year for DH to do the Great Winter Run and the DDs were desperate to go for longer. So this year we have a proper cheap hotel but still holiday.

We're very excited but need plans for New Year's Eve. I know that Edinburgh is the place to be! However, the stuff in the middle looks to be tickets and not for under 16s. DD2 is 14 and I don't really want her in huge swarms of people getting crushed, she's still tiny for her age.

But, and here is the main problem, we are taking the dog with us. DDog would probably cope with fireworks at a distance as she's had no problem with them before but very close swarming crowds will be more of a problem and spook her a bit. I was wondering if there was somewhere a bit calmer that we could go but still see some of the atmosphere. I'm probably asking the impossible!

Alternatively we could stay in the travelodge hotel and get drunk though maybe not my 14 year old or the dog but it seems a shame to go to Edinburgh and not see something of Hogmanay.

Any suggestions, Edinburgh people (or Scottish with any alternative ideas, we could drive a little way if need be)?

The street party will be awful for you. It's no good for kids and bloody awful with a dog. Actually, it's bloody awful unless you are 21.

There's loads of options - but stay away from town centre.

Carlton hill or Arthur's seat are great places to watch the fireworks, Carlton hill busy but close to the action (you can hear the street party) and Arthur's seat is busy but massive so plenty of space, but further away so you can see but not hear the music.

Which travelodge are you in? If you are inside the cordons they'll give you street passes anyway, so don't bother applying for any if you do fancy it.

Take a walk up Calton Hill is on the east side of Princes Street, it's beautiful and has a lot of character, instead of heading to the street party, take a walk up there and watch right over the street party, you can see the whole of princes street from there, all the party, music (not as loud as standing in it) and it's not busy, so great for your dog, you can even see the castle from there (which is obviously where the fireworks are set off from on the bells) truly magical! We done it a couple years back and would definitely consider it again! When you get to Edinburgh check the spot out see what you think enjoy!!

Calton hill.

Bloody iPhone autocorrected it

Also, bear in kind that wherever you are going, you are walking... So it does depend a bit on your hotel. If you are at the west end you'll need to go though the street party anyway. Which would be a nightmare. Or take a really long route round.

I recommend Calton hill too. It's a perfect spot. It's probably where I will be Arthurs seat and the crags are good but you do get some nutters setting off fireworks really close to people, might not be good for the dog.

You might be able to find a venue with a New Year package (dinner, drinks, piper / whatever) that may suit you more than the street party, although a dog might make that more tricky.

I'd be inclined to go Calton Hill with a hip flask and soak up the atmosphere New Years Eve. Other days there will be plenty to do. Options with DC and DDog limited for NY. Of course getting street party tickets doesn't mean that you can't bail out, so if they are not expensive for you, it's an option.

I will confess to living in Edinburgh for 15 years but never attending the street party because I feel the cold (would happily attend it if the temp was above 20 degrees, but erm, it's Edinburgh, it will be bitingly cold and windy, if not rainy) and the one year I had tickets, it was cancelled (high winds).

If you do go, wrap up really warm. Edinburgh has relatively fortunate weather compared to the rest of Scotland in the summer (less wet) but it does get incredibly cold and Princes St is quite exposed.

Oh yeah, Arthurs Seat is lovely however:

• Some bugger (possibly some bugger I know based on previous years will probably set the gorse on fire)

• It's a slog to get up so dress accordingly.

• Likely no toilets. I have IBD so this is a dealbreaker for me often - YMMW

Calton Hill is central, so might be easier and while it's steep, I wouldn't be concerned about getting up it if no disabilities etc.

These are so helpful, thank you!

We are on the A720 Dreghorn Link (there's a romantic place to stay for Christmas ) so on the south side and far enough out that we will need to drive in just a little bit. We know where it is as we stayed there last year (cheaper than the others and the parking is free) but it is a little removed from the centre.

I wondered about Arthur's seat as we climbed that last winter and dog had a whale of a time but it sounds as though Calton hill is the place to go (especially if PosyNarker has dodgy acquaintances going to Arthur's Seat ). We will check it out before NYE so we know where we are going. It's exactly the sort of thing we were after, a good view, a bit removed from all the main crowds.

No toilets is something I struggle with too! We're all fit and healthy and can climb a hill no problem. Will take on board everything about wrapping up warm. Last winter when we went it was about 10 degrees C the whole time which was actually warmer than the weather back here down south. I think we might have got a bit of a false impression!

My New Year's Eve sorted. I love MN

If you are at Dreghorn then there are closer hills to go up - Pentlands probably closest or Blackford hill - check out a proper map. I've watched the fireworks from there (pentlands) before - slightly less impressive when you are looking down rather than up, but quiet and no crowds - take your own booze. We went up there on Millenium New Years (I was pregnant) and there was till only about a dozen people