10 Places to Visit in Stockbridge, Edinburgh
An area full of beautiful Georgian and Victorian terraced houses as well as independent shops, restaurants, and cafes, Stockbridge is a very affluent area in Edinburgh along the Water of Leith, just northwest of New Town. Stockbridge used to be a separate part of Edinburgh until the mid-18th century, when New Town expanded and Stockbridge got absorbed into the city.
In this blog post, we’re going to tell you about 10 places to visit in Stockbridge!
This blog post accompanies our YouTube video on Stockbridge, so be sure to check it out!
1. Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Not only is it a popular tourist attraction spanning 70 acres, the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is a scientific centre for the study of plants, their diversity, and conservation.
Some of our favourite parts of the Botanics include the Chinese Pavilion, Native Woodland, the Queen Mother’s Memorial Garden, and the Rock Garden and Stream. There are also daily guided walks and afternoon tea tours available should you wish to join.
Address: 20a Inverleith Row, Edinburgh EH3 5LR; enter at Arboretum Place, Edinburgh EH3 5NZ (West Gate) or Inverleith Row, Edinburgh EH3 5LP (East Gate)
Hours: Daily from 10.00 - 18.00 (March to September); 10.00 - 17.00 (October and February); 10.00 - 16.00 (November to January)
Price: Free except the Glasshouses
Note: Glasshouses are currently closed until further notice
2. Inverleith Park
Next to the Royal Botanic Garden and a little bit smaller at 54 acres is Inverleith Park, a public park with lots of green spaces and areas for sporting activities. There is also a boating pond and nice views of Edinburgh.
Address: Edinburgh EH3 5PA
3. Stockbridge Colonies
There are several of these ‘colonies’ in Edinburgh, with the Stockbridge Colonies being the first to be built in the 19th century. The other ‘colonies’ are at Abbeyhill, Dalry Road, Slateford Road, Restalrig Road, North Fort Street, and Shaftesbury Park.
They are groups of stone terraced houses that were built to deal with the lack of housing with acceptable living conditions. Reverend James Begg experimented with a scheme where workers would pool their money together to buy land and use their skills to build new houses. The building of these houses provided affordable housing for and organised by working people, and many of the owners were tradesmen.
There are original artisan crests at the end of each street that show the various trades of the tradesmen.
Address: Kemp Place, Edinburgh EH3 5HT
4. Circus Lane
Circus Lane is very popular on Instagram due to its pretty cobbled streets with terraced mews (row or courtyard) houses. The lane was originally used for people who worked for wealthy New Town families, and horses used to be kept in what are now garages.
The tall building that is in every picturesque photo of Circus Lane is Ashton Hall, a performing arts theatre.
Address: Circus Lane, Edinburgh EH3 6SU
5. Potted Garden
Another popular Instagram-worthy place in Stockbridge is the Potted Garden. It is a private home and the owners have adorned the house with beautiful flowers that always amaze passersby. There are more flowers in the spring and summer and usually flow all over their staircase!
Address: 33 North West Circus Place, Edinburgh EH3 6TP
6. Stockbridge Market Arch
From the old Stockbridge Market from the 19th century, the Stockbridge Market Arch was built in 1825 by Archibald Scott to hold market stalls and was open until 1906.
The arch is not to be confused with the current Stockbridge Market that runs on Sundays (more on that below).
Address: 1-21 St Stephen Place (between St Stephen Place and Hamilton Place), Edinburgh EH3 5AJ
7. Stockbridge Market
Stockbridge Market is one of the Edinburgh markets that takes place on Sundays with local producers. You can find out the weekly traders on their website.
Address: Saunders Street, Edinburgh EH3 6TQ
Hours: 10.00 - 16.00
8. Water of Leith Walkway
The Water of Leith is the main river that flows through Edinburgh, stretching 35 kilometres (22 miles) from Colzium Springs in the Pentland Hills to the port of Leith in the north of Edinburgh and into the sea via the Firth of Forth.
The Water of Leith Walkway is almost 20 kilometres (12.25 miles) long and runs from the suburb of Balerno to Leith, passing through Stockbridge.
Be sure to check out our YouTube video where we walked the entire Water of Leith Walkway!
Address: (suggested starting place in Stockbridge) St Bernard’s Well, 2 Clarendon Crescent, Edinburgh EH4 1PT
9. Dean Village
Dean Village is a peaceful village where water milling used to take place, and you can still see some remnants dotted around the village.
You can walk along the Water of Leith Walkway from Stockbridge south to Dean Village. Starting from St Bernard’s Well, it’s only a 10-minute walk along the walkway to reach Dean Village.
One of the most popular spots for photos of Dean Village is with the Water of Leith and Well Court. You can get there by walking down Hawthornbank Lane and then going onto the wee bridge for the view.
Make sure you also take a nosy around the village and look out for mill stones and plaques of baked bread and pies.
Address: Dean Path, Edinburgh EH4 3AY
10. Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art
Two buildings, Modern One and Modern Two, comprise the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, and they are home to Scotland’s collection of modern and contemporary art. The buildings are located in a sculpture park, which are lovely to stroll around in their own right.
Address: 73 & 75 Belford Road, Edinburgh EH4 3DR
Hours: Daily from 10.00 - 17.00
Price: Free but charges for some exhibitions
Of course, this is plenty more to see in Stockbridge, but we hope this gave you a nice glimpse into what this beautiful area of Edinburgh has to offer! What is your favourite part of Stockbridge? Let us know in the comments below!
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