What to do in Edinburgh on a Saturday (daytime).

[Skyedriver]

In Edinburgh for a concert on Friday (Joanne Shaw Taylor) and my bus home isn't until Saturday 5pm.
Anywhere with live music during the day? Or maybe a place of interest near the centre? Or a streetfull of garages as I'm looking for a cheap car for my son...
Thanks

[sherman]

City centre will be buzzing. The christmas markets will be open but will be stupidly busy. So probably best avoided.
Music wise wont be much happen during the day.
A few buskers here and there. No gigs as such.

Car garages. Get the tram out to Edinburgh park. There are all the main manufacturers and even Arnold Clark in Sighthill indudtrial estate. Theres more garages at the top of the hill than what you will see at the bottom of the hill when you arrive on the tram. Tram is £1.80 for a single journey.

Edited by sherman on Thursday 1st December 00:24

[ninepoint2]

Skyedriver said:

In Edinburgh for a concert on Friday (Joanne Shaw Taylor) and my bus home isn't until Saturday 5pm.
Anywhere with live music during the day? Or maybe a place of interest near the centre? Or a streetfull of garages as I'm looking for a cheap car for my son...
Thanks

Might see you there, I'll be the aging, overweight and balding chap in jeans

[Gramrugby]

Sandy Bells. There will probably be the usual jam session at the back in the afternoon.

[The Mad Monk]

There are quite a few decent pubs. Try this one for reasonably priced good food and well kept beer.

https://www.jdwetherspoon.com/pubs/all-pubs/scotla...

[sherman]

The Mad Monk said:

There are quite a few decent pubs. Try this one for reasonably priced good food and well kept beer.

https://www.jdwetherspoon.com/pubs/all-pubs/scotla...

You wont get anywhere near that with the christmas markets on.

[The Mad Monk]

sherman said:

You wont get anywhere near that with the christmas markets on.

Well, there are eight other Wetherspoons pubs in Edinburgh City.

[sherman]

The Mad Monk said:

sherman said:

You wont get anywhere near that with the christmas markets on.

Well, there are eight other Wetherspoons pubs in Edinburgh City.

None that you would willingly drink in on a Saturday afternoon though.
Theres a lot better than Wetherspoons in Edinburgh.
Sandy bells as perviously mentioned for one.

[Skyedriver]

ninepoint2 said:

Might see you there, I'll be the aging, overweight and balding chap in jeans

Bet I'm older and balder. Deafer too .
Probably in a Chris Rea T shirt.

Sandy Bells or the garages....decisions decisions.
Will the garages have anything around the £3k small learner car or just be new stuff?

Edited by Skyedriver on Thursday 1st December 09:57

[sherman]

Evans Halshaw have a couple of large sites. Renault and Vauxhall. Theres an Arnold Clark too. Probably have something in price.

Edinburgh
https://maps.app.goo.gl/sVbpL86VGTEE4eLR6

[Rod200SX]

I've always had a fair bit of success with The Jolly Judge on the royal mile for a wee seat and a drink even when it's busy, at the peak of summer. Fine wee pub.

Beyond drinking, it's just all the usual stuff to do in Edinburgh but just 20x busier

Wonderland Models is always good for a nosey if that's your thing, loved going in there as a kid

[Skyedriver]

I'm back, great concert Friday night.
Had walked from bus station to B&B then around town before gig. Meal in "Bobbys" just 'cos we have a Skye Terrier - extremely busy at 5pm but they found me a table for one, OK Fish Pie with dreadful veg and a decent pint of Stewarts 80/-
Walked towards Queens Hall, pint in the Grapes - absolutely dreadful pint of Belhaven.
After gig, walked back to B&B pint of something worse than the Belhaven in the Cask & ??

Saturday, Royal Mile and surrounds then three hours in Museum of Scotland followed by a walk up Colton Hill
Was going to go to the car garages on the tram but frightened something happened and I couldn't get back for my bus.
Had passed Sandy Bells earlier looked busy. Princes St, Rose St, George St. all heaving, folk coming out of pubs and restaurants blocking pavement, walking down the pavement with a mobile in hand not looking where they were going, all the pubs full to overflowing with all seating outside taken.
Tired feet and back on the bus.
Must do Edinburgh again (after Christmas)

[sherman]

Glad you gad a good time.

The Grapes is so awful its suposedly closing by New year.

Cask and Barrell is what you cant remember.

[Skyedriver]

sherman said:

Glad you gad a good time.

The Grapes is so awful its suposedly closing by New year.

Cask and Barrell is what you cant remember.

Good, can only be a benefit to the health of the drinking public. I would have had a beer on Saturday afternoon, there were so many great looking pubs but the crowds and the memories of Friday nights dishwater....

