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Edinburgh Travel Guide: Essential Tips for First-Time Visitors · UK Travel Planning

• 0:01
  Intro: Welcome to the UK Travel Planning Podcast.
• 0:03
  Intro: Your host is the founder of the UK Travel Planning website, tracy Collins.
• 0:08
  Intro: In this podcast, tracy shares destination guides, travel tips and itinerary ideas, as well as interviews with a variety of guests who share their knowledge and experience of UK travel to help you plan your perfect UK vacation.
• 0:24
  Intro: Join us as we explore the UK from cosmopolitan cities to quaint villages, from historic castles to beautiful islands, and from the picturesque countryside to seaside towns.
• 0:38
  Tracy Collins: Hi and welcome to episode 26 of the UK Travel Planning Podcast.
• 0:41
  Tracy Collins: In this week's episode I'm joined by Doug Hello, we decided we would talk a little bit about Edinburgh this week.
• 0:48
  Tracy Collins: Well, a lot about Edinburgh, actually, because we're going to start this on Edinburgh this week completely and we realised we've done quite a few podcasts about Scotland.
• 0:55
  Tracy Collins: We've done Far North Scotland with Sally Ann from North Coast Explorers and we've talked about the North Scotland Coast.
• 1:01
  Tracy Collins: We've talked about our road trip around Scotland, but what we haven't done is actually specifically focused on Edinburgh.
• 1:07
  Tracy Collins: So that's what we thought we would do this week.
• 1:11
  Tracy Collins: Basically, we have got a very useful article on the website which is 20 tips for first time visitors to Edinburgh, so we're going to use that as the basis for this episode.
• 1:20
  Tracy Collins: I will go through it, obviously adding some extras based on our trip again this year.
• 1:25
  Tracy Collins: So a little bit background about our kind of relationship, I suppose, with Edinburgh is I've been visiting since I was a child because my mum has a very good friend who lives in Edinburgh, so I used to drive up quite a lot from Northumberland.
• 1:38
  Tracy Collins: I used to just about make it before I was sick.
• 1:40
  Tracy Collins: I used to get a car thick because it's not a very long drive and, doug, you've been in Edinburgh about a few times as well.
• 1:47
  Doug Collins: Yeah, many times.
• 1:47
  Doug Collins: I used to go many times from when I was a young lad, and they're working for the hour as well.
• 1:53
  Doug Collins: I visited so many times over the years and I actually worked in Edinburgh for a little while.
• 1:57
  Doug Collins: So, yeah, we both do it very well.
• 2:02
  Tracy Collins: Yeah, so we thought we would actually specifically, as I say, talk about Edinburgh today and some practical tips really for first time visitors to Edinburgh.
• 2:08
  Tracy Collins: I will just start off, actually, by saying just a bit of a dog and eyes actually is that it's pronounced Edinburgh, which I guess you know.
• 2:16
  Tracy Collins: Obviously you know, learn how to pronounce different names from North, but just to say that it's got an H at the end, so it's Edinburgh, it's not Edinburgh, because we quite often see it without the H at the end.
• 2:27
  Tracy Collins: So I know that's been an hippie book.
• 2:29
  Doug Collins: Many many, many times.
• 2:31
  Tracy Collins: We just already mentioned it.
• 2:32
  Tracy Collins: It's a good one to put in there so practical things, things to know before you visit.
• 2:36
  Tracy Collins: So the first thing I would actually start off with was saying is basically you need to be booking in advance.
• 2:41
  Tracy Collins: So once you've decided when you're going to go to Edinburgh we will talk about that in a minute is really you need to be booking things in advance.
• 2:48
  Tracy Collins: So you need to book in your accommodation and tickets and tours and things ahead of time, because Edinburgh can be particularly busy at certain times of the year.
• 2:58
  Doug Collins: That's right and it's busy all year round to a certain degree, because it's not just visitors overseas, it is a lot of people throughout the UK visit.
• 3:09
  Tracy Collins: Yeah, it is a very popular city, a very popular city with Brits and you know to go over there to go over there to go visit Edinburgh for a weekend away, that sort of thing, so that is a popular place for Brits to go.
• 3:24
  Doug Collins: And Automation, Sport and Events as well.
• 3:26
  Doug Collins: People visit.
• 3:26
  Tracy Collins: Yeah, that's true, Lots of sport and events and obviously there's been some recent.
• 3:30
  Tracy Collins: There's been some quite big names doing some concerts.
• 3:32
  Tracy Collins: I know Bruce Springsteen was there recently, in May I think it was.
• 3:35
  Tracy Collins: So, yeah, it's a popular city for really everybody to go visit.
• 3:40
  Tracy Collins: It's the capital city of Scotland and it's a very beautiful and ancient city with lots of lots of history.
