OK I am gong with a friend to Edinburgh for 5 days. We won't have a car. In fact, we might do separate things on one day as I would love to EASILY get out into the country and birdwatch or at maybe Puffin Watch. Is there an easy way to get to the countryside (no tours) for a day? Not a 2.5 hour train trip each way. Thanks for any tips. Love cities but I live in a major city so I love to mix urban and rural when I can.

And of course, looking for any off the beaten path ideas in Edinburgh. Seems like a lot of interesting buildings and castles but wouldn't mind something else. Thank you

OK -- something's got to give. You want countryside -- sure there are buses and trains to some rural and rural-ish places. But Puffinns add a complication. There is a GREAT place to see puffins (and other birds/sea mammals) not that far from Edinburgh. from the fishing village of Anstruther there are regular boat trips out to the Isle of May where you get about two hours IIRC to walk around among the puffins, plus see three old light houses etc. But no trains, and buses would take too long/complicated. You would want a car for the day (other things to do in Anstruther are the excellent Scottish Fisheries museum, and great fish and chips.

There is a boat trip to the Isle of May from North Berwick which I haven't taken. Advantage - there is train service between Edinburgh and North Berwick. Disadvantage it is is farther from the island and you have less time ashore.

i guess something has to give. I would love to just go to the countryside for a walk. I guess the puffin idea was a stretch.

Arthur's Seat and Salisbury Crags is a massive park/'mountains' adjacent to Holyrood -- you can do a 'country walk' there.

I am seeing a 30 minute train to North Berwick and then a boat to the Scottish Seabird Center--15 minute walk (or taxi) to the boat. Has anyone done that? It seems like a really nice place to hike.

The Seabird centre is good -- but is in town so it wouldn't be a 'countryside' walk. A great day out would be to combine Tantallon Castle plus the Bird centre and a boat trip. Its about three miles from the station out to Tantallon - if you didn't want to walk that far you could take a bus right from in front of the seabird centre out to the castle -- about a 20 minute ride.

I thought fron the Seabird Center you could take a boat to the Isle of May where the puffins are. It sounds like a full day: 30 minutes to North Berwick, walk to the Seabird Center, 45 minute boat ride to the Isle of May. 3 hours ashore to hike (sounds perfect) and then return. Wondering if anyone has done this?

Oh -- I didn't understand you were talking about taking the Isle of May boat trip from the seabird center. Yes, that would be a nice day -- but IMO you'd still have time to visit Tantallon Castle.

I have not going to the Isle of May from North Berwick (have been in the town several times though -- mostly taking friends to play golf) I have gone out to the Isle of May from Anstruther a couple of times -- very similar excursions but from Anstruther it is a shorter boat ride and a bit longer on the island IIRC. From Edinburgh by public transport, North Berwick is easier.

Unfortunately sold out as this was a last minute trip to help out a friend. Darn

BBC This Morning had the live Puffin Watch on TV. They ARE really cute, aren't they? This is the live cam, but I didn't see any puffins at the time I started the camera. https://www.alderneywildlife.org/wil...uffin-main-cam

When I want a Puffin fix I take a peek at this web cam on the Farne Islands -- lots of different sea brids but meany puffin burrows right in front of the camera. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dis...-farne-islands

Ah, Janis! You beat me to it. Watching the news here in the Cotswolds and that National Trust webcam is the one they're showing. So cute! https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dis...slands-webcams

OK Settled on the Three Island Safari with my name on the waitlist to actually hike the island. Getting to North Berwick seems more sane on public transportation. I have heard the "safari" is very good. Sorry not to be able to hike. But last minute trips... mean missing some things.

This picture was taken when we visited the Faroe Islands in 2023. Loved seeing all of these birds, our guide said there were over 200,000 of them on the island we went to.