David Jenkins
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| posted on 28/7/11 at 06:17 PM |
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Staying near Edinburgh?
Right - I know that there are a fair few Scotsmen on this forum, so I thought I'd ask a simple question...
I will be visiting my brother in September - he lives close to Inverness airport - and on the way back we would like to visit Edinburgh. Ideally, we
would arrive in some place towards the end of the day, stop overnight, then get on a train (or use park-and-ride) into Edinburgh for a day's
visit - I don't want to drive in! We would do the tour, go back to our base for a second overnight stop, then drive off south.
So - where would be a good place to stop - decent hotel, safe parking, easy access to Edinburgh? We don't mind an hour or so's train ride
to and from the city.
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zilspeed
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| posted on 28/7/11 at 06:28 PM |
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Falkirk Grahamston or High, Polmont or Linlithgow stations would all be within around a half hour of Edinburgh on the train.
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Steve Hignett
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| posted on 28/7/11 at 06:30 PM |
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We stopped at the Premier Inn, Haymarket.
It's easily walkable distance into town (15mins at a very slow pace...)
If you do a search for "Edinburgh" and my name you will find really good answers when I asked what to do there 
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scootz
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| posted on 28/7/11 at 06:36 PM |
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Inverness to Edinburgh is a straightforward drive, so no point in stopping anywhere north of the city.
Similarly, it seems a bit daft to drive past the city and then get a train to re-trace steps you've already taken.
You'll be coming over the bridge, so you're not all that far from the city centre. I'd just drive into town and stop at the likes
of the Premier Inn at Morrison Link. They have parking (you have to pay) and you're right in the thick of things.
Alternatively, if you really don't want to stay in town, then stop at Crazy Dave Coulthards place at South Queensferry (Dakota). You'll
pass it's doorstep just after you've come over the bridge.
[Edited on 28/7/11 by scootz]
It's Evolution Baby!
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Gordy
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| posted on 28/7/11 at 06:40 PM |
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South Queensferry, 15 mins on train from city centre, plenty hotels, pubs, restraunts and a big rusty looking bridge
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 28/7/11 at 06:46 PM |
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The aim is to leave Inverness mid-morning, pootle down south visiting the sights, then off to somewhere near to 'burg.
In an ideal world we'd come out of our hotel, stroll down to a nearby train station, and take a scenic ride into Edinburgh. Wander around, do
the tourist thing, eat a bit, drink a bit, then do the reverse journey.
And all the while our car will be safely parked in the hotel car park!
Hence my desire to stay well away from Edinburgh itself... last time we went there it took me an hour to find the way off the inner ring road...
South Queensferry sounds good... en route too...
[Edited on 28/7/11 by David Jenkins]
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Macbeast
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| posted on 28/7/11 at 06:48 PM |
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Glasgow's only 1 hour from Edinburgh by train, and MUCH nicer
I'm addicted to brake fluid, but I can stop anytime.
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 28/7/11 at 06:53 PM |
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Actually - I was surprised by Glasgow! As a sassenach (sp?) I always thought of it as a seedy grotty town, but in fact it is a fine and attractive
business city. The only problem I had was finding a city pub! (loads of hotel bars, but very few pubs as we know them in the south).
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T66
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| posted on 28/7/11 at 07:56 PM |
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Stayed here last Christmas - http://www.tenhillplacehoteledinburgh.com/home.html
Walking distance into the middle is about 5 minutes. Parking is crap, but you can park multi storey near to the hotel which is secure...
Top floor rooms have lovely views.
[Edited on 28/7/11 by T66]
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kevmcdo
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| posted on 28/7/11 at 08:10 PM |
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I second the Dakota, spent an evening in there and it is great. Good parking and easy and short commute into the town by bus or train for a bit of
night life.
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daviep
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| posted on 28/7/11 at 08:18 PM |
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Never stayed in the Dakota at South Queensferry however South Queensferry is a really nice small town with a couple of very nice restaurants over
looking the bridges.
Davie
“A truly great library contains something in it to offend everyone.”