[ninepoint2]

Skyedriver said:

I'm back, great concert Friday night.
Had walked from bus station to B&B then around town before gig. Meal in "Bobbys" just 'cos we have a Skye Terrier - extremely busy at 5pm but they found me a table for one, OK Fish Pie with dreadful veg and a decent pint of Stewarts 80/-
Walked towards Queens Hall, pint in the Grapes - absolutely dreadful pint of Belhaven.
After gig, walked back to B&B pint of something worse than the Belhaven in the Cask & ??

Saturday, Royal Mile and surrounds then three hours in Museum of Scotland followed by a walk up Colton Hill
Was going to go to the car garages on the tram but frightened something happened and I couldn't get back for my bus.
Had passed Sandy Bells earlier looked busy. Princes St, Rose St, George St. all heaving, folk coming out of pubs and restaurants blocking pavement, walking down the pavement with a mobile in hand not looking where they were going, all the pubs full to overflowing with all seating outside taken.
Tired feet and back on the bus.
Must do Edinburgh again (after Christmas)

Glad you enjoyed it, I did too, my wife thought it was too loud. You must have had a B&B in similar area to us, we were in Mayfield Gardens, we had a drink in Cask & Barrel before concert, but I had cider so can't comment on the beer, went to Southern Bar on way back to B&B. Central Edinburgh was as expected full of jolly festive fun seekers

[Bannock]

Interesting to hear OP's poor reviews of the beer in Edinburgh. I'm off up there in February for a 6 Nations match, one of a group of 6 thirsty rugby fans. We go up every 2 years for the Wales game, and similarly I'm never too impressed with the draught cask beer offer in the city. Can anyone point me in the direction of the decent pubs which serve decent cask ale, not just the usual Belhaven Best type rubbish? I'm not after these fancy new Craft Beer things either, just good proper hand pumped real ale, of decent quality. There must be some good places? Although after an afternoon of drinking expensive pish water at Murrayfield and watching Wales hammer us again pretty much anything is a welcome escape from reality...

[ninepoint2]

Bannock said:

Interesting to hear OP's poor reviews of the beer in Edinburgh. I'm off up there in February for a 6 Nations match, one of a group of 6 thirsty rugby fans. We go up every 2 years for the Wales game, and similarly I'm never too impressed with the draught cask beer offer in the city. Can anyone point me in the direction of the decent pubs which serve decent cask ale, not just the usual Belhaven Best type rubbish? I'm not after these fancy new Craft Beer things either, just good proper hand pumped real ale, of decent quality. There must be some good places? Although after an afternoon of drinking expensive pish water at Murrayfield and watching Wales hammer us again pretty much anything is a welcome escape from reality...

Diggers was legendary when I was a lad, not sure if it still maintains the same standard these days, not been there since the 80's so may need confirmation of current quality.

https://whatpub.com/pubs/EDN/638/athletic-arms-dig...

[Skyedriver]

ninepoint2 said:

Glad you enjoyed it, I did too, my wife thought it was too loud. You must have had a B&B in similar area to us, we were in Mayfield Gardens, we had a drink in Cask & Barrel before concert, but I had cider so can't comment on the beer, went to Southern Bar on way back to B&B. Central Edinburgh was as expected full of jolly festive fun seekers

I thought it got louder as the night went on.
By the end I was hoping for a few more slower tracks, highlighting the music rather than he voice which while good was becoming a shout with a slight American twang.
Kilmaurs Road a few streets to the east of Mayfield

[sherman]

ninepoint2 said:

Diggers was legendary when I was a lad, not sure if it still maintains the same standard these days, not been there since the 80's so may need confirmation of current quality.

https://whatpub.com/pubs/EDN/638/athletic-arms-dig...

Still ok. Not quite as good as the brewery is no longer esentially next door.

[s2kjock]

sherman said:

ninepoint2 said:

Diggers was legendary when I was a lad, not sure if it still maintains the same standard these days, not been there since the 80's so may need confirmation of current quality.

https://whatpub.com/pubs/EDN/638/athletic-arms-dig...

Still ok. Not quite as good as the brewery is no longer esentially next door.

IIRC Diggers are meant to be taking over the Caley Sample Rooms just along the road - that used to be good for decent beer also.

Anywhere remotely near Murrayfield (eg Haymarket Bar, Teuchters in the West End if still there) on a match day will be heaving, which does detract from relaxing with a decent pint.

Further from Murrayfield..... Cloisters, Cumberland, Stockbridge Tap, Bow Bar, Guildford all good beer wise. Last 2 are city centre so busier.