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The Royal Mile, from the Castle to St Giles
This walk heads down the upper part of the Royal Mile, from the Castle Esplanade to the Mercat Cross.
Queens, Reformers and Parliaments in Edinburgh: audio walks
Who ruled Edinburgh, and how did castle, Kirk, Crown and Parliament fight over power?
4 walks with different starting points and stories. Compare their maps, stops and duration, then choose where to begin.
Explore these walks
Power in Edinburgh has several addresses: the castle, the churches, the palace and Parliament. Walking between them means following the disputes of those who wanted to rule and those who challenged their authority. These routes bring episodes from the monarchy and the Reformation together with places where new political ideas took public shape.
In “The Royal Mile”: This walk heads down the upper part of the Royal Mile, from the Castle Esplanade to the Mercat Cross.
In “The Athens of the North”: A Greek temple that was finished, and then waited years for a parliament, beside the brazier of a vigil.
In “Canongate and Holyrood”: As you walk down the Royal Mile, there's a point where, for centuries, you left Edinburgh.
Choose from 4 independent walks in Edinburgh. Open the one that interests you to see its map, stops and approximate duration before deciding. You don't need to do them all or follow this selection's order; each walk has its own starting and finishing points.
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The Athens of the North: from the North Bridge to Calton Hill
A Greek temple that was finished, and then waited years for a parliament, beside the brazier of a vigil.
Canongate and Holyrood: the other Royal Mile
As you walk down the Royal Mile, there's a point where, for centuries, you left Edinburgh.
New Town: from St Andrew Square to Stevenson's Street
Edinburgh's New Town was drawn up in 1767 for a king, but many hands made it.
Edinburgh, before you go
A stone city built on hills, with a castle above it and weather that keeps changing. Cobbled streets and narrow stairways reward walking, provided your shoes have grip and your coat has a hood.
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