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Inspiring Edinburgh Blog...blogging about the 'inspiring capital'...


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  • Trip the (Speed of) Light Fantastic on Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh, Thursday July 12 2012

    See the stars brighten up the darkest sky, have the street lamps illuminate the pavement below and now see the streaks of runners shine out across Edinburgh's closest mountain. Arthur’s Seat is to show off a mixture of sporting endeavour and performative visual art, as runners wearing special light suits will create a specially choreographed ascent whilst the audience walks up to the sightseeing summit.

    Speed of Light Edinburgh

    As part of the Edinburgh International Festival, NVA, a registered Scottish Charity that creates award-winning, dynamic, powerful, and public works of art, has created a festival performance called the Speed of Light. With the aim of investigating the physical and emotional aspects of endurance running, as well as redefining the landscape, Creative Director Angus Farquhar hopes to create a sense of ownership and long-lasting memory upon the articulated terrain making its way up to the peek.

    Funded by Creative Scotland, Speed of Light is one of only four national projects, commissioned as part of Legacy trust UK’s Community Celebrations programme, which aims to build a lasting legacy to the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic games.

    If you are a beginner or intermediate endurance runner and want to test your mind over matter, or a walker and someone that loves getting involved in visual works of art, then the NVA invites people to participate, offering special training packages along with registration, with accessibility for as many people as possible. They have even included a specially designed route for wheelchair athletes wearing specifically designed light suits.

    Speed of Light Edinburgh

    Speed of Light will run over the length of Edinburgh’s International Festival from 9th August to 2nd September, with tickets going on sale via Hub Tickets from March. It should prove to be something like no other, a great achievement of the creativity and endeavour of people, and a contender to the ever popular firework light show of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

    I like to think of it as like Tron, only in the real world!

    Update: Rehearsals are now well underway for Speed of Light which kicks off the Edinburgh International Festival in less than a month. The first full “Super Sunday” trial with the finished light suits happened at the end of April. It was an exciting and electric moment for the organisers who have spent two years rigorously planning, designing and prototyping the project. As the sun set, producing one of Edinburgh’s famous deep pink and purples skies, the runners’ lights began to stand out against the darkening Arthur’s Seat – boding well for the big kick off in August. As well as trialling the light suits, the first energy-harvesting lights staffs which will be walked to the summit by the ticketed audience have been tested. 800 people a night moving in groups of 100 over 3 hours will create a flickering line of lights swinging forward and backwards as they ascend and descend the hill.

    NVA speed of light rehearsalsNVA speed of light walkers

    If you want to be involved in what promises to be an iconic landmark during this year’s Festival season in Edinburgh, audience tickets are available for £24/£18 from http://www.eif.co.uk/speedoflight. If you would like to run in the event, reserve lists are open for sign up at http://speedoflight2012.org.uk/

    NVA speed of lightNVA speed of light rehearsals

    NVA’s Speed of Light at Edinburgh International Festival 2012 eif.co.uk/speedoflight Photos: Euan Myles

  • Susanne Scherer-A day in the life of the Edinburgh International Film Festival, Wednesday June 13 2012

    On Wednesday the 30th of May 2012, the Edinburgh International Film Festival officially launched the programme for its 66th season. Already in the early morning the office was very busy and there was a lot of excitement in the air, all staff members working so everything would run smoothly. Most of us were busy with preparing the press launch and I helped dressing up the Filmhouse as our venue, by putting up posters and getting the brochures ready for the eagerly waiting public.

    Edinburgh International Film Festival

    As part of the marketing team the most important task for me was to help making sure that the website with the whole programme and ticket information would run without any problems, and hence I spent most of my morning giving the website its finishing touch – selecting film images, uploading trailers and editing programme details. It was quite exciting to see how all the work on the brochure and website over the past few weeks finally served its purpose and to actually see people holding a copy of the brochure in their hands and paging curiously through it.

    My continuous task was also to monitor all social media activities, which responded to the press launch, and we happily observed the overwhelmingly positive reactions towards 2012’s programme.

    Later in the day I prepared the copy for the next EIFF newsletter, whilst the first, eagerly awaited ticket sale numbers came in and confirmed the presumption that the EIFF had a successful programme launch and I felt quite proud to have been part of it.