• 3:46
  Tracy Collins: So you really have to think ahead to book things if you're planning to go to Edinburgh.
• 3:51
  Tracy Collins: So I'd say as well, if you're, One thing that we do recommend and I've talked about this in quite a few other podcasts, and that's, I guess, point number two is to kind of, you know, look at actually experiencing Scottish hospitality.
• 4:07
  Tracy Collins: So we I always advocate really, if you go to this outside of London, to look at going to B&Bs, really if you can, or guest houses, Because you get a far more genuine kind of experience.
• 4:19
  Tracy Collins: And we always say at the same, guest house in Edinburgh, although your guest house, because we know Murray who runs it.
• 4:26
  Tracy Collins: You know he's Scottish, born and bred from Edinburgh.
• 4:29
  Tracy Collins: So there's lots and lots of information.
• 4:31
  Doug Collins: It does, and it does the most fantastic Scottish breakfast as well.
• 4:35
  Tracy Collins: It does.
• 4:35
  Tracy Collins: That's absolutely true.
• 4:36
  Tracy Collins: So we found that really good location and really good value for money.
• 4:39
  Tracy Collins: It doesn't have parking, but you know if you're arriving by train, which is generally what we do, that's what we find.
• 4:45
  Doug Collins: And it's also Ryanix.
• 4:47
  Doug Collins: The Edinburgh bus station has the level of vision.
• 4:50
  Doug Collins: It's incredibly helpful.
• 4:53
  Tracy Collins: It is Well if you're planning to do a public transport around Scotland.
• 4:54
  Tracy Collins: It's a good place to be, whether you're going by train or by bus, really, so we found that excellent.
• 5:01
  Tracy Collins: So the third thing I'm going to mention is something that really you have to consider when you visit in Scotland Any time, any time you ever use to pack for the climate.
• 5:09
  Tracy Collins: So the weather in Edinburgh, as a sort of, can be variable.
• 5:14
  Tracy Collins: I remember in May last year when we visited, that we arrived on the Sunday and it was absolutely gorgeous.
• 5:21
  Tracy Collins: On China, I actually got a Sun tan.
• 5:22
  Tracy Collins: I've got a sunburn, I should say, and the sun tan from it.
• 5:25
  Tracy Collins: But Sunbird, oh, where's the next day?
• 5:27
  Tracy Collins: I've asked photos of me cover head to foot, with my leggings on a raincoat, on my willy hat, on gloves on.
• 5:35
  Tracy Collins: It was so cold and it just poured down with rain.
• 5:37
  Doug Collins: Yeah, it was wet.
• 5:39
  Tracy Collins: Absolutely, so you need to really think about the climate.
• 5:41
  Tracy Collins: When your package only is, there's always the thing to do and also, obviously, there's some fantastic shops, so I tend to buy stuff whenever I go to Edinburgh, so you can always buy things when you get there.
• 5:52
  Tracy Collins: But really, what you do need to consider as well is comfortable shoes.
• 5:57
  Doug Collins: Most definitely the.
• 5:58
  Doug Collins: There's so many Cobbles, particularly past the Royal Mile, and off the Royal Mile there's a couple of stones and steps and, you've got to be sure, fulfilled absolutely so.
• 6:09
  Tracy Collins: One thing as well Well, obviously, when you've got your packing, is think about how you're gonna get from.
• 6:14
  Tracy Collins: You know how you arrive in Edinburgh to your accommodation, so you know if you're you're gonna be going up and down steps.
• 6:20
  Tracy Collins: Maybe you need to think about transfer, but we will talk about that a bit.
• 6:23
  Tracy Collins: So the thing to do, as well as to consider and I did mention earlier when I said about booking head is to Consider when your book and what time of year that you're planning to book, because, like Doug said, edinburgh is a populous city throughout the year, but at particular times of year it is very busy and far more expensive to go.
• 6:41
  Tracy Collins: So you're probably wondering when those times are.
• 6:44
  Tracy Collins: So August August is when the Edinburgh Fringe Festival is on.
• 6:50
  Tracy Collins: It's when the tattoo is on, so it's incredibly busy in Edinburgh.
• 6:55
  Tracy Collins: So if you want to go, then you really need to book well ahead, and the second time if you had to visit would be to consider very carefully.
• 7:02
  Tracy Collins: Booking ahead is Hogan money.
• 7:03
  Tracy Collins: Hogan money.
• 7:04
  Tracy Collins: Yeah, so that is the new year in Scotland.
• 7:07
  Tracy Collins: So if you want to book that, make sure that you do that ahead of time because it does get very, very busy.
• 7:13
  Tracy Collins: Also, you didn't think if you're, you know that again the time of year.
