Yes, summer, and do make sure you go to Bannerman's - it just happens to be the best pub in Edinburgh-why, a whole chapter of my life was written there! (smile)

Yes, just about all the shops are open (in fact I can't think of any that aren't), though most don't open until 11 or 12 and shut at 5 or 5.30.

Spygirl, when did you last go to Bannerman's ? I used to like it but the last time I went they'd changed it into a loud young people's pub. Are you going to give us any more details of this whole chapter in your life ? :-)

Hi Caroline -Ha! Me? I'll NEVER tell-I have too much history here and there in that city! (it was great fun while it lasted!)

Actually, I think you're right about Bannerman's-the last time I was there, (over 4 years ago) it was not quite the same place of yesteryear, that's for sure-it has evolved into a place that's not nearly as special as it once was.

It seems Morningside is "the" place to live in Edinburgh, isn't it? I know a couple who bought a quite small flat there at quite inflated prices-but that doesn't surprise me, all housing in Edinburgh is sky-high. My ex-BF lived over in the New Town (well, he's STILL in the area-but moved farther out to Fife, of all places!) one street removed from Heriot Row-another great location.

Hi Spygirl. I've only lived in Morningside since January last year but I really like it - good for shops & buses. I'd always lived on the south side but to the east of the castle before - Old Town / Marchmont / Grange / Newington - so I was a bit scared about moving from EH9 to EH10 ! But now wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

The New Town is nice too but steeper ! And, I think, being on a north-facing slopwe, even colder !

That should of course have been 'slope', in case anyonme thinks 'slopwe' is an old Scottish word :-)

Yes, one might well think that! (smile)

Caroline-what is the name of that really fun Morningside pub in which I spent many a rowdy evening? (not saying much there!) It's on the tip of my tongue...

And also, there's the Doctors pub, with the clock on the front that says "time for medicine"

Caroline, did Princes Street shrink, then? In the 27 years I lived there, it was always about a mile long.

Spygirl, The Canny Man, on the corner of Canaan Lane and Morningside road?

Barbara, thanks, but I don't think that's it-it seems as if there was one that had the word "Morning-side" in it? Could that be?

The only pubs on Morningside Road are the Canny Man's (officially the Volunteer Arms) and the Merlin. Just off M. Rd. on Maxwell Street is Wee Bennets.

Barbara, Princes Street definitely doesn't seem a mile long to me. And it can't be as long as the Royal Mile since, going east, it finishes at the junction with the Bridges, whereas the Royal Mile carries on east from the Bridges, down the Canongate. I know Princes Street is slightly longer at the west end since it encompasses the length of the castle too, but I don't think that's anywhere near as long as the Canongate.

Definitive answer : just measured Princes Street on my trusty A-Z & it is 5.25" long, at a scale of 6 2/3" to the mile. So nearer a mile than I'd thought, admittedly.

Yes, The Merlin is it, Caroline, I had in my head the "m"- from the name and Morningside-how would you rate that pub these days?

the Blue Guide Scotland says that Princes St 'is about a mile long' - can find no reference to Golden Mile however.

"Edinburgh is generally known as one of the prettiest cities in the UK, with world famous landmarks such as Edinburgh Castle, the Golden Mile, Arthur’s seat and Princes Street – the scene of the world’s largest Hogmanay party!"
Well there is apparently a very well known Golden Mile in Edinburgh after all - this from a Scottish golf tour website listing it as one of the main things of the city. Funny that locals havn't even heard of this 'world famous landmark'??

PlQ, just because some golf tour web site decides to call something-probably the Royal Mile-by a different name doesn't mean that it's correct. I hope such inaccuracies make you wonder what else they've invented.

I'm not saying it's correct just that there must be something in edinburgh called the Golden Mile - which i wrongly thought was Princes St - i was wrong but still wonder what is the Golden Mile - a tour brochure certainly wouldn't make that up in a listing of several 'landmark sights' - a Scottish tour company to boot. And i've searched many tour books i have and can find no reference to Golden Mile, so i agree with you.

I called the Edinburgh Tourist Board in Waverly station and asked what the term 'Golden Mile' refers to: their answer:
"The Golden Mile is the one mile between Edinburgh Castle and Holyroodhouse"
to which i said that's the Royal Mile isn't it?
to which she replied yes, that's what it's commonly called but we have referred to it in the past as The Golden Mile"
So the Golden Mile as it turns out is an Edinburgh landmark - but i was wrong to think it applied to Princes St. But it does exist as a term according to Edinburgh Tourism. In retrospect Flanner was right to think i had confused it with the Royal Mile!

I certainly would not rely on a golf tour brochure for accurate info about much beside yardage, handicap certs, tee times.

I get lots of these in the mail and one actually included " . . for the non-golfing spouse, your stay in St Andrews will put you at the foot of the famous Scottish Highlands . . . . ."

gee.....you people seem to have a lot of time on your hands.......you must be retired......

Hi Spygirl. I've always found the Merlin a bit odd - more like a cafe or even motorway services than a pub. Haven't been in for some years, admittedly. Like everything, though, I think it all depends on the company !

Hi Caroline! Hmmm. This place must have REALLY changed-haven't been there since the late 80's, and I know it wasn't like that then. very jolly convivial place. By the way, is that Safeway down in Leith still open, or has Safeway been taken over by another grocery chain? Talk about a hike from Leith up to the New Town-that was a bit daunting!

And I also remember how pleased I was to find that the Safeway in Leith was open on Sunday, as opposed to the Safeway in Crowborough, England I went to, which was not. But I do recall that even then, certain items cannot be sold on Sunday in Scotland in the big grocery stores at least-is that still in effect?

Hi Spygirl

Safeway has been taken over by Morrisons so the one on Morningside Road is now a Morrisons. I've not come across a supermarket in Leith, though I believe there is a Co-op if you turn right at the bottom of Leith Walk (heading out of town) ?

The only thing I'm aware of that can't be sold in shops on Sundays is alcohol prior to 12.30, as in the pubs. I remember there used to be strange laws governing what could & couldn't be sold in England : one example which was often quoted was that it was OK to buy a porn mag but not a bible. I think these laws were a halfway house aiming at letting small shops trade but not big ones.

summersky: sorry we've rather hijacked your thread, but perhaps the info will be useful to you ? :-)