We didn’t spend all our time in the highlands, after all we needed to eventually make it back to the airport. Thus a couple nights in Edinburgh before our departure. And as beguiling as the Isle of Skye is, the enchanting attraction of Edinburgh cannot be ignored.
The Kelpies
On the highway to Edinburgh downtown the Kelpies loom before you, enormous, silver, and completely irresistible. So stop we did.
Located at the canal entrance of Helix Park, the Kelpies art installation opened in April 2014, and were designed by Scottish sculptor Andy Scott. His apparent inspiraion was Clydesdale horses, who played a key role in Scotland’s industrial heritage. The Kelpies are free to visit and although we didn’t spend more time at the park, it looked like a really fun place to spend the day (we were tired from riding in the car from Skye and ready to get to our apartment).
Streets of Edinburgh: The Royal Mile, Lawnmarket, W Bow, Grassmarket, & Candlemaker Row
To explore Edinburgh properly is to walk it. The streets are the tourist sites, and the most memorable views are found as you get lost meandering down the roads, lanes, and alleyways.
We loved stopping in the gazillion Harry Potter shops and other new age and witchcraft boutiques, reading the surprising (shocking!) number of remembrance plaques highlighting the witch burnings and hangings that were once prevalent here, and stopping for a coffee or snack anywhere with an outdoor table and a view.
And some thrift shopping at the very famous Armstrong‘s!
Greyfriars Kirk (aka J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter Inspirational Cemetery)
Many tourists traipse through Greyfriars to find names J.K. Rowling used in the Harry Potter books – Moodie, Potter, McGonagall, Scrymgeour, and Thomas Riddell! This was a fun little scavenger hunt for us too. And there’s a lot more to Greyfriars than Harry Potter names – at the end of the cemetery you can peer through the gates to the George Heriot’s School, which is cited as the inspiration for Hogwarts itself.
For more Harry Potter Edinburgh sites, check out this article.
And for a completely non-Harry Potter Greyfriars story, go pat the nose of Bobby, the Skye Terrier statue placed on John Gray’s grave. Here’s the heartwarming story, I’ve summarized but follow the link for the entirety:
“In 1850 a gardener called John Gray arrived in Edinburgh, joining the Edinburgh Police Force as a night watchman. To keep him company John took on a partner, a diminutive Skye Terrier, his ‘watchdog’ called Bobby. Through thick and thin they were faithful friends. John was treated by the Police Surgeon for tuberculosis. John eventually died of the disease on the 15th February 1858 and was buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard. Bobby touched the hearts of the local residents when he refused to leave his master’s grave, even in the worst weather conditions. For fourteen years the dead man’s faithful dog kept constant watch and guard over the grave until his own death in 1872.
https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofScotland/Greyfriars-Bobby/
Greyfriars Bobby 
Edinburgh Castle
It’s been 20 years since I’ve last visited the Edinburgh Castle, and it was like seeing it for the first time, because, I confess, I only remember enjoying it and absolutely nothing else. Surprising, really, because who can forget that there is a separate dog cemetery, complete with small tombstones, on the castle grounds? Or that the Scottish crown jewels were lost in the castle for almost 100 years, and during WWII hidden inside the castle to protect them from the Nazis? All sorts of interesting facts about the castle can be found here.
St. Giles’ Cathedral
We ducked into St. Giles’ Cathedral only for a short time, and enjoyed our quiet reprieve in the church. If you go inside, be sure to check out the Thistle Chapel, most of the photos below are from there.
Live music in Edinburgh: The Waverly
We eagerly searched for somewhere to see live traditional Scottish music, and there are so many options.
But here’s the rub, although there are many, hardly any allow entry for children (since the music is played in pubs). So here’s my best recommendation, the only pub that allowed our girls inside – The Waverley.
A few caveats, I’m not sure if there’s a minimum age limit, and they can only go in if there’s a place for them to sit that is away from the bar. When we arrived it was quite early and the bar was quiet, so we lucked out and had a fantastic time.
Dean Village
On our last day, before heading to the airport we stopped in the historical Dean Village, a former milling area where you’ll find mill stones and plaques commemorating baking and milling.
For us, exploring the village meant a walk near the river and then to find some lunch prior to our flight. It would be a great area to check out more, or even to stay, since it’s so close to the downtown area of Edinburgh.
thecloudsarelowerhere 