• 7:17
  Tracy Collins: So if you go in the in the winter months you're gonna get far less daylight, so that's also worth considering.
• 7:23
  Tracy Collins: And it will get darker earlier, will get dark, it will be, you know, light later on the in the morning, so you're gonna have far less time.
• 7:31
  Tracy Collins: I guess if you want to get out and about to explore Good months to go and time when we tend to visit, our kind of May June we weren't visit, we weren't May last year during the shed in me, yeah and then also a good time to go is September and October.
• 7:45
  Tracy Collins: They're also pretty good months to do here, even in December.
• 7:48
  Doug Collins: You know we've been very lucky in the past when it's been a bright, freezing cold, clear day about some beautiful bars out.
• 7:55
  Doug Collins: I was there once when it was there snow in heaven, well, which was beautiful really.
• 7:59
  Tracy Collins: Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
• 8:00
  Tracy Collins: Well, we'll be going again this December, so hopefully we'll.
• 8:03
  Tracy Collins: We can see it, maybe a bit of leaf, it was a little bit snow so also by a new itinerary in advance.
• 8:09
  Tracy Collins: So we have got itinerary suggestions on the website as well as lots of guides about what sort of things to do in Edinburgh.
• 8:16
  Tracy Collins: But really you need to consider what things that you want to do that may get booked up.
• 8:21
  Tracy Collins: So I know in our Facebook group the other day somebody was saying about Edinburgh Castle that they had tried to get tickets or a Tour and they couldn't.
• 8:28
  Tracy Collins: It was fully booked.
• 8:29
  Tracy Collins: Another thing is to think about if you want to go to the Palace of Honourud House, for example.
• 8:34
  Tracy Collins: That's closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, except during the peak months of July and August.
• 8:39
  Tracy Collins: So you know, if that's something that you really want to visit and it is worth it highly recommend it you need to consider you know if you're at going outside the time of July and August that you need to consider.
• 8:50
  Tracy Collins: You know what days you are going so that you can book ahead of those places.
• 8:53
  Tracy Collins: So next tip that I would think of is Basically to think about the free things that they are.
• 9:02
  Doug Collins: Yeah, there's many, many free things, my favorite being Some that I finally accomplished last year when that walked to the top of Arthur's seat.
• 9:11
  Tracy Collins: Yeah, and actually I was gonna talk about that a little bit later, but we can do.
• 9:14
  Tracy Collins: We're going a little bit more detail, but the subject can talk about what Arthur's seat is and I know in a previous podcast With with Wendy who visited with her husband from Sydney and they they had watched Doug's video.
• 9:27
  Tracy Collins: He did a little video of his walk up Arthur's seat and they decided to do it themselves.
• 9:31
  Tracy Collins: Yeah, I had two takes so I could do it.
• 9:33
  Tracy Collins: That's my excuse.
• 9:36
  Tracy Collins: But there are lots of free things to do.
• 9:39
  Tracy Collins: There's the, you know, scottish National Gallery, there's a Royal Botanic Gardens, a quark around the grass market and obviously the Royal Mile, dean Village, which we visited this year.
• 9:47
  Tracy Collins: I've got some beautiful photos of Dean Village.
• 9:49
  Tracy Collins: It's become a more popular so you know it's a bit more touristy now.
• 9:53
  Tracy Collins: So you know, go earlier and on in the day.
• 9:55
  Tracy Collins: Really, if you want photos.
• 9:56
  Tracy Collins: St Giles Cathedral, right, this museum you can get out and leave.
• 10:01
  Tracy Collins: There's just a lot of free things that you can do when you're in Edinburgh.
• 10:05
  Tracy Collins: So obviously we'll get us about how to get around.
• 10:09
  Doug Collins: Yeah, so your options in Edinburgh are wide.
• 10:12
  Doug Collins: There's a lot of things around the Royal Mile and Princess Street.
• 10:15
  Doug Collins: There's also a very good bus and tram network.
• 10:18
  Doug Collins: The tram network has recently expanded all the way to Leeds so you can go to the Royal Yacht Botania that way.
• 10:23
  Tracy Collins: Yeah.
• 10:24
  Doug Collins: But the bus system is also very, very good.
• 10:27
  Doug Collins: You can get like a day tickets and rubber tickets and tram tickets and so, yeah, it's easy to get around.
• 10:33
  Tracy Collins: It is, and there is a hop-on-hop off-bus as well, if that's something that you're interested in.
• 10:37
  Tracy Collins: It is a pretty walkable city.
• 10:40
  Tracy Collins: However, I'm going to kind of temper that with that.
• 10:42
  Tracy Collins: My next point, which is how accessible Edinburgh is.
• 10:45
  Tracy Collins: Edinburgh, basically, is a lot of steep hills, narrow cobbled streets and a lot of steps, so it's not the easiest city to navigate, really to get around.
