Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle review

Military barracks, prison, royal residence, murder scene, birthplace of kings and queens… Edinburgh Castle has served a variety of purposes during the centuries it has stood high above the city. While its lofty position was employed to military advantage in years gone by, it's now extremely useful as a navigational guide if you get lost in the surrounding warren of streets and closes. However, most visitors chiefly use it as the city's main tourist attraction.

The buildings are the main attractions at the castle, but it's also worth keeping your eyes peeled for more ephemeral bits and pieces: the Dog Cemetery on the Upper Ward, the graffiti scrawled by Napoleonic and American POWs (and their banknote forgery equipment), the 'Laird's Lug' spying device in the Great Hall, and Mons Meg, the huge six-ton cannon that stands next to St Margaret's Chapel. Representing the height of technological advancement in her time, Meg was presented to James II in 1457 and last fired in 1681, when her barrel burst. While you're enjoying the views or scaring yourself with a peep over the sheer drops, spare a quick thought for Sir Thomas Randolph and his men, who bravely scaled the northern precipice in 1314 in order to wrest the castle from the English.

The most illuminating way of exploring the castle is with one of the audio guides (available in six languages; £3 adults, £1-£2 reductions). There's a café and a restaurant within the castle, as well as plenty of toilets. The gift shop's offerings cover all bases, from