No trip to Edinburgh would be complete without visiting Edinburgh Castle. So in August 2021 that’s exactly what we did! Read on to learn more about our visit…
Where is Edinburgh Castle?
Castlehill, Edinburgh EH1 2NG
How to get to Edinburgh Castle
Bus – Edinburgh hop on hop off tour buses have a stop on the Royal Mile, and local public transport buses have stops at the Mound or George IV bridge.
Train – Waverly Street will be the closest train station, around a 10/15 minute walk.
Tram – The closest tram stop would be Princess Street, which is a similar distance from Waverly Street.
Car – There is no public parking at Edinburgh Castle. Castle Terrace and Johnston Terrace have the nearest on-street parking zones, Castle Terrace also has an NCP car park.
Taxi – Taxis and UBER are readily available in Edinburgh, they can’t drive you to the entry of the Castle, but will drop you a short distance away on the Royal Mile.
Whatever option you take, the Castle is set at the top of a hill, so at some point you have to walk up hill. If you aren’t great on your feet or your kids aren’t willing to walk up the hill, taxi would probably be your best option as it can drop you off closest.
Ticket prices and Opening Hours?
At the time of writing (October 2021) tickets have to be purchased in advance of your timed entry visit. We booked on the official website and our tickets for 2 adults and one 8 year old came to £40.30. Opening hours do change, so best to keep an eye on their website for up to date opening hours.
Things to see and do
Portcullis Gate
After you have shown your tickets and collected your map/headset you will pass though the spikes of a raised portcullis. The gateway is around 450 years old featuring three sets of doors to try and ward off intruders.
Here you can pick a route around the Castle based on what time you have, or what interests you!
Arglye Battery
Arglye Battery is a six gun battery built near 300 years ago. The cannons here date from 1810. The views from this battery are superb, you can see all across Edinburgh City and across the Forth of Fife.
1pm Gun Exhibition
Sadly, we missed the firing of the gun. Tickets are timed (they are strict on this) and only limited numbers can be in the Castle grounds when the 1pm Gun salute is done, so bare this in mind if this is a must for your visit. If you are down on the Princess Street side the Castle at 1pm you should be able to see or at least hear it. The 105mm field gun is fired Monday to Saturday (except Good Friday and Christmas Day) at 1pm, and has been done since 1861. The blast was used to signal the time to ships of the nearby First of Forth. If like us you miss the 1pm salute, never worry on the side of the gun is a QR code, you scan it with your phone you view a pre-recorded video.
National War Museum
This was one of our favourite parts of Edinburgh Castle, we spent around 45 minutes in the museum, but could have spent a lot longer. The museum takes you through Scotland’s military history from the 1600s until the present day. We were able to learn about the history of military uniforms, the use of bagpipes and the history of weapons.
The Great Hall
King James IV held state ceremonies in this room and it is easy to see why when you look up at the beamed roof and carved stoned. Today the room contains a collection of weapons and armour from the past.
The Scottish War Memorial
Sadly, no photos are allowed, so I can’t share any. However, this memorial is one of the best I have ever seen. The memorial displays the Rolls of Honour of Scottish servicemen and women who were casualties of all wars from 1914. Well worth taking time to visit.
Dog Cemetery
Not a favourite for Megan, but I found it interesting that they have been burying dogs here since the 1840s. The dogs are mainly regimental mascots, others are pets of officers.
Mons Meg
You can’t miss this siege gun as it is absolutely massive and sits at the top of the Castle. Megan couldn’t quite get her head around how Mons Meg can fire a 150kg gun stone 2 miles. However, it impressed Daddy!
Kids Map
If visiting with kids get them a child’s map. The map covers the main attractions within the Castle, and also has challenges for them to complete as you walk around the Castle. If you find 10 bears tell the staff as you leave and collect a well earned sticker.
Other things
We ran out of time and couldn’t visit a few of the Scottish Regiment museums or the Crown Jewels which are the oldest in Britain, the queue for the latter must have been 45 minutes long on its own.
Would we recommend?
Yes. Absolutely, without a doubt!
Top Tip
Bring any snacks or drinks with you, the prices of drinks in the shops at the top end of the Royal Mile are eye watering. There is a Sainsbury just off the lower end of the Royal Mile.
Thank you for taking the time to read our blog post about visiting Edinburgh Castle with kids. We hope you enjoy your visit.
The Lewis Family.