• 10:56
  Doug Collins: No, and if any visitors have recently been to London, they will know that the amount of walking you do should not be underestimated.
• 11:04
  Tracy Collins: Absolutely, and especially in Edinburgh, because you seem to go up steps constantly.
• 11:08
  Tracy Collins: Yeah, it's just constantly up and down steps.
• 11:10
  Tracy Collins: Seriously, I'll post some photos with a show notes of this, because I think unless you see the steps, you can't say yeah, no, actually it's a lot of steps and obviously Edinburgh Castle's on the top of an extinct volcano.
• 11:23
  Tracy Collins: So you're walking uphill to get up the Royal Mile to visit that.
• 11:28
  Tracy Collins: So you really have to think about that.
• 11:31
  Tracy Collins: And we do have a link to a range of wheelchair accessible tours of Edinburgh as well on the website and I'll put that in the show notes as well.
• 11:38
  Tracy Collins: So we'll talk a little bit more about Arthur's Seat, because that was your kind of last year, that was your huge achievement.
• 11:46
  Doug Collins: Well, the thing is, arthur's Seat is towering over Edinburgh, towering over the castle.
• 11:51
  Doug Collins: It's a part of an old volcano and all these many times I've been to Edinburgh, I have never found a, whether it's visiting for enjoyment or from work.
• 12:02
  Doug Collins: I just never got the opportunity to.
• 12:04
  Doug Collins: So when we went on the train last year, it was a beautiful, hot, sunny day and I said to the first thing I'm going to do, I'm going to walk apart the seat.
• 12:11
  Doug Collins: And it did.
• 12:12
  Doug Collins: It did yeah, it did yeah.
• 12:14
  Doug Collins: It took a lot out to me, I'm not going to lie, but it was so rewarding.
• 12:19
  Doug Collins: When I got to the top there and I've said this before in other castes it was like the League of Nations and there's people walking up and down from every country on this planet and it was an absolute joy and the views from the top were just breathtaking.
• 12:33
  Tracy Collins: I was going to say actually it's one of those places where you get fantastic views.
• 12:36
  Tracy Collins: I mean, you do get really good views when you go to the Edinburgh Castle as well.
• 12:40
  Tracy Collins: You get fantastic views, but I know the views from Arthur's Seat are particularly spectacular.
• 12:44
  Tracy Collins: It's even higher?
• 12:45
  Doug Collins: Yeah, absolutely, and I'm so glad we did it.
• 12:47
  Doug Collins: As Jordy said, that was the last sunny day we had over a little while.
• 12:51
  Doug Collins: Yes, out to that with a cloud cover.
• 12:53
  Doug Collins: Yeah, you want to see anything?
• 12:55
  Doug Collins: Yeah, so glad I did it when I did.
• 12:56
  Tracy Collins: So I think that's a good tip.
• 12:57
  Tracy Collins: So if you actually want to walk up Arthur's Seat, then it's a nice day.
• 13:02
  Tracy Collins: Then don't put it off, just do it that day.
• 13:04
  Doug Collins: Just put some good shoes or boots on, because it's really uneven in places.
• 13:09
  Doug Collins: Nice day.
• 13:11
  Tracy Collins: Yeah, yeah.
• 13:11
  Tracy Collins: So that kind of brings me to my 11th tip, which kind of rolls on from when you climbed Arthur's Seat, which is number 10, is that you joined me at Macca's Math bash bar afterwards, didn't you?
• 13:23
  Doug Collins: I did.
• 13:23
  Doug Collins: It was yeah, I got to you rather quickly because I was rather hungry by this time.
• 13:29
  Tracy Collins: Absolutely so.
• 13:30
  Tracy Collins: I guess the number 11 is to sample some authentic Scottish food.
• 13:33
  Tracy Collins: So when you're there, really, I you know, and we have had so many people off the podcast and in our Facebook group who have tried Heggis because we've suggested they all said, come on, try it when you're there, and I've actually enjoyed it.
• 13:44
  Tracy Collins: The thing is, if you go to Macca's Bash Bar they do kind of a small portion of Heggis, neeps and Tatleys.
• 13:48
  Tracy Collins: So do you want to explain what that is to people, doug?
• 13:52
  Doug Collins: Well, what the Eeps are, I'll turn it the Tatis are obviously Tatos, and as for the Heggis, it depends whether they're in season or not on that big visit.
• 14:06
  Tracy Collins: OK, well, I'll leave that to you, magish.
• 14:08
  Tracy Collins: But yeah, what Heggis is made up of, it's very tasty, it's something that we really enjoy and we always head to Macca's I have to say it's off whenever we got Edinburgh's first night's destination.
