Edinburgh

by **Ann-Helen** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 7:23 am

Hello

Week 12 we`re going to Edinburgh .
I was wondering if you have any tips of where to eat , best haggis different whiskyshops and other things that would be fun . Bare in mind our children are coming along too they are 3 and 5 years old.

by **Aidan** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 10:14 am

Royal Mile Whiskies on the Royal Mile should be visited, I think. And there are fudge shops there too...

The Whisky Heritage Centre is also worth a visit, although I don't know where the kids would fit in here.

by **TheLaddie** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 12:20 pm

You have to do the Amber Restaurant at the Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre if you can get a baby sitter for the evening.

Nicolson's remains very good (though I haven't been for a year or two now) Watch out for Harry Potter fans though.

Deep fried battered Haggis (widely available) is an experience not to be missed (though your coronary arteries would suggest not having it for every meal.

Royal Mile has to be the best shop to visit, but The Whisky Shop in the precinct next to the station is pretty friendly and has a good, tightly packed, selection. Some good high end (expensive) stuff as well (knowing your tastes Ann-Helen...)

I'm up in Edinburgh next month on a conference for a weekend. I feel some purchases coming on...

by **Ann-Helen** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 1:48 pm

Expensive, my taste ,never

by **r900p** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 1:55 pm

Jenners department store toy department is a must for the kids. Also the dungeons, don't know about ages so may be a bit scary if to young, but if you leave jenners and go across the park, the main street to walk up to the Royal Mile is really steep you'll notice it, but at the bottom of the hill is the dungeons. Sorry i don't know roads or anthing but directions etc should be on the web.

There are several whisky shop shops (whiskyshop.com), have a look on there website for where they are.

Rob

by **Wave** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 5:12 pm

Royal Mile has to be the best shop to visit, but The Whisky Shop in the precinct next to the station is pretty friendly and has a good, tightly packed, selection. Some good high end (expensive) stuff as well (knowing your tastes Ann-Helen...)

The Whisky Shop isn't in Princess Mall any more, at least they weren't in June as they were remodelling the mall then. The two I know of, one is on Princess Street west and the other is on the other side of the castle at 28 Victoria Street, actually just a stones throw from Royal Mile Whiskies. Another shop that can't be missed for the whisky enthusiast is the Cadenhead Shop about 4~5 blocks down from RMW at 172 Canongate. Actually its easier to walk there first (using North Bridge) and then up to RMW, Cockburn St. (what r900p is talking about) is a real bear (if in a car check your brakes first!), although there are some really neat shops there up along the way.

I haven't seen the toy department at Jenners but I'll bet it's tops, it's a big store (4 floors?) with lots to look at and buy. The top floor has a very nice gormeut food shop and the 1st floor is a womans Mecca :shock:

with tons of stuff packed inbetween. 1st class!

Cheers!

by **vitara7** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 6:05 pm

the whisky shop i princess mall has moved. its now on the middle floor, not the bottom floor now

by **Spirit of Islay** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 6:12 pm

Wave wrote:
The Whisky Shop isn't in Princess Mall any more, at least they weren't in June as they were remodelling the mall then.

Darrens back in Princes Mall now , haven't been in since the re-opening which i think was at the end of last year . Don't forget Baxters store in Ocean terminal (where the Royal Yacht is) , they have quite a few nice rare ones , plus if you get the 22 from outside Waverley you can sightsee the Vaults on the way down , unfortunately having 2 young-uns you won't be able to take them into The Vaults .
Now if you go down to the Whisky shop on Victoria Street (opposite the Bow bar) there is a shop next to it that lets you bottle cask whiskies into unusual bottles , it's called Demijohns . http://www.demijohn.co.uk/browse.asp?ca ... at=Spirits

by **Wave** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 6:29 pm

Darrens back in Princes Mall now

Excellent! For this rail-ridding gent it's a great location for that last stop!
I've come away from there with some fine Port Ellen's.

Another note for Ann-Helen:
Don't forget your camera!!!!

Cheers!

by **BruceCrichton** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 9:53 pm

Jenners has an excellent, and well priced, whisky department with loads of stuff from G&M and Douglas Laing.

Also go down the royal mile to visit Cadenhead's for some unchillfiltered bottlings and the bargain but Campbeltown Loch 21 yr for £25

by **Di Blasi** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 11:02 pm

For the kids, Camera Obscura opposite the Scotch Whisky Heritage on the Royal Mile. Everyone else has given the best reccomendations I enjoyed for whisky shopping, and the Bow Bar, for whisky and ale! Have fun Ann-Helen!!

by **Deactivated Member** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 3:35 am

Aidan wrote:The Whisky Heritage Centre is also worth a visit, although I don't know where the kids would fit in here.

Actually, I think the barrel ride is better suited to kids than to adults. Your kids are probably a bit too young to get anything out of it, Ann-Helen, but generally it's not a bad way to introduce kids to what whisky is all about.

