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View towards Princes Street
The Carosel
Not everyone should take this way down!
A wynd
My husband and I are planning a trip to Edinburgh this summer and we are concerned about the best way for me to see the Royal Mile, Edinburgh Castle, & the Palace of Holyrood House, etc. I can walk for a bit with a cane; however, have had four spinal surgeries and pain quickly becomes an issue. Yeah, I know... I love castles and historical places, yet can not access them as easily as most people.
Does anyone have any ideas for how I can get around that area with ease?
Shopmobility provides electric scooters/wheelchairs etc so people can shop more easily in town centres (am thinking about the Royal Mile here). Contact details for the Edinburgh one:
lothiansm@tiscali.co.uk
The Mound 0131 225 9559
or
The Gyle 0131 317 1460
Lothian Shopmobility
King's Stables Yard
King's Stables Road
Edinburgh EH1 2YJ
This page has links to detailed accessibility info for tourist sites etc, and also for wheelchair hire. http://www.scotland-info.co.uk/disabled.htm#links
It might be worth considering hiring a wheelchair for all/part of your visit; there is a requirement to make access provision for disabled visitors (such as toilets, ramps etc) but do not have to provide wheelchairs/scooters etc on site.
It might be worth emailing the Edinburgh Tourist Information people on info@visitscotland.com . They should be able to provide you with up-to-date information.
Hope this helps.
Shopmobility is a great idea. I would also recommend the bus tours. They leave from waverley bridge and take you round all the main attractions. You can just hop on and off as often as you like which would save you have to worry about getting around.
Wow! That is awesome news! I have been so afraid that I wouldn't be able to really enjoy the Royal Mile because of my back; but, you definitely have given me hope!
The fairly recent laws about accessibility in the UK (related to the Disability Dicrimination Act) have had a good effect, though everything takes time of course.
Hope you have a good visit!
We went to Edinburgh shortly before my wife became wheelchair dependant - it was hard going for her on the Royal Mile and especially the walk up to the castle. I would definatly hire a mobility scooter. We did the bus tour and that was very good.
Thank y'all so much for your helpful responses!
The scooter will be needed. At the castle itself they are very helpful to guests with mobility problems. There is a free bus up to the top of the castle and many of the key exhibits have lift (elevator) access (although some do not). Ask at the ticket booth and they will help you. There are ushers everywhere who will be happy to find you a seat if you need a rest. The main problem with the Royal Mile itself is not the terrain but the fact that it is all uphill (although you could get a taxi to the castle then go downhill all the way!).
Thank you! We were planning to visit the castle first and then work our way down...
I didn't visit the exhibition, but I like the structure very much, so I make it a General Tip.
I walked past it as well as viewed it from the top of Arthur's Seat and it's really impressive.
Dynamic Earth is located next to the new Parliament Building just up the street from Holyrood Palace.
Please visit the website for more information on the exhibition.
www.dynamicearth.co.uk
While in Edinburgh, my friends and I participated in a thing called the "Pub Crawl". You start at one pub, receive a card with a list of other pubs, and move from pub to pub(buying a drink at each) collecting a stamp. You end this affair at the World's End Pub near the Royal Mile. If you get stamps from all the pubs, you recieve a t-shirt.
I believe we started our trip at the Black Bull Pub, near the St. James Shopping Center. You could also hop in a taxi and just ask for the Worlds End Pub and start there.
This was a great way to see Edinburgh natives in their natural environment and to try the local brews. We also made friends along the way as we searched for the next place on the list.
DO NOT attmept this journey in one night. You might regret it the next day.
Instead of taking a walk up the street (which is rather steep anyway), take one of the paths up the hill in front of the Castle. It provides a beautiful panorama of Edinburgh, and is suprisingly peaceful. The paths are accessible from the park below the Castle.
On top of the hill above Stirling there has been a castle/fortress for very long, but the buildings you can see today mostly dates from the 14th – 16th centuries. At that time the castle was a residence for Stuart monarchs.
At the entrance I paid 2 pounds for an audio guide, which was good to have. You will get good information off the different buildings and hear stories about the people who once lived there. There is a lot to see and it took me two hours to visit the castle. You can easily stay longer.
Entrance fee to the castle is 8.00 pounds. In that price the entrance for Argyll’s Lodging is included (as the palace of the castle is under renovation until 2008).
The castle is open every day of the week:
1 October – 24 March 9.30 – 17.00
25 March – 30 September 9.30 – 18.00
a fantastic 3 level pub/club, Wednesday nights at The Tron are a MUST! 1 pound for pints and most all drinks. Hardly anyone there is Scotish so it's a fun, crazy atmosphere to meet other travelers. can get VERY crowded but always fun for dancing, drinking and meeting. whatever- generally casual- jeans and t-shirts/tank tops work as do skirts and glitter- Wednesday nights in the Summer are crowded and HOT so dress for it.
just as fun on the other nights of the week- get a Yellow Card for a pound and get discounted drinks every night.
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Address: 12 Granville Terrace, Edinburgh, Scotland EH10 4PQ, United Kingdom
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