• 14:20
  Tracy Collins: Obviously, we also enjoy sampling some Scottish drinks from one area as well.
• 14:24
  Tracy Collins: So obviously Whiskey.
• 14:26
  Tracy Collins: Scotland's famous for Whiskey, so you know that's something that I drew.
• 14:32
  Tracy Collins: Doug doesn't drink, but certainly I'll have a wee drama now and again.
• 14:35
  Tracy Collins: Obviously there's a gin distillery in Edinburgh as well, so you can sample some gin and Doug's favourite, one of his favourite soft drinks, yeah, is Scottish.
• 14:45
  Tracy Collins: Oh, I love Iron Brew, iron Brew, so the very famous orange drink you'll see all over Scotland and it's very tasty.
• 14:53
  Tracy Collins: And again I will put a picture of Iron Brew so you know what look for.
• 14:57
  Doug Collins: And they do a sugar-free Iron Brew.
• 15:00
  Doug Collins: Oh, okay, that's very good.
• 15:03
  Tracy Collins: And then the next thing I would say well, if we're gonna kind of stick to the food thing so we've talked about you know, try the authentic Scottish food and definitely try a wee drama too.
• 15:11
  Tracy Collins: Or if you're not a drinker, then try some of the soft drinks like Iron Brew Is to try traditional afternoon tea.
• 15:17
  Tracy Collins: So that's something we enjoyed thoroughly last year when we went to the Georgian tea rooms at the Dome and that was our favourite.
• 15:27
  Tracy Collins: We did sample a few, and I've got a few more afternoon teas I'd like to try at Edinburgh, but that by far was our favourite, wasn't it last year?
• 15:33
  Doug Collins: It was.
• 15:33
  Doug Collins: It wasn't just the food and drink and the place.
• 15:35
  Doug Collins: The staff was so lovely.
• 15:38
  Tracy Collins: It was absolutely.
• 15:38
  Tracy Collins: Yeah, it was fantastic.
• 15:39
  Tracy Collins: So do book yourself in a nice afternoon tea.
• 15:42
  Tracy Collins: There are obviously lots of other restaurants who would recommend that you try, and pubs are some really good ones in Edinburgh, but we'll put some more information in the show notes about those.
• 15:51
  Tracy Collins: So the next thing I'll talk about, I guess, is if you're going to do, if you're going to visit Edinburgh and we visited Edinburgh so many times, haven't we?
• 15:58
  Tracy Collins: But what we did last year we didn't get a chance to check, unfortunately I got sick.
• 16:03
  Tracy Collins: But as we did some guided tours now, they were absolutely fantastic and that is the way to.
• 16:08
  Tracy Collins: I always say this that is the way you're going to find out about history.
• 16:12
  Tracy Collins: You're going to find out far more information doing a guided tour than wandering around somewhere on your, to be honest.
• 16:17
  Tracy Collins: So we did a very good guided tour of Edinburgh Castle, learned a huge amount of information that none of us knew, and then dug a nice little patchy.
• 16:25
  Tracy Collins: I did a historic Edinburgh tour on the Royal Mile, which was fascinating, absolutely fascinating.
• 16:33
  Tracy Collins: I it was fantastic.
• 16:34
  Tracy Collins: I cannot tell you how interesting it was.
• 16:36
  Tracy Collins: We went down some of the small little alleys off the Royal Mile which I had not explored before and I learned a lot more about history of Edinburgh and what it was like in the Middle Ages and and yeah, so I'd highly recommend it.
• 16:48
  Tracy Collins: If you've got interest in history, do something like that.
• 16:50
  Tracy Collins: And you did the vaults, didn't you?
• 16:52
  Doug Collins: I did a vaults tour and the guide was sort of split between sort of a history lesson and a storyteller and it was just a fantastic blend because there was all ages on the tour and all levels of interest and I just think, every single box for me, particularly if, if you don't mind a bit of darkness and a bit of witchcraft.
• 17:16
  Tracy Collins: Oh well, of course, if you're interested in that sort of thing, there are lots of ghost tours as well that you can take in Edinburgh, and and I have got an article which sort of details all those different ghost tours that you can take, and I'll link to that again in the show notes.
• 17:28
  Tracy Collins: So one of the favourite things that we love doing in Edinburgh is just wandering around Edinburgh, and that there's one favourite place that I like to go to is down to to see Greyfriars Bobby.
• 17:38
  Tracy Collins: So Greyfriars Bobby, the story of Greyfriars Bobby is a basically he was a dog that when his master passed away, he sat on the grave actually until he passed away, and he was very famous for the people of Edinburgh.
• 17:51
  Tracy Collins: So there's actually a small statue of Greyfriars Bobby and it's near the Greyfriars Co-Card, which I also would recommend that you have a wander around.