    Susanne Scherer - marketing assistant EIFF

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  • Celebrating the Queen's Jubilee? A guide to events in Edinburgh, Thursday May 31 2012

    With an extra day or two off work this weekend to celebrate HM Queen Elizabeth’s 60 year reign, we’ve gathered the best that Edinburgh has to offer in the way of Jubilee events.

    Hotel du Vin Edinburgh

    First up, if you’re a visitor to Edinburgh over this coming weekend, how about staying at Hotel du Vin & Bistro where you can celebrate with “A Loyal Toast”. There are two packages on offer from £119 per room, inclusive of overnight stay, breakfast and a glass of champagne per person. You can add a 3 course meal and a bottle of champagne from £189 per room. Bookings are available at http://www.hotelduvin.com/ or by calling 0845 365 4438. Quote “loyal” for the B&B package, or “loyald” for the dinner B&B package.

    Edinburgh’s Big Screen at Festival Square will be showing the celebrations live from London across the holiday weekend and everyone is invited! The highlight of the celebrations will be on the evening of Monday 4th June where revellers can experience the spectacular Diamond Jubilee Concert, right in the heart of Edinburgh, as it happens live from the Queen Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace. This will include performances from musicians Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Tom Jones, Stevie Wonder and Alfie Boe - and seating, sound and special lighting effects will be provided around the Big Screen.

    Also included in the live coverage over the weekend will be the Diamond Jubilee Thames Pageant on Sunday 3 June where for the first time in 350 years a flotilla of 1000 boats will sail down the River Thames from Battersea to Tower Bridge with The Queen leading the floating procession in an ornately-decorated Royal barge. On Tuesday 5 June, spectators can enjoy full, uninterrupted live coverage of the final day of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations with a service of thanksgiving in the morning at St Paul's Cathedral, followed by the Diamond Jubilee carriage procession with a stunning display of pomp and pageantry in the afternoon.

    Holyrood Palace

    At The Queen’s official residence in Scotland, The Palace of Holyroodhouse, visitors can join in with the Big Jubilee Lunch. This is a nationwide event on Sunday 3rd June where you can take along a picnic and join neighbours and visitors alike for an afternoon of food, friendship and fun. After lunch there will be live coverage of the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant between 2pm-6pm. Throughout the day there will be family activities running such as the chance to create your own Royal Crown Jewels and trying on Royal clothing. And why not follow a special family activity trail to discover what happens when The Queen stays at the Palace, as well as learning more about past Kings and Queens? Activities are free with standard admission to the Palace. Picnic boxes are also available to purchase from the Café at the Palace.

    At 3pm on Sunday 3rd June, one hundred guests will enjoy a traditional British cream tea with a Scottish twist on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. As home to both the Palace of Holyroodhouse and Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile is the ideal location for a Jubilee celebration in the city. Guests will include pupils from the Royal Mile Primary School, the local business community and residents of Whiteford House (the Scottish Veterans Residence on the Canongate). Exclusive invitations are up for grabs via The Royal Mile’s Facebook and Twitter pages.

    Head off the beaten track this weekend and enjoy Edinburgh's 'best end', buzzing with independent shops, bars, restaurants and more. The West End will be getting into the Jubilee spirit with a 'Right Royal Knees Up', with great deals on offer from Oddbins, the One World Shop, Ryan's Bar and The WestRoom — plus amazing window displays at Pippin Gifts and the Designer Cake Boutique.For further info visit the West End's Facebook page.

    Alternatively, celebrate the Diamond Jubilee in truly royal style aboard The Royal Yacht Britannia. While The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh will be aboard Britannia’s Royal Barge as it leads the Jubilee Pageant, you can be toasting Her Majesty with Britannia’s Fizz, beer, and Jubilee inspired treats in the Yacht’s Royal Deck Tea Room. All those visiting on June 5th will also take home a specially commissioned Jubilee memento.

    On the evening of Monday 4th June, over 4000 sites across the UK and Commonwealth will light Jubilee Beacons. Britain has a long history of beacon lighting spanning many hundreds of years and from 10pm onwards communities will light the flames in this latest British celebration. There are several sites across Edinburgh and the Lothians. For your nearest beacon, see this interactive map.

