Edinburgh’s Royal Mile: a walking tour
A walk down the Royal Mile surely is easier than climbing it!
So join me, as we wander from Edinburgh Castle to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, and together we’ll enjoy stories along the way. We’ll explore the busy streets and the history that have shaped one of Edinburgh’s most walked – and best loved – streets. Known by locals as Edinburgh’s High Street, there’s a lot more to this mile-long, downhill street than shopping!
Edinburgh Walking Tours
You never truly understand a city until you’ve walked in the footsteps of its residents, and there’s no better way to learn about Edinburgh than by walking the well-trodden path of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile.
When you walk down Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, you become part of its vibrant and inspiring history – a sentiment you can only truly understand when you walk the busy street with me, and learn about those who have walked before you.
Yes, film stars and royalty have made the journey from the ancient and imposing Edinburgh Castle to the younger and impressive Palace of Holyroodhouse. But when you walk with me, you’ll learn about the people who shaped this incredible city, and indeed who helped shape the Story of Scotland.
Military figures, politicians, traders and criminals all left their mark on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, and on this walking tour you’ll discover everything about Edinburgh Castle and the small, but important, town that serviced it.
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Edinburgh's Royal Mile
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Victoria Street
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Arthur's Seat
Edinburgh’s Royal Mile Tour Details
We begin our adventure at the gates of the imposing Edinburgh Castle. Set high on top of a dormant volcano, the solid structure and high vantage point provided safety and security for its inhabitants. Its chilly stone walls and draughty high ceilings gave no comfort, so the Palace of Holyroodhouse became the new residence for Scotland’s royalty.
Let’s follow in their footsteps and meander doon the Mile (down the Royal Mile) to the Palace itself, and along the way you’ll find a few surprises.
Walking down the Royal Mile – the highlights
The Royal Mile is positively packed with history. Impressive buildings, secretive wynds and short-cut closes all add to the area’s vibrant heritage. Along our journey we’ll stop many times to learn about the famous landmarks and the events that took place. Events so important to Scotland’s Story, the effects of them continue to be felt in our culture today.
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Edinburgh – the Medieval City
Stories, statues and architecture fill this part of the Royal Mile and we’ll stop to take it all in.
The Mercat Cross, once a thriving and bustling area of the city; traders from all over Northern Europe would gather here to sell their wares and share their tales, selling secrets to politicians and ne’er-do-wells along the way.
Shopkeepers, shoppers and petty thieves would jostle and elbow each other out of the way as goods were weighed and bartered. Often unlucky thieves and cheats would have their ears nailed to the weighing machine as a warning to future criminals!
Scotland’s past is not without its gruesome tales, many of which you’ll discover as we elbow and jostle our own way down the busy street.
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Edinburgh’s Canongate
After St. Mary’s Street we leave the old medieval city to enter the Canongate as it makes its way down the hill past the townhouses of the wealthy to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official residence of the Queen in Scotland.
On the way we pass the Canongate Kirk - burial of some of Scotland’s most important characters such as Adam Smith, the philosopher and ‘father of economics.’
Outside the gates is the statue of Robert Fergusson, a young poet whom Robert Burns called ‘My elder brother in the Muse.’ Dead in his early twenties, he was buried in a pauper’s grave until Burns erected for him a magnificent gravestone. It’s just inside the gates. There are many, many more secrets in the Cannongate Kirkyard.
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Palace of Holyroodhouse
What stories lie within the walls of this majestic and opulent Royal home? Our tour ends here, standing on the same ground as David I, who was attacked by a stag and built an abbey in thanks to God for his survival.
What was once a hunting lodge, grew into a palace, a sanctuary for Mary Queen of Scots and her favourite Secretary David Rizzio, who met a gruesome and bloody end at the hand of a number of Scotland’s nobles and Mary’s jealous husband.
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Greyfriars Church – the heart of the Covenanters
In 1638 the Scots covenanted themselves to defend the Presbyterian religion in the face of the attempt by Charles I to destroy it. Here also in the churchyard many of the Covenanters faced imprisonment for their beliefs.
Alternative Walking Tour of Edinburgh
If you enjoyed the Edinburgh’s Royal Mile Walking Tour and would love to experience the stories and history of another part of this wonderful city, then ask me about the other Edinburgh Walking Tours I provide.
Edinburgh Walking Tour: From the Old Town to the New Town
Edinburgh’s Old Town sat beneath the Castle, to service the occupants and earn a living. By the 18th century, it was incredibly overcrowded - space had officially run out!
A New Town was built across the valley. My Old to the New Town Edinburgh Walking Tour begins at St. Giles in the heart of the Old Town, and looks at its life in the wynds and closes that snake and wind from the dark and dingy built up streets of the Old Town, contrasting with the gleaming grandness of Edinburgh’s New Town.
“Margaret has led several tours of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh for our family, including one when joined by our Japanese friends visiting Scotland. Margaret’s preparation, research and planning for the tours and her presentation and delivery of the material are second to none. Her passion and incredible knowledge of the subject brings the history to life, as she is able to introduce relevant interesting stories into the facts.
During the tours she identified and explained many points of interest unknown to several of our group who have lived in the Edinburgh area for most of their lives. Our Japanese friend was so impressed by Margaret that she took notes of her presentation and delivery, which she is using in her own training as a guide in Japan.
We have no hesitation is recommending Margaret. She is a consummate professional in all she undertakes and is a great ambassador for Scotland.”
— Tommy and Brenda McLean, Edinburgh