• 18:00
  Tracy Collins: I would put.
• 18:01
  Tracy Collins: The fans in particular will enjoy that, and there's a little statue.
• 18:05
  Tracy Collins: So one of the one of the things that is requested by people from Edinburgh is to not Greyfriars Bobby's note.
• 18:11
  Tracy Collins: So there was a bit of a thing about it would bring you good luck.
• 18:14
  Tracy Collins: Well, it's not true.
• 18:15
  Tracy Collins: It's just one of those you know myths and actually it's damaged his nose, so now his nose is very shiny and the actual.
• 18:24
  Tracy Collins: So it's yeah worn and it's really could ruin the statue.
• 18:28
  Tracy Collins: So just one of those tips please don't rub Greyfriars Bobby's nose.
• 18:32
  Tracy Collins: It's not going to do any good, it's not going to bring you any luck, it's certainly not bringing him any luck, so please don't do that.
• 18:39
  Tracy Collins: One thing we asked about his currency, I guess, because it can be quite confusing, because Scotland has different bank notes than in England, so they look different.
• 18:49
  Tracy Collins: However, you can use English notes in Scotland and you'll find the coins are exactly the same.
• 18:57
  Tracy Collins: Now, it's generally not a problem, to be honest, these days the use of cash, I think, is I would always have a little bit of cash with you, but really you don't need huge amount, so you shouldn't have a problem using English bank notes in Scotland.
• 19:13
  Tracy Collins: So just say that.
• 19:14
  Tracy Collins: However, if you do get some Scottish bank notes again, you shouldn't have a problem in England exchanging those.
• 19:19
  Tracy Collins: But if you go back to London, people might not recognise what they are, so you might have to go to a bank.
• 19:24
  Tracy Collins: I mean, actually they should accept them, but if it's a problem, you're better off really spending any Scottish notes they have before you leave Scotland.
• 19:32
  Doug Collins: I said, just remember, in Scotland it is still pounds and penned.
• 19:35
  Tracy Collins: Yes, yes, it's still the same, it's just that they have their own.
• 19:39
  Tracy Collins: They make their own bank notes.
• 19:39
  Tracy Collins: Yeah, they're a bit, but the coins are exactly the same.
• 19:42
  Tracy Collins: So I hope that kind of explains that.
• 19:44
  Tracy Collins: One thing I just want to quickly mention, because it's come up a few times when we've tried it to people, is an itinerary consult.
• 19:51
  Tracy Collins: Particularly if you're doing a drive and trip round the UK and you're going to stay in Edinburgh, you will find that a finding accommodation with parking can be incredibly difficult in the old time or the new town.
• 20:04
  Tracy Collins: So really that's something if you are, if you really need some parking, then you need to make sure that you start to you look for that when you're booking your accommodation?
• 20:14
  Doug Collins: Yeah, and the parking can be quite expensive.
• 20:16
  Tracy Collins: Yes, absolutely Definitely.
• 20:18
  Tracy Collins: So, yeah, it's definitely something you've got to consider, really.
• 20:21
  Tracy Collins: And we have got a link I'll put a link to different accommodation options in Edinburgh, with parking as well, in the show notes.
• 20:28
  Tracy Collins: So if you are planning to do that, drive and trip, why not?
• 20:31
  Tracy Collins: I mean, we tend to pick up a higher car in Edinburgh when we're leaving Edinburgh and then take the car from that point when we're touring Edinburgh for Scotland.
• 20:39
  Tracy Collins: So next thing I would say is consider a day trip.
• 20:43
  Tracy Collins: So I think that's number 18, I've kind of lost track.
• 20:46
  Tracy Collins: Number 18 is consider a day trip from Edinburgh.
• 20:50
  Tracy Collins: They've got lots of options, haven't you?
• 20:52
  Doug Collins: You have lots and lots of options, whether you want to take a tour or go by train or bus to the local areas down to the borders areas.
• 21:00
  Doug Collins: Who's?
• 21:00
  Doug Collins: Your options are unlimited If there's what your interests are and what time of year you are to visit.
• 21:06
  Tracy Collins: Yeah, so I mean you can do things by train.
• 21:08
  Tracy Collins: So this year we went to St Andrews for the day, which was incredibly easy, and I've just put together a YouTube video which I'm gonna be posting soon, which is kind of details the day and how we did it and what to expect.
• 21:19
  Tracy Collins: And it was very it was honestly very easy.
• 21:21
  Tracy Collins: It's a lovely train ride, very easy to get in from Lucas train station into St Andrews itself.
• 21:26
  Doug Collins: That's it, and I've written some Spain.
• 21:29
  Doug Collins: It's from Edinburgh as well, so you can take day trips where you can.