    Handel Usher Hall Jubilee

    Also on Monday 4th June, The Usher Hall will host the Academy of Ancient Music as they play Handel’s Royal Music – fresh from their performance accompanying the River Thames Pageant. After becoming a newly-naturalised British subject, one of the first things Handel composed was the Coronation Anthems to mark the coronation of King George II and Queen Caroline in 1727. This music is still performed at royal occasions to this day and will feature in this concert along with the Music for the Royal Fireworks and the Water Music Suite. Tickets are still available at the time of writing.

    Or, if you prefer someone else to supply the nibbles, join the Ghillie Dhu for a “Royal Dhu” with all the celebrations on their screens! Their Royal Afternoon Tea is available each day served with a celebratory glass of fizz all for £12.95 per person! Advance bookings required. Free live music every night and open till late.

    And finally, Camera Obscura marks The Queen’s 60th year on the throne by displaying an extremely rare Rubins Vase. The vase was created to commemorate The Queen’s Silver Jubilee in 1977 and contains the hidden silhouette of the profiles of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. The vase has been mounted on a moving turntable, creating the illusion of the faces swapping places and talking to each other.

  • Midnight at the Oasis for Edinburgh's Moonwalk 2012, Friday April 13 2012

    The Arabian Nights come to Edinburgh with all the exotic mystery of the East…Inverleith Park is the place to be on 9th June 2012! It’s the return of the MoonWalk and this year’s theme is “Midnight at the Oasis”. Registration is now closed for the Full Moon (26.2 miles) but there are still places for the Half Moon (13.1 miles), and anybody can do it no matter your fitness level; the only requirement is a sense of fun and a brightly decorated bra! (or bra themed t shirt if you prefer to cover up).

    The organisers, grant making breast cancer charity Walk the Walk, are looking forward to seeing some exotic and exciting creations!

    Moonwalk Edinburgh 2012

    Since the first MoonWalk Edinburgh in 2006 the event has grown in size and popularity while raising millions of pounds for charity. The good news is most of the money raised at the MoonWalk Edinburgh stays here in Scotland. Seven years and over £14 million later, MoonWalkers have helped The Breast Cancer Institute in Edinburgh and NHS hospitals from the Borders to the Highlands, as well as Maggie’s Care Centres in Glasgow and Falkirk.

    The idea of men and women powerwalking a marathon dressed in brightly decorated bras came from Nina Barough, Founder and CEO of Walk the Walk. Nina recently visited the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh to announce the latest grant awarded from money raised at The MoonWalk Edinburgh. Wearing a specially designed bra adorned with fresh flowers, she celebrated the announcement of a grant for a new Mammography Unit at Edinburgh’s Western General Hospital.

    If you want to contribute to The MoonWalk Edinburgh 2012, you can sign up to the Half Moon.

    Alternatively, this iconic event relies on the support of a team of volunteers and event crew in a wide variety of roles from driving duties to massage and food and water distribution. Why not sign up to help out?

     

    Important details:

    The entry fee for The Moonwalk Edinburgh is £47.50 (+booking fee if booking online).

    Walkers must be at least 13 years old on the night of the challenge.

    For more information on Walk the Walk Worldwide go to www.walkthewalk.org

    Please note: The Moonwalk is not a race and therefore running is not an option – powerwalk all the way!

  • Edinburgh's Commie Pool: New and Improved!, Friday March 23 2012

    For forty years the Royal Commonwealth Pool has been part of Edinburgh’s sporting landscape. During the last two years The City of Edinburgh Council has renovated and refurbished the Commie Pool to its former glory and future success. It will soon have the unique status of being the only venue in the world to host three Commonwealth Games (hosting the diving in the Glasgow 2014 Games).

    Edinburgh Commonwealth Pool

    Construction firm Graham helped deliver a 21st century aquatic centre in an A-listed 20th Century building. The two and a half year programme has seen the building entirely stripped out and rebuilt whilst retaining all the listed features including 7,000m2 of the original timber ceiling panels!

    At the City of Edinburgh Council’s official opening ceremony on 20th March David Wilkie MBE, Lord Provost George Grubb, Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, Scott Hastings, sportscotland Chair Louise Martin all celebrated welcoming the Royal Commonwealth Pool back into Edinburgh’s sporting fold.

