Edinburgh/Stockbridge and Canonmills

Stockbridge and Canonmills is to the north of New Town. West Edinburgh is on the western and part of the northern boundary. Leith is on the eastern and part of the northern boundary.

By foot

From New Town, walk north, an easy downhill stroll with plenty to look at on the way.
A longer but picturesque route follows the Water of Leith Walkway from the West End or Leith. This follows the small river which flows from the Pentland Hills through the city to join the sea at Leith docks.

By bus

• The number 36 bus passes right through this area, running from South Gyle via Queensferry Street in the West End to Ocean Terminal in Leith.
• The number 8 and 17 buses serve Canonmills from South Bridge in the Old Town.
• The numbers 24, 29 and 42 serve Stockbridge, running along Raeburn Place.

• Royal Botanic Garden

  phone: +44 131 552-7171
  address: Inverleith Row (East Gate) / Arboretum Place (West Gate).
  Very impressive gardens with a collection of interesting plants. Great place to wander around on a sunny day, or to sit and have a picnic. Highlights include the Rock Garden; the 165-m-long herbaceous border, backed by a huge, century old beech hedge (a hedge may not sound too exciting but this one has to be seen to be believed!); and the Victorian Temperate Palm House, which is the tallest of its kind in the UK. The stunning John Hope Gateway building at the west gate contains the restaurant, shop, and permanent and temporary exhibitions. Botanic Cottage is an education centre in a house that was built in 1764-5 and designed by John Adam and James Craig. It was rebuilt in the gardens in 2014-16.

• Patriothall Gallery

  phone: +44 131 226-7126
  address: 1D Hamilton Place, Stockbridge
  Small art gallery and set of artists studios. Has regular exhibitions of modern art, and very occasionally the artist's studios are open.

• St Bernard's WellA well in a fine building from 1789. Open noon-3PM Sundays in August and first Sunday of month April - July.

• Fettes CollegeBoarding school in an impressive building in the style of a French Château by David Bryce built between 1863 and 1869. It can be seen from far away. Not open for tourists.

• Water of Leith WalkwayWalk or cycle along the Water of Leith. The route follows the river right through the City from the suburb of Balerno, on the edge of the Pentland Hills, to the sea at Leith. The walkway is indicated by brown direction signs featuring a water wheel logo. The section from the Gallery of Modern Art through the Dean Village and Stockbridge to Canonmills is probably the most picturesque on the whole river. There are Brown Trout plus a dozen other species of fish in the river and birds including the Grey Heron, Goosander, Dipper and Kingfisher can be seen along the banks.

• Fishing (Angling) on the Water of Leith. Permits are required, and can be obtained free of charge from the City Council offices at Waverley Market in the New Town and Cockburn Street in the Old Town. Most Fishing Tackle shops throughout the city can also provide permits.

• The Grange

  address: Raeburn Place
  Take in a cricket match at The Grange, home of the Saltires, Scotland's cricket team.

• Glenogle Swim Centre

  phone: +44 131 343-6376
  address: Glenogle Road
  Go swimming in a Victorian swimming pool with partial glass roof. Also has a gym and sauna. Refurbished in 2010.

Stockbridge is well-known throughout Edinburgh and beyond for its second-hand clothes shops, which are spread along Raeburn Place and St Stephen Street. Stockbridge and Canonmills have a number of specialist food shops.

• IJ Mellis

  phone: +44 131 225-6566
  address: 6 Baker Place, Stockbridge
  Cheese paradise! If you like cheese at all you will struggle to walk past this place as the aroma will draw you right in through the door. Specialist cheesemonger with a range of artisan cheeses from all over Scotland, the UK and Europe. With the greatest customer service in Edinburgh, the friendly staff are always more than happy to offer you a wee taste to help you make up your mind what to buy.

• Edina Lock & Key Co. Ltd.

  phone: +44 131 556-1567 (shop), +44 131 623-5577 (websales)
  address: 10-12 Brandon Terrace, Canonmills
  Ironmonger & locksmith. If you like the brass door furniture you've seen on the traditional townhouses in the New Town, this is the place to pick up the knobs, knockers, numbers and letter-boxes you need to make your own front door look just the same. A real treasure-trove of a shop.

• Diana Forrester

  phone: +44 131 225-5877
  address: 22 North West Circus Place, Stockbridge
  Designer-led homeware, furniture and accessories.