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scootz
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| posted on 28/7/11 at 08:22 PM |
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I should add that I've never stayed at the Dakota so can't actually vouch for it. I did stop there for a poo once though and can vouch
for the disabled toilet near the reception! Spacious and clean!
It's Evolution Baby!
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norfolkluego
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| posted on 28/7/11 at 08:24 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by scootz
Inverness to Edinburgh is a straightforward drive, so no point in stopping anywhere north of the city.
Be a shame to zoom straight past and not call in at St Andrews and there's some lovely villages on the coast up there, Pittenweem, Anstruther,
Crail etc. Outlaws are from that neck of the woods, Lower Largo.
[Edited on 28/7/11 by norfolkluego]
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 28/7/11 at 08:25 PM |
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Wow! I've just looked at the cost of rooms at the Dakota... 
Special offer -> £79 per person B&B (with a voucher for the grill). Goodness knows what the regular price is...
Will have to think about that...
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scootz
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| posted on 28/7/11 at 08:29 PM |
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Poo stops are free though!
It's Evolution Baby!
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scootz
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| posted on 28/7/11 at 08:46 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by norfolkluego
quote:
Originally posted by scootz
Inverness to Edinburgh is a straightforward drive, so no point in stopping anywhere north of the city.
Be a shame to zoom straight past and not call in at St Andrews and there's some lovely villages on the coast up there, Pittenweem, Anstruther,
Crail etc. Outlaws are from that neck of the woods, Lower Largo.
Sorry - when I said 'stop' I meant for the night! Lots of nice places to visit en-route between Invernsecky and Edinburgh!
The A9 is the most direct route and passes through some nice countryside. If you want a bit of a road-trip though, I would go from Inverness to
Granton to Ballater to Banchory then across the Slug Road to Stonehaven. Stop there and go and see Dunnoter Castle...
Then take the A92 coastal road through Montrose, Arbroath and Montrose.
Then drive as fast as you possibly can through Dundee and hop across the Tay Bridge towards St Andrews. Then take the Coastal road along to the
bridge stopping at Anstruther for the best fish and chips in the world...
LINKY
Continue onto The Bridge and then your hotel destination.
It's Evolution Baby!
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 28/7/11 at 09:07 PM |
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That's the cunning plan - leave Inverness some time in the morning, tour through the notable bits and stop in a hotel in the evening. Our niece
is in uni at St Andrews so I'm sure we'll nose around there at least (although she probably won't be there in early September).
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Volvorsport
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| posted on 28/7/11 at 10:20 PM |
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make sure you do the coastal path on the way home , its much more interesting than the A1 .
weve always stayed in the premier inn /ibis near grasmarket and also in leith .
so anyway , if you jump on any of the wright bodied B7 RLEs from the lothian bus company , have a look under the back and see if the exhaust is still
on will ya ????
my god , i sound like a bus spotter ........
www.dbsmotorsport.co.uk
getting dirty under a bus
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trextr7monkey
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| posted on 28/7/11 at 11:48 PM |
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Worth making a detour to the Falkirk wheel if you haven't been- it is easy to find from the motorways so a quick get in and out.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14016102@N00/ (cut and paste this dodgey link)
Our most recent pics are here:
http://s129.photobucket.com/albums/p211/trextr7monkey/
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scootz
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| posted on 29/7/11 at 09:11 AM |
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I've got to say that I'm completely underwhelmed by the Falkirk wheel. It's a pretty grim drive to and from it too!
It's Evolution Baby!
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daviep
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| posted on 29/7/11 at 09:38 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by scootz
I've got to say that I'm completely underwhelmed by the Falkirk wheel. It's a pretty grim drive to and from it too!
+1 
“A truly great library contains something in it to offend everyone.”
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blakep82
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| posted on 29/7/11 at 10:12 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by scootz
I've got to say that I'm completely underwhelmed by the Falkirk wheel. It's a pretty grim drive to and from it too!
yeah, there's not a lot around it. worth seeing, but don't expect a day out for it. i like canal boats so i liked just walking around
them, and go on the boat that goes on the wheel to the top, turns round, and then comes back down, erm, and thats about it really...
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