    The ceremonial opening event included David Wilkie swimming a breadth with 30 local school children and a fabulous synchronised dive performance by Edinburgh Diving but the real celebration was opening the doors back to the public at 10am on Wednesday 21st March.

    Your new and improved Commie Pool, managed by Edinburgh Leisure, has the largest and longest swimming pool in Edinburgh with eight 50metre lanes, with a boom to split it into two. Add two 25metre teaching and diving pools, there’s a lot of water, 5.5million litres in fact.

    The gym has increased in size with over 70 pieces of new kit & plenty space for training along with 3 dedicated fitness studios for a whole host of classes.

    For the youngsters Clambers’ adventurous, water themed softplay delivers fun on multiple levels. With a new self contained cafe area and warming station, baby change and toilets it’s convenient as well as fun.      

    Find out more at www.thecommiepool.co.uk.

  • Lace Up Your Brogues!, Ceilidh Culture is in Town, Thursday March 15 2012

    If you’ve lived in Scotland, and indeed Edinburgh, long enough, then you’ll surely have attended, or heard of, a Ceilidh. You may have heard rumours of multiple partners, a stripped willow tree, a gay Gordon and a dashing white sergeant if you’ve never been; and for those that have been, can you remember the steps? Well, now time has come to lace up your brogues, perhaps wrap your kilt on and to get red in the face swinging your partners round the room as the annual Ceilidh Culture arts festival welcomes the spring with its 4 week extravaganza starting this Friday 16th March.

    Edinburgh Folk Club

    Image courtesy of Edinburgh Folk Club

    In celebrating 10 years of traditional Celtic arts with many Edinburgh venues and organisations getting involved, prepare yourself for a soiree of the senses with music, storytelling, song, and dance. Kicking off the event at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, is an Irish celebration, with a storyteller's reading accompanied by acclaimed piper Hamish Moore. Following this, Whisky Kiss will be hosting a Highland/break dancing competition at Voodoo Rooms with a club night on offer from 11pm. Over the course of the opening weekend there will be a chance to learn and witness signed storytelling, a practice and teaching session for budding flute players and a cosy wee sing song with Flossie Malavaille at the Royal Oak.

    Ceilidh Culture Festival Edinburgh

    Over the coming weeks Edinburgh venues will be hosting special nights and events for Ceilidh Culture with actual Ceilidh dancing nights at the Bongo Club, Ghilli Dhu and dance lessons at Dancebase. There will be lots of folk singing at the Royal Oak and the Edinburgh Folk Club. Also, large concerts will be held at the Usher Hall with Edinburgh based Kim Edgar playing and celebrating her second solo album launch on the 24th. Continuing on from last year’s success the street fair returns on Easter weekend (6-9 April) where you’ll find some of the best Scottish food and drink, clothes, crafts and more music.

    There really is so much going on it's best to get onto the Ceilidh Culture website and look through the event calendar to see what’s on and where, or download a handy guide to print and take with you. Now, just got to get out my whisky and try and recall how those dance moves go and with enough practice I might just end up singing as well!

  • enLIGHTen Edinburgh: The Launch, Friday March 02 2012

    enLIGHTen HQ is buzzing with a spectacular March in store...writes Peggy Hughes, Communications Executive, Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature Trust

    Edinburgh Enlighten

    Last night's launch of the project saw high-powered lights and lenses projecting a quote from the world famous philosopher and Edinburgh resident David Hume onto the Melville Monument in St Andrew Square. (historical fact of the day: he lived a stone’s throw away, on South St David Street)

    We will be installing several large-scale projections like this along George Street and Rose Street in the next fortnight – each unique and eye-catching in its own way.

    There are animated sequences, moving text, kinetic cameras, as well as the fabulous and mysterious art of projection mapping (which projects onto things other than flat walls – hence “mapping” the surface contours).

    We’re writing large on the city, and bringing some of its most famous former residents out into the streets. It’s the perfect mix of Edinburgh’s outstanding heritage (we are, after all, the world’s first UNESCO City of Literature) and cutting edge technology –bringing the past to life and celebrating our city‘s reputation as a hotbed of creativity and knowledge.

    Pufferfish Ball Edinburgh enlighten

    It’s going to be a fantastic visual feast for visitors and locals alike – and I haven’t even mentioned the exclusive new audio or other treats to come!