• 21:32
  Doug Collins: How far you can get by train?
• 21:34
  Doug Collins: Yes, and back in the day as well.
• 21:36
  Tracy Collins: Yeah, that's it.
• 21:37
  Tracy Collins: So not, as well as having the article that we've got about the top day tours from Edinburgh, and we've also got best day trips from Edinburgh by train with itineraries with that go with it.
• 21:46
  Tracy Collins: So we've got we have got a lot on the website about this.
• 21:49
  Tracy Collins: Another place that is a favorite with us that I'm gonna just quick talk about is the Kelpies.
• 21:54
  Doug Collins: The.
• 21:54
  Tracy Collins: Kelpies yeah, because that's an easy.
• 21:56
  Tracy Collins: If I was goes a very easy day trip as well.
• 21:59
  Tracy Collins: I was going to places to choose from.
• 22:00
  Tracy Collins: It depends what you're interested in really.
• 22:02
  Doug Collins: It is.
• 22:02
  Doug Collins: There's something for everybody around the whole area.
• 22:05
  Tracy Collins: And if you are in Edinburgh and you're just spending a few days there and that's gonna be only kind of dipping your toes into Scotland and you desperately, desperately wanna go just to the Highlands or Loch Nair, so you wanna go on the say the Jacobite, and then what do all of those kind of further away things, shall we say, from Edinburgh there are tours that you can book that will take you out for a day.
• 22:26
  Tracy Collins: It will be a very long day but you can do that.
• 22:29
  Tracy Collins: So again, I'll put a link to that because there are ways that you can incorporate those into your itinerary, even if you're gonna stay in Edinburgh for a few days.
• 22:38
  Doug Collins: It did that.
• 22:39
  Doug Collins: You know, as you say on the theme, there's whiskey tours and day tours up for the whiskey trail and there's, yeah, the heritage trains the castles.
• 22:48
  Tracy Collins: Oh, there's so much, so much.
• 22:49
  Tracy Collins: I mean really.
• 22:50
  Tracy Collins: You know, I know people tend to a lot of the time where we talk is put Edinburgh in for a few days and that's the first dip in the toes in Scotland.
• 22:57
  Tracy Collins: But we know who.
• 22:58
  Tracy Collins: So we've talked to so many people that after they spent those few days in Edinburgh that we can't wait to come back and explore Scotland.
• 23:05
  Tracy Collins: And I have to say we know we're planning our trip for December, january, and I'm already talking about, well, we will be going up to Scotland, but we're taking the Caledonian steeper up for sure and we'll definitely be spending some time up in Scotland.
• 23:18
  Tracy Collins: You know it is cold, it's dark.
• 23:21
  Tracy Collins: When I get snow, I mean to me that's a perfection, to be honest, having that just for a short period, Just a magical feeling of going to sleep in England and waking up in Scotland.
• 23:31
  Tracy Collins: Oh yeah, on the Caledonian steeper.
• 23:32
  Tracy Collins: It's fantastic.
• 23:33
  Tracy Collins: Oh yeah, I'll actually just mention, obviously because we have got some other podcasts which maybe you know will be kind of of interest off this one, and one of those is about the Caledonian steeper.
• 23:42
  Tracy Collins: We also have an episode 26, which is how to get from London to Edinburgh by train, and which shares tips.
• 23:49
  Tracy Collins: So there are different.
• 23:50
  Tracy Collins: You know, we have got some other podcasts which will kind of go along with this one and we are going to have some more podcast episodes coming up about Edinburgh.
• 23:57
  Tracy Collins: We're going to do a day trip one and I'm actually going to be talking to somebody very soon Cheryl, about her 36-hour itinerary for Edinburgh.
• 24:06
  Tracy Collins: So they'll be coming up in the next month or two.
• 24:10
  Tracy Collins: So I guess the next thing I want to say is don't over plan.
• 24:13
  Tracy Collins: I know that sounds crazy.
• 24:14
  Tracy Collins: I'm saying plan and book, but do give yourself some free time, because you will find that you'll need just a bit of downtime and then there might be something that you think, oh, I really want to do that.
• 24:24
  Tracy Collins: So just give yourself that time where you might just want to take a stroll.
• 24:29
  Tracy Collins: You might just chill out a bit.
• 24:31
  Doug Collins: Yeah, for the reasons we've already said, the weather can be changeable and it is quite tiring in Edinburgh.
• 24:36
  Tracy Collins: Absolutely.
• 24:37
  Tracy Collins: So, yeah, just kind of give yourself the time to do a bit of that.
• 24:40
  Tracy Collins: You know I always like to walk down Prince Street, always go and do a little bit of shopping down there.
• 24:45
  Tracy Collins: I think every trip I've done that and that's just something I enjoy doing when we're in Edinburgh.