• Stockbridge Market

  address: Saunders Street
  Open air market selling upmarket produce. Also has food stalls selling ready-to-eat food.
• Charity second hand shops in Raeburn Place, Stockbridge. Most of these stock the usual mix of clothes, books and household items, but there are three specialist shops: Oxfam Books, Shelter Books and Oxfam Music. These shops usually have a paid manager, with the other staff being volunteers, and the profits go to the named charity. Most of the stuff for sale has been donated.
• Supermarkets (from East to West and also from cheaper to expensive): Lidl, Logie Green Road, Cannonmills Tesco, 7 Broughton Road, Cannomills; Scotmid Co-op, Hamilton Place, Stockbridge; Scotmid Co-op, Raeburn Place, Stockbridge; Waitrose, 38 Comely Bank Road, Stockbridge.

Take a pleasant walk along St Stephen Street with numerous small independent art galleries and design orientated stores you are bound to find something of interest in this small street. Some of these stores include:

• Sheila Fleet

  phone: +44 131 225-5939
  address: 18 St Stephen Street, Stockbridge
  The well-known jewellery designer's first shop outside of her native Orkney. Fleet says that her original designs reflect the natural world around her in Orkney, and also the history and folklore of the islands.

• VoxBox Music

  phone: +44 131 629-6775
  address: 21 St Stephen Street, Stockbridge
  An independent record shop. They sell a range of collectible records. Mainly used vinyl but also some new CDs and box sets.

• Crystal Chandelier Company

  phone: +44 131 226-6355
  address: 36 St Stephens Street
  This store offers an interesting range of chandeliers and mirrors.

• Chandlers

  phone: +44 131 220-5472
  address: 68 St Stephens Street
  Sells a large variety of modern, designer kitchenware and homeware.

• The Laurel Gallery

  phone: +44 131 226-5022
  address: 58 St Stephens Street
  This store offers high quality pieces of Scottish art, jewellery and gifts at reasonable prices although small it is well worth having a look around.

• The Bailie

  phone: +44 131 225-4673
  address: 2-4 St Stephen Street, Stockbridge
  Could just as easily feature in the "drink" section, as this is a lovely old traditional basement pub, known as much for the quality of its ale as for its food. Fairly traditional pub menu, but while the quality is well above standard "pub-grub" fare, the prices are not. Popular Sunday afternoon meeting spot for groups of friends to dissect what went on the night before in comfortable surroundings.

• The Stockbridge Restaurant

  phone: +44 131 226-6766
  address: 54 St Stephen Street

• Scran and Scallie

  phone: +44 131 332 6281
  address: 1 Comely Bank Rd, Stockbridge, EH4 1DT
  Upmarket gastro pub. The owners have another restaurant with a Michelin Star.

• The Raeburn

  phone: +44 131 332 7000
  address: 112 Raeburn Pl, Stockbridge EH4 1HG
  Restaurant, pub and small hotel (rooms from £135) with beer garden.

• The Orchard

  address: 1-2 Howard Place, Canonmills, EH3 5JZ
  Pub with bar meals, including a gluten free menu.

• The Stockbridge Tap

  phone: +44 131 332-6345
  address: 2-4 Raeburn Place, Stockbridge
  Traditional Edinburgh bar in the heart of Stockbridge. Good range of ales and whiskies, and some good value pub-grub on offer too. Popular place to watch sport on screen, though the management tend not to show football.

• The Bailie

• Smithie's Ale House

  phone: +44 131 556-9805
  address: 49-51 Eyre Pl, Canonmills
  Comfortable, friendly local bar on a Canonmills side street. Ceilidh nights on Sundays and quiz nights on Thursdays.

There are a number of small and medium sized hotels and guest houses throughout the area.

• The Inverleith Hotel

  address: 5 Inverleith Terrace, Canonmills
  The closest hotel to the Botanic Garden. All rooms have an en-suite bath and there is Wi-Fi access. The proprietors also have a self-catering apartment round the corner.

• Six Mary's Place

  address: 6 Mary's Place, Raeburn Place, Stockbridge
  Charming veggie-friendly 3-star B&B in the heart of Stockbridge. 8 bedrooms, guest lounge and a private garden for the use of guests.

• Brig O' Doon Guest House

  phone: +44 131 552-3953
  address: 262 Ferry Road
  A small, friendly bed and breakfast providing very comfortable accommodation in Edinburgh, its close to the main attractions and serves a traditional Scottish breakfast daily.

• Hot-el-Apartments (Canon Court Apartments)

  phone: +44 131 554-2721
  address: 20 Canonmills
  Offers a wide range or 1- and 2-bedroom serviced apartments for short term lettings.

• The Mews Company Edinburgh Ltd

  phone: +44 7808 896897
  address: 24 Dean St, 21 N E Cumberland St Ln, or 27 Circus Ln
  4 mews houses each with their own unique character available as self-catering holiday lets all year round. Parking on site or nearby.

Internet

• Stockbridge Library

  phone: +44 131 529-5665
  address: 11 Hamilton Place, Stockbridge
  PCs with free internet access. Free Wi-Fi.