July 2025. Edinburgh. Last Edinburgh post, promise. I left the Argyle Bar just after 4pm, almost five hours till the train back to Darlington, but was already approaching 30,000 steps, and worried I’d just get distracted by Bow Bar, Halfway House, Oxford and the rest and undo all those calories walked off. So I slowed… Continue reading COCTEAU TWINS DEEP CUTS IN EDINBURGH’S BLACK CAT
Tag: Edinburgh
80 SHILLING. ONE QUID.
July 2025. Edinburgh. Yes, Edinburgh. A second Scottish tickathon in a month. This would normally have been a prohibitively expensive trip, but by the mere act of being old, fixing train times and also starting at 6am from a car park halfway up the A1 in Darlington, I got the cost down significantly. Just imagine… Continue reading 80 SHILLING. ONE QUID.
HALF A DOZEN PUBS IN EVERY GBG COUNTY No. 64 – EDINBURGH AND THE LOTHIANS
A belated return to the celebrated (in North Korea) “Half a dozen pubs…” series, which I might finish by 22nd December. Talking of which, where will I be on the most important day of the year ? Obviously, somewhere I’ve never been before, but a few new pubs would be nice. What about Mid Calder… Continue reading HALF A DOZEN PUBS IN EVERY GBG COUNTY No. 64 – EDINBURGH AND THE LOTHIANS
HIPSTERS IN HOLYROOD
On to the last new tick of our Edinburgh quarter, with a game Mrs RM edging above 25,000 steps. Great effort. The Bellfield Brewery Tap takes us east of Holyrood, taunting us with historic boozers before dumping us in a small industrial estate surrounded by flats for Parliament staffers. One for the brewery tap purist,… Continue reading HIPSTERS IN HOLYROOD
SHISH HAPPENS
Yes, shish happens. A flat tyre from nowhere, but thankfully I have a skilled team to deal with life’s little crises. And no, that’s not the main reason I married her (though her 1991 “Motoring Madams” certification was high on the list). I wouldn’t ever drive round Edinburgh, particularly with the Leith Walk being dug… Continue reading SHISH HAPPENS
MRS RM’s MICRO MOVES IN LEITH
You join me in Leith on the day before Hogmanay (cancelled) as we’re 3/4 of the way through my Beer Guide tick, and up to 90% of Mrs RM’s walking limit (and 132% of my bladder limit, to be fair). Leith looks best from the air, and Si may choose to approach by his private… Continue reading MRS RM’s MICRO MOVES IN LEITH
TAKING OUR SUNSHINE TO LEITH
The third pub of our quartet of new Edinburgh ticks took us to Leith, which you’ll know from the Proclaimers song “Throw the R away” (“r” is real ale scoring less than NBSS 2). The seaside suburb is a scintillating mix of seagulls, sand and sewage works. A mix of high rise, high church, and… Continue reading TAKING OUR SUNSHINE TO LEITH
THE WATER OF LEITH
Before I move into the big city, and in response to unprecedented demand, here’s a picture of my breakfast at the Old Town Hall in Innerleithen. Of course, ruined by the full Scottish breakfast that followed it, but such is life. No pain, no gain. I needed a long walk to burn off the calories… Continue reading THE WATER OF LEITH
FLESHMARKET CLOSE
Like you, I’m getting a bit bored of these Scottish posts now. The problem is the pubs are all photogenic and you can’t just lump half a dozen together like you can in, ooh, Maidenhead. Along with the Aberdeen trip last month these reports now make up 85.7% of my blog this year (FACT), and… Continue reading FLESHMARKET CLOSE
EVEN BETTER IN THE BOW BAR
As I said, I should have had lunch in Cloisters. Five pubs since that bacon roll in Cupar, and 2pm come and gone. But there’s still pubs that’ll serve you in Edinburgh in the afternoon, just like in proper cities. Oh look, it’s that Bow Bar. Somewhere on West Bow, anyway. Never sure exactly where… Continue reading EVEN BETTER IN THE BOW BAR