23/01/18 - Edinburgh Old Town and Best of the Royal Mile Pub Walk

Distance - 4 Miles
Walk Inspiration - CAMRA Edinburgh Pub Walks, Walk 5
Pubs - 4
Previous Edinburgh Pub Walks -  Rose Street, Royal Mile around the Castle, Around the Castle, Tollcross, Fountainbridge and Haymarket, Around Waverley, New Town


Forth successive week in Auld Reekie and still no shortage of walking inspiration.   Tonight's walk combines a tour of the Old Town from a Holiday Which book and Walk 5 from CAMRA's Edinburgh Pub Walks.

Either way, the start is from the Scott Monument and up the hill to reach the castle.

Royal Scottish Academy

To the Castle 

Ignoring many previously found watering holes, I work my way down to Victoria Street, Grassmarket, Candlemaker Row, Cowgate and back up to the Royal Mile, where tonights rewards await.

The Mitre, 131 High Street, Lia Fail

Not looking at its most handsome, bedecked as it is in scaffolding.  Best photo I can get.

The Mitre, up close

It's a Nicholsons Pub and from the inside, I am can only be reminded of the Haymarket - found two weeks ago.  Friendly bar staff asking after my day (significantly improving by the minute), too much choice but a very decent Lia Fail from the Inveralmond Brewery.   Great beer, previously discovered in Malvern, of all places.

Photo tells all - Nicholsons.  Choice.

Number 1 High Street, 167 Canongate, Deuchars IPA

The guide says Tass but not any more.  We have had external re-branding but this old school boozer has not encouraged the tourists (your's truly, excepted).  Its full of a group of old boys locals enjoying a catch up over a meal.  We are soon joined by an incredibly drunk man, who announces himself to the pub and landlord but in a previously unobserved act of self censorship, decides himself he has already had enough and instantly leaves.

An authentic experience and the only reason I haven't come before is that I'm always seduced by the World's End over the road.  I was not quite seduced enough to try a £29.95 whisky from the menu, but I did cause Mrs M some concern by instagramming a photo and pointing out it was pay day.

Make Over and Tass No More

Sure the head on the bar was attached to a body

Tollbooth Tavern, 1 High Street, A Door in the Face

No sooner have I taken my external shot of the pub than I hear a loud clunk.

Wanted to capture the clock.  At the expense of including a Ford.

The dark wooden door, that would not look out of place on the castle itself, has been bolted firmly shut.

The clock reveals its 8:45pm.

Edinburgh pub time keeping at its finest and for the completist in me, the need to come back.

Regent, 2 Montrose Terrace, Deuchars IPA

Post spicy mexican meatballs at Pancho Villas, I am down the bottom of the Royal Mile, looking at Holyrood Palace and Abbey Hill, working my way around to the other side of Calton Hill.

And tonight's first entry from the 2018 Good Beer Guide.

Something New

Working my way past an old school gymnasium vaulting horse to make use of the facilities, I am at first surprised to find two huge boxes of condoms in the gents loos.   I'm sure that in my local, these would be misappropriated for poor attempts at balloon animals making.

I take my pint and sit down to get my bearings.  The wall art is striking and I may have broken Facebook policies by sending a photo with the caption "I've accidentally done it again".

Art at the Regent

A check of the guide, a I find that I've come down into the "Pink Triangle".  An area, I didn't know existed and the pub is definitely deserving it's inclusion in the Bible.  The Deuchars was in fine nick.

Going Down Fine

A short walk back to the Scott Monument, via previously unexplored roads, showing new vistas of the City.

The City from a new angle