• 24:52
  Tracy Collins: So the next thing I guess is number 20, is not to call Scots people English.
• 24:57
  Tracy Collins: So my family is Scottish, parts English.
• 25:00
  Tracy Collins: My maiden name is Maconarchy, so I kind of have Scottish blood.
• 25:04
  Tracy Collins: But it's very important not to, you know, to some Scots it's really, you know, there was a 45% basically vote to become independent nation in 2019, the referendum.
• 25:15
  Tracy Collins: So for a lot of Scottish people it's very important and it's a key part of their identity that they are Scottish and we should respect that.
• 25:23
  Tracy Collins: So really they're not English people from England or English people from Scotland or called Scottish.
• 25:28
  Tracy Collins: So it's really important.
• 25:30
  Tracy Collins: They have a fantastic, rich cultural heritage and so really we need to.
• 25:35
  Tracy Collins: So they're proud people.
• 25:37
  Tracy Collins: Absolutely, absolutely.
• 25:39
  Tracy Collins: I can say that as part Scottish as well and also part Irish, irish, scottish and English.
• 25:44
  Tracy Collins: They've got everything.
• 25:45
  Tracy Collins: So, yes, except Welsh no, I don't think I've got any Welsh ancestry, but definitely English, scottish and Irish for both sides.
• 25:54
  Tracy Collins: So, yeah, so it's just something worth bearing in mind and I know some people get quite confused about that because I might use the term Brit, and if I say Brit that tends to include English, welsh, scottish, english from England, scotland from Scotland, welsh from Wales.
• 26:09
  Tracy Collins: So I kind of think we've covered quite a lot of tips in there.
• 26:13
  Tracy Collins: I think the main thing is just to take from us is to think about when you're going to go.
• 26:19
  Tracy Collins: Make sure that you book ahead, particularly for those big times, so you don't kind of miss out.
• 26:25
  Tracy Collins: Think about where you're going to stay.
• 26:27
  Tracy Collins: But the old city, new city.
• 26:28
  Tracy Collins: If you're going to be taking the train, we tend to stay very close to Waverley Station.
• 26:32
  Tracy Collins: Well, where we stay anyway, is you know, the old here is very close to the train station, so that's where we tend to stay.
• 26:38
  Tracy Collins: You can say that many times though.
• 26:38
  Tracy Collins: Yeah, we have.
• 26:39
  Tracy Collins: So think about you.
• 26:41
  Tracy Collins: Know, getting around Edinburgh is easy.
• 26:42
  Tracy Collins: You've got the trams.
• 26:43
  Tracy Collins: You could do a hop on, hop off bus.
• 26:44
  Tracy Collins: There's plenty of tour opportunities that you can choose.
• 26:48
  Tracy Collins: There's plenty of places to eat.
• 26:50
  Tracy Collins: There's some excellent restaurants, some excellent pubs.
• 26:52
  Tracy Collins: So you've got.
• 26:54
  Tracy Collins: You're really ask for choice.
• 26:54
  Tracy Collins: In fact, you're going to go and say, wow, I need to spend months here.
• 26:59
  Tracy Collins: So yeah, so plan carefully.
• 27:01
  Doug Collins: And it's also very good for all budgets as well.
• 27:03
  Tracy Collins: Yes, Like I said, there's three things to do when you're there as well.
• 27:06
  Tracy Collins: But, like, obviously, to make it more friendly to your wallet, avoid August and the kind of Christmas into New Year, year to year, because it is more expensive.
• 27:15
  Tracy Collins: I think that kind of covers everything we wanted to talk about in this episode.
• 27:18
  Tracy Collins: As I've said, we have links to different podcasts that kind of relate to this with.
• 27:22
  Tracy Collins: Also, I will put links to all of those in the show notes.
• 27:25
  Tracy Collins: Anything else that talks about the tours that we've been on and the hop on, hop off bus, you know some of the longer tours that will take you up to Loch Ness, for example.
• 27:34
  Tracy Collins: We'll put links to those into the show notes.
• 27:36
  Tracy Collins: And obviously you know we have got an article which summarizes a lot of this that we've talked about today.
• 27:43
  Doug Collins: Yeah, one thing I will add is what, what?
• 27:46
  Doug Collins: Edinburgh is just the same as the rest of Scotland, the P-Blind incredibly friendly and helpful.
• 27:50
  Doug Collins: Yes, absolutely no other problem there, really not.
• 27:53
  Tracy Collins: Absolutely yeah, so am I.
• 27:56
  Tracy Collins: Well, I can say happy UK travel planning, which we're all going to end on, but actually I guess we're going to say you know, happy Edinburgh travel planning, but yeah, until next week, from both of us, happy UK travel planning.