Edinburgh in a Weekend

We've been asked about the feasibility of going to Edinburgh from Alnwick in a weekend.  It is very possible and often done by short term study program participants.  Trains to Edinburgh run a few times a day from Alnmouth, which is about 7 miles from Alnwick.  To reach Alnmouth, you can either take a bus, or schedule a taxi.  Same for the return trip.  The remainder of this post is an excerpt from an e-mail that I sent to someone asking me about Edinburgh.  Rather than reinvent the wheel, I am posting as I wrote to her:

Edinburgh is very possible in a weekend. Most students leave early on Saturday morning from Alnmouth, several trains a day I believe, a couple of students last time even returned very late on Saturday evening, but I think they felt that was a bit much. Edinburgh is a very “walkable” city. You could visit Edinburgh Castle and then strolldown the Royal Mile to the Palace of Holyrood, which is Queen Elizabeth’s official Scotland residence. Lots of other things as well, including the tea shop where J.K. Rowling wrote the first Harry Potter book , the Edinburgh Zoo (great penguins, check to see if there is still the Penguin Walk at 2 pm in the afternoon), the Royal Botanic Gardens .  Oh  and you must take tea at Jenner’s Department Store (billed as the Harrod’s of the North) Also lots of parks and of course the Sir Walter Scott monument is right across the street from Jenner’s. Can walk to the top for 2.5 pounds (a little less than $5.00). And don’t forget Arthur’s Seat which gives you a great view of the city and I believe a glimpse of the Firth of Forth. I could continue, but I think you get the picture that there is LOTS to do there.

Edinburgh will not be cheap, but it will not be as expensive as London. Last program, some students went to golf mecca St. Andrews which is southeast of Edinburgh and found that to be very expensive as well as somewhat cumbersome to get to.