The best running trails around Craigentinny/Meadowbank

An excellent base for visiting Scotland's mystical capital city.

A lively place, with good pubs...

Quote: The origin of the name "Arthur's Seat" is unclear. Some see it as a reference to the legendary King Arthur. In 1912, John Milne published a book on Gaelic place names in which he derived the name from "Suidhe Ard-Thir," which translates roughly as "place on high ground." However, the word order here would be odd. Historian William Maitland put forward a different theory as early as the 18th century. According to him, the name would be "Àrd-na-Said," "height of arrows," a variant that was later modified to "Archer's Seat" and later "Arthur's Seat." (Source: https://www.myhighlands.de/arthurs-seat-edinburgh/ )

Busy street but worth a detour

One of the most picturesque streets in Edinburgh's Old Town is Victoria Street. This street begins at the eastern end of the Grassmarket as West Bow, which was the original name for this historic thoroughfare. This route was originally the main route into Edinburgh for tourists arriving from the north, west or south-west of the city. The zigzagging of the hill made the route more accessible to horse-drawn vehicles that would not have been able to navigate the much narrower lanes or the Royal Mile. The buildings along the road indicate how the structures in the city spread upwards as the city colonised the full length of the hillside. One of these buildings (with a confectioner's shop at street level) is an original 16th century building, in the traditional 'built' style of pieces of gutter stone, with individual pieces of stone fitted together like a jigsaw puzzle. ​Most of the buildings along the road have been recently rebuilt or developed, but look for the dates 1616 and 1720 above some of the old doorways near the lower end of the street. https://www.edinburghexpert.com/blog/edinburghs-victoria-street-and-west-bow

Victoria Street, a picturesque and winding cobbled lane, is one of Edinburgh’s most iconic thoroughfares. Named after Queen Victoria, it exudes a timeless charm that resonates with locals and visitors alike. With its colourful facades and unique shops, the street showcases Edinburgh’s architectural diversity and historical heritage. Victoria Street was designed by architect Thomas Hamilton, one of the leading lights in transforming the city with neoclassical buildings and influenced by ancient Greek architecture. However, it was stipulated that the buildings associated with the new street should be ‘old Flemish’ in style and take inspiration from the details of Heriot’s Hospital. https://ewh.org.uk/victoria-street/

India Buildings on Victoria Street was built in 1864 by architect David Cousins and designed in the fashionable Baronial style of the time. Note the ‘bartizan’ at the top of the building, a small tower inspired by medieval battlements. It was intended as office space and early occupants included the British Linen Bank, the Scottish Board of Agriculture and the Geological Survey of Scotland. In recent years, many Edinburgh residents will remember the building as housing the Register Office. https://ewh.org.uk/victoria-street/

Victoria Street, a picturesque and winding cobbled lane, is one of Edinburgh’s most iconic thoroughfares. Named after Queen Victoria, it exudes a timeless charm that resonates with locals and visitors alike. With its colourful facades and unique shops, the street showcases Edinburgh’s architectural diversity and historical heritage. Victoria Street was designed by architect Thomas Hamilton, one of the leading lights in transforming the city with neoclassical buildings and influenced by ancient Greek architecture. However, it was stipulated that the buildings associated with the new street should be ‘old Flemish’ in style and take inspiration from the details of Heriot’s Hospital. https://ewh.org.uk/victoria-street/