The Bow Bar is great, but not kid-friendly. No food. Can anyone think of a pub that would offer child-worthy food and atmosphere, and a few good malts for Mom and Dad?

by **Wave** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 5:18 am

Code: Select all: Can anyone think of a pub that would offer child-worthy food and atmosphere, and a few good malts for Mom and Dad?

I'd say The Train Station(?) pub on The Royal Mile, good food (excellent pizza!) and a good selection of ales & spirits, I've also eaten at the one in Perth where they still have the lunch buffet. :wink:

Cheers!

by **martin grant** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 10:09 am

MrTattieHeid wrote: Can anyone think of a pub that would offer child-worthy food and atmosphere, and a few good malts for Mom and Dad?

I would try the Caley Bar, in the Caledonian Hilton hotel at the west end of Princes Street. Child friendly, decent lunch and a huge selection of malts

by **karlejnar** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 10:14 pm

Wave wrote:I'd say The Train Station(?) pub on The Royal Mile, good food (excellent pizza!) and a good selection of ales & spirits, I've also eaten at the one in Perth where they still have the lunch buffet.

I take it you mean "The Filling Station"
We have enjoyed many a good meal in the one's in Edinburgh and Stirling.
Also the one in Perth, but we didn't find that one particularly "friendly", as my wife is a wheelchair-user. So we had to sit "downstairs" while everyone else were "upstairs".

BTW: Just googled for The Filling Station, and came across this interactive map of nearby pubs in Edinbugh. Might be usefull
http://www.edinburghpubguide.co.uk/PubD ... e_177.html

by **The Dazzler** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 11:31 pm

Hi,

plenty for kids to do in Edinburgh, you have the zoo, the castle, childhood museum on the Royal Mile and Dynamic Earth further down. Also the Scottish Museum on Chambers Street which at the moment has Dolly The Sheep, (stuffed) on display.

There is also beaches at Portobello or at Crammond, (weather permitting). At Crammond you can try to cross to Crammond Island when the tide is out and make it back before getting stranded, excellent views of the bridges from here. If you travel over the Forth bridge, (by road or by rail) you can visit the sea life centre at North Queensferry

Most good whisky pubs don't cater for the weans but after a climb up Arthurs Seat if you find the Sheeps Heid pub it is well worth a visit for lunch, one of the oldest pubs in Scotland it serves good food and a good beer garden if its nice weather, they also have a decent selection of malts and fine ales and a wee mini bowling alley, I am sure kids are welcome here.

Most of the Scottish restaurants serve a good haggis, I really enjoy Jacksons on the Royal Mile. Plenty of pubs doing pub fare also sell haggis, my reccomendation is the Albanach on the Royal Mile with a vast selection of malts on show also.

Slainte!!

by **Ann-Helen** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 7:50 am

So many good suggestiones. thank you all !

So I understand that children can not accompany us and eat at a whiskypub or is this just at night if it is; after what hour is it that our kids can not eat at the pub?

by **les taylor** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 11:32 am

Ann-Helen could you get your youngest child to stand on the shoulders of the oldest one. Put on a long coat, top hat false moustache. You could then smugggle them in the pub four dinners for the price of three. Job done everyone happy. No cost for baby sitters. :wink:

by **Ann-Helen** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 6:22 pm

I can picture that ,Les :lol:

by **les taylor** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 7:27 pm

MAGIC

by **mithril** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 9:31 pm

Aidan wrote:The Whisky Heritage Centre is also worth a visit, although I don't know where the kids would fit in here.

The kids will likely enjoy the barrel ride that's part of the tour and juice is provided to underage visitors as I recall from the last time I visited (Sept 2006). As for places to eat, we really enjoyed Deacon Brodie's on the Royal Mile as well as a couple of the pubs on Rose Street. If you're in the mood for a curry there was a great place on Victoria Street (just off the Royal Mile) of which the name currently escapes me.

by **thehighking** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 11:13 pm

Don't forget Cadenheads (also on Royal Mile I believe), but I don't know how the kids will fit in.

They will like the Castle, though.

by **Ann-Helen** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 7:08 am

Only 2 days left then we`re leaving

I`m so looking forward to this.
I think we`re all gonna have a nice trip.
I don`t think neither cadenheads or any other whisky thing is gonna be a problem since our kids tag along everywhere we go so they are used to this .
I think that it is importent to make sure that if you`re doing F ex whiskyshops In between you have to do some kid stuff .
It takes some planning ahead.
That`s why I needed some input.

Again thank you all !!

by **Deactivated Member** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 7:21 am

Do enjoy your trip and let us all know where you visited and what you bought when you return.
MT

by **Di Blasi** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 1:45 pm

Have a great trip Ann-Helen!!! Looking forward to hearing about it and what wonderful whiskies you pick up!

by **les taylor** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 2:37 pm

Ann-Helen don't forget the disguises for the children.

by **Ann-Helen** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 2:48 pm

yes. Les I will try not to forget!