    Keep your eyes peeled in New Town. The first lights were live on Thursday 1 March at 6pm, and the campaign will run until 18 March.

    It’s going to be quite a production. Now excuse us, we have a giant inflatable camera ball to build.

    See Edinburgh City of Literature in a whole new light this March. The Edinburgh City of Literature Trust and an army of expert partners and supporters are creating an all new campaign, fusing Edinburgh’s literary heritage and cutting edge technology. –

    Find out more and get involved at cityofliterature.com/enlighten.

    bottom photo courtesy of http://www.blipfoto.com/lesault/about

  • Edinburgh enLIGHTens Once More, Friday February 10 2012

    Prepare to be illuminated from the remaining dark days of winter as the very walls of the city of Edinburgh shine with the words of great poets. Projections of lines from famous poets of the Scottish Enlightenment are to be set across six city centre buildings on Rose Street and George Street which will have the Edinburgh city locations’ literary heritage speak to those living in and visiting Edinburgh.

    Enlighten Edinburgh Castle

    The recently announced event, enLIGHTen, set as part of The Creative Year of Scotland 2012 program, will feature another first for Edinburgh City of Literature Trust as dynamic projection mapping is used to bring alive the culture, creativity and the architectural brilliance of Edinburgh city, not to mention to give inspiration about Scotland’s own Enlightenment.

    By 1750 Scotland was amongst the most literate countries in Europe, with a culture orientated to books, and intense discussion, in Edinburgh’s clubs such as The Select Society, the Oyster Club, and The Poker Club. Not the card game, but the type of poker that set to enflame the Scots very own characteristic Enlightenment movement where empiricism, reason and practicality aimed to benefit the individual and society as a whole. Some notable Scottish shakers, movers, and thinkers of the time were the well known David Hume, Robert Burns, Adam Ferguson, Lord Kames and Adam Smith.

    Scotland was set to question authority, question everything that was taken for granted, and to develop a unique branch of Humanism where even Voltaire would state “We look to Scotland for all our ideas of civilisation.” This is but the tip of the flame that made much of Europe and the rest of the world that bit brighter culturally, philosophically and scientifically.

    With special funding from Creative Scotland, enLIGHTen will also offer specially commissioned site-specific pieces of micro-fiction to download in situ or remotely, creating a multi-sensory experience. The Edinburgh City Libraries have their Edinburgh Reads literary map available if you fancy a ramble round the inspirational cityscape; also, Edinburgh World Heritage offer some interesting podcasts on various locations of the city, including a good piece to brush up on the University and the Enlightenment itself.

    Keep your eyes posted and be ready to read the walls of Edinburgh and hopefully see the very light of the Scottish Enlightenment ignite within!

    Essential Edinburgh, Marketing Edinburgh, Edinburgh World Heritage, Northern Light, Pufferfish and JUMP Marketing are also co-partners.

  • The Winners of the First Edinburgh Sparkles 2011 Treasure Hunt..., Friday November 04 2011

    Congratulations to Lorraine and Grace who won the amazing #EdinTreasure 8 personEdinburgh Twitter Follow Us VIP Edinburgh Castle experience (tour of the Castle, VIP lunch, a souvenir photo pack, goodie bag plus they'll get to meet the Edinburgh icon that is the One O'Clock gunner) on last night's very first Edinburgh Sparkles treasure hunt.21st Century Kilts Logo

    And thanks to Howie, pictured below with Lorraine and Grace, at 21st Century Kilts, for keeping our Edinburgh Sparkles Angel hidden during the hunt!

    Here are last night's clues. The location was cracked after only 4 tweets.

    Clues

    1. Sounds like Bill, Zone and Command are wanting for tea (Hidden Meaning: Phonetically, ‘kill’ with an added ‘t’ = kilt)

    2. Where a dinosaur male would undoubtedly dress in the future (Meaning: T-Rex – 20th Century Boy)

    3. Lithest street in the city with a mixed-up view (Meaning: Mix-up ‘lithest’ to get ‘thistle’)

    4. This jumbled tune/cry is of age (Meaning: Un-jumble tune cry to get ‘century’)

    Each week we will be running a treasure hunt around this city's inspiring streets. Clues will be posted on our Twitter acount andEdinburgh Castle all you need to do is...

     

    and decipher them to find out where the treasure is hidden.

