Edinburgh Nights

By Dick Straughan

I normally coincide visits to Edinburgh with really busy occasions in the city such as rugby internationals. So this time I decided to try travelling in August and bumped into the Fringe Festival and Military Tattoo.

If Edinburgh were not so geared up to handling such vast amounts of people from all around the globe with a cheerful efficiency which makes the levels of customer service encountered in much of England seem positively hostile, there would be a painful irony in my lack of planning.

But the truth is that this city of some half a million souls is totally at ease with itself and that rubs off on the inhabitants. I mean, where else do taxi drivers get off their backsides at 6am on a wet Monday morning to help you with you bags?

With the Cornish Pirates travelling to the suburb of Balerno on December 11 th to lock horns with Currie RFC in the British & Irish Cup I`m guessing that there will be a few folk planning weekends in the Scottish capital already. If you have been there before you will know what to expect but if not read on.

I`m not going to bore you with facts and figures and ancient history – you can do that to yourselves. And if all your partner wants are shops then there are more than enough to keep them quiet in the Princes Street area, whilst you nip off to the match. My aim is simply to provide a few practical tips on how to maximise your time in the Windy City.

As for getting there the Pirates are running a charter flight to take the team and a small amount of supporters to the game. The downside is that it is simply a there and back in a day job for the princely sum of £250 www.cornish-pirates.com

Flights from Newquay to Edinburgh are seasonal with Flybe and stop at the end of October. Air southwest operate only to Glasgow which means that you will have to venture up to Exeter or even Bristol to catch a scheduled service.

You can get a train from Penzance but unless you have several days and enough money to match the annual budget of Belgium at your disposal that may not be the best option. There is a daily coach service from Penzance to Edinburgh but it involves adopting a series of tortuous stress positions in what passes for a seat, takes about as long as a flight to Australia and stops at some rather obscure northern bus stations en route.

If you take the train you will alight at Waverley Station which is very central and just off Princes Street. There are taxis and buses in abundance close by.

A taxi from the airport to the city centre will cost about £20 which is value for money if you are travelling in a group. Most licensed cabs can seat six passengers. If you prefer the bus there is a regular service with Airlink which will set you back around £6 for a return ticket.

Once in the city much of both the Old Town and New Town is accessible on foot but if you need transport a taxi will set you back around £5 for most short distance trips. There are ranks in several locations but you can find one at either end of Princes Street at the railway station and the Hilton Caledonian Hotel.

Buses operate on a 24-hour service but the night buses charge a flat fare of £3 anywhere. Be sure to have the exact money in pound coins or you won’t be getting on. At other times exact fares are required although day tickets may work out cheaper for you needs.

As for accommodation, well there’s lots of it to meet all budgets. From the rather grand Hilton Caledonian at the top end to a selection of Travelodge’s at the family end of the scale all you need to do is set your search engine to work. If you are really skint there are several hostels around the Royal Mile where, judging by the aromas on the evening breeze outside, you are pretty certain of a good time!

I plumped for a Travelodge at Learmonth Terrace not far from the city centre. The cabbie who took me there reckoned it was too posh a street for a budget hotel and he may be right. But I didn`t hear anyone local complaining. Somehow I ended up in a room modified for people with disabilities which didn`t reflect badly on the facility itself at all – I could have re-enacted the Battle of Waterloo in there complete with Prussian Cavalry such was its size.

The walk-in shower was big enough for half a dozen people although I didn`t get a chance to test that theory, and all the handrails and bars made the early hours trip to the loo in total darkness an absolute doddle.

A cooked buffet breakfast – get your wallet out – along with a twenty-four hour bar caters for the hungry and the insomniacs amongst the guests whilst a bus stop directly outside provides a regular link to the city centre.

If you have got time a visit to the castle is a must and you won’t need directions unless you spend all day staring at the floor. It dominates the skyline. Along the Royal Mile are enough tourist experiences to fill your time but I would recommend The Scotch Whisky Experience scotchwhiskyexperience.co.uk which if you like a dram or three is a tour worth taking.

There is no shortage of pubs and bars as you might expect in any cosmopolitan city and food outlets cater for pretty much any taste. Bella Italia on Hanover Street provided big dishes of pasta and quick service whilst Wee Windaes www.weewindaes.co.uk on the Royal Mile offers a more traditional Scottish menu in relaxed surroundings.

If it is a good curry you want I would highly recommend Ignite (272-274 Morrison St, Haymarket) www.igniterestaurant.com which was suggested by a taxi driver and turned out to be a real gem.

So what to do after dinner? Well admittedly it will be December when the trusty Pirates fans make it to Scotland’s capital and probably a bit chilly so why not jump on one of the tourist buses which circumnavigate the city.

There are several companies all operating slightly different tours and with pick-up points at various locations. The cost is around £12 (adult) for a 24-hour ticket with most circuits of the city taking around 60 minutes. If you want to cover a lot of ground in a short space of time it is an ideal way to do it.

A weekend in Edinburgh is a good way to see a snapshot of the city but I`m pretty sure you will leave wanting to go back for more.

©Dick Straughan 2010

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