    Then, on your marks, get set, GO!

    The first person to get there and approach our Edinburgh Sparkles Angel with the phrase "Edinburgh Sparkles" wins....Sound exciting? Well there are some fantastic prizes to be won including:

     

    Prizes

    * Michelin-star cooking session from 21212 chef Paul Kitching plus lunch for four people

    * return flights to anywhere courtesy of EasyJet

    * diamond pendant from our friends at Lime BlueEdinburgh Sparkles 1st Treasure Hunt Winner

     

    Dates of this year's treasure hunt are as follows:

    * Thursday 3, 10, 17 and 24th November 2011

    * Thursday 1st, 8th and15th December 2011

    * Sunday 4th, 11th, 18th December 2011

    * Monday19th, 20th, 21st and 22nd December 2011

     

    More at:

     

    www.edinburghsparkles.com

    www.twitter.com/edinburgh__

    #edintreasure

  • EIFF 2011 Line-up Announced. What, No Steven Seagal?, Tuesday May 17 2011

    Are you a film aficionado? A bone-fide movie buff? Do you dream in glorious technicolor? If so, then you’ll want to know all about the line-up for the 65th Edinburgh International Film Festival, won’t you?

    Well, the line-up announced today includes the UK premiere of The Guard, starring Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle, Jack Goes Boating, Philip Seymour Hoffmann’s directorial debut and Ewan McGregor’s latest flick, Perfect Sense.

    But it doesn’t matter whether you can recite the cast of Pi to 20 places, or don’t even know your Stephen Baldwins from your Alec Baldwins, because there’s something for all tastes, with more than 90 features, more shorts than you can shake a rolled-up movie poster and 50 other events including workshops, talks and masterclasses, all taking place from 15-26 June.

    Tickets for all events go on sale this Friday (20 May), and you can download the full programme brochure to help you plan your viewing.

  • Student Insiders Guide Hike and Skittles, Tuesday May 10 2011

    The warmer weather is encroaching and I know what you are all thinking. I want to be outside. I want to be wearing less clothes and I want to be eating an ice lolly and and climbing a mountain.  Or a hill. I want to be somewhere with luscious green grass and a soft breeze and copious amounts of space. But I don’t have a car to take me out of the city, and I always want to be in walking distance of a pub. 

    It took me two years of living in Edinburgh before I gathered up the strength and courage to climb Arthur’s Seat. And I wish I’d done it sooner! My supreme recommendation for a sunny afternoon is to slip into some comfortable shoes, grab a few friends, prepare provisions in the form of penny sweets and Irn Bru and head upwards. Located in Edinburgh’s South, it’s a stone’s throw away from Newington, and is basically the back garden for some of the Edinburgh University halls of residence.

    I must warn you that once you get to the top warm spring haze the sight of the crooked chimney topped tenement blocks, and the distance melody of the bagpipes will make you feel somewhat nostalgic for an older  more romantic Edinburgh.

    Now about that pub. The Sheep Heid Inn in Duddingston only a short amble down from the Seat itself it professes to be the oldest surviving pub not only in Edinburgh but also in Scotland.  And if the nostalgia hit is still buzzing then you can go old school and play skittles on the lawn accompanied by some very reasonable pub grub. Splendid!

    Anieszka Gryczkowska, Edinburgh Napier University

  • Student Insiders Guide - A Weekend in the City, Friday April 01 2011

    A Weekend in the City by Racheal Cloughton, Edinburgh College of Art

    It’s easy to let the monotonous route between home – university – library become the holy trinity that you live your life by in Edinburgh especially during exam times and hand-ins (which lets face it is most of the time). But rather than drift through the circuit on autopilot each day punctuate it at the weekend with a mini-break. And where better to explore on a student budget than the city itself? For off the beaten track lie so many national and internationl treasures you can easily transport yourself on a much-needed holiday with a little imagination.

    If you catch a sunny Saturday head to Stockbridge for a bike-ride by the river, perhaps it’s a stretch to compare it to the French Riviera but not unreasonable -especially if you pack a picnic filled with a few continental delicacies from the numerous plush grocery stores in the area. A stroll down to the Botanical gardens in Inverleith is also worth visiting in the sun and even if the weather isn’t on side finding shelter in the House Gallery is far from disappointing.

    Great sea and city views can be found on top of Arthur’s Seat and Calton Hill come rain or shine and as with any exercise both treks are worth rewarding with a treat. Spoil yourself than with local cuisine at Scottish restaurant Howies and a delicious cake from the Swedish Peter’s Yard. The day is best finished at the Italian-style Wine Bar Divino’s or its Berlin-esque bar neighbour Under the Stairs. With so many places on the doorstep, staying in the city can feel like miles from home.

  • To Infinity and Beyond! Well, the Edge of Space at Least, Friday February 11 2011

    Last week, we brought you news of some terrific bargains available with one of the city’s top clothing boutiques, but this week, Edinburgh’s home to an offer that’s literally out of this world!

    SpaceThat’s because a Leith travel agent has become the country’s only ‘Space Agent’. The aptly-named Dream Escape will be selling spaceflights with Virgin Galactic, the brainchild of tycoon Sir Richard Branson, which will offer private individuals the chance to venture into space. There’s been no confirmation yet of what the duty-free allowance is, but it’s sure to beat a bottle of perfume and an extra-large Toberlone.

    Worldwide, around 400 people have signed up for the two-hour flight on board SpaceShipTwo, which will take off from Spaceport America in New Mexico. The trip also includes around 6-10 minutes of weightlessness. We’re guessing sickbags are provided. They certainly should be considering the cost - at £125,000 a pop, it’s certainly not cheap, but with the first flight not due to leave for two years, there’s still time to get saving. Just don’t forget to check down the back of the sofa...

  • Student Insider's Guide - Winters Day Out - by Amy Shields, Friday January 28 2011

    It's 3 o clock in the afternoon. You're in Edinburgh, and it's late January. It's cold, but not freezing, and you don't want to put the heating on just yet. You forgot to buy milk. Damn. That means no tea. And you have this weird craving to watch the Emperor's New Groove. What do you do? You go to the Brass Monkey! A paradise for poor students in need of a decent movie, a nice cup of tea (or something stronger), and a wee cuddle on their wall-to-wall bed.

    This is the gigantic living room that is Edinburgh. The cafes and pubs are warm and welcoming, the shops unique and the nightlife eclectic. Sundays are about getting up to go to the car boot sale at the Omni centre, strolling up the Filmhouse Cinema for the film double bill and then having a good hearty dinner for less than a fiver in one of the trusty local pubs.

    The city is entirely walkable, and for those who can cope with the hills, also entirely cycleable. So get a flat in the old town if you can, but don't worry too much about being close to the centre. I thought that staying in Student accommodation (ie halls) would be a nightmare - I like to party but I don't always like to take the party home with me. But if you have the chance then go for it, because you'll make great friends as you ease into lif away from home.

    Amy Shields, Edinburgh College of Art

  • Student Insider's Guide - Student Hogmanay - by Matthew Macaulay, Friday January 21 2011

    One of Edinburgh’s chief attractions, and something I had yet to experience until this week, is Hogmanay, a Scottish festival celebrating the New Year.  Edinburgh is transformed as tens of thousands of people descend upon its streets, braving the city’s less than tropical climate, in order to see in the New Year in style. Music, fireworks, and of course a ‘wee dram’ of alcohol make for an unforgettable night - well, providing that is, you stick to just a ‘wee dram’! I recommend bringing a hip flask of something to warm the cockles.

    Eating Beans from Tin

    In order to get the full Edinburgh Hogmanay experience, it is best to buy tickets to The Street Party as my flatmates and I did.  A ticket costs £15 and grants you admission to Princes Street and the surrounding area, as well as access to the entertainment laid on for the occasion. There are various temporary stages erected with bands playing.

    This year saw artists as disparate as Newton Faulkner and Michelle McManus (winner of 2003’s Pop Idol). For the majority of the night we stayed on the top of The Mound (a hill that overlooks Princes Street).

    My flatmates were keen to see Michelle and it may have been the booze or the fantastic atmosphere, but my deep rooted cynicism towards talent shows evaporated. I thoroughly enjoyed her performance and somehow succeeded in dancing on a cobbled slope! 

    Seeing the fireworks over the gothic shadow of the New College building allowed me to reflect on how lucky I am to study in such a beautiful place.

    Matthew Macaulay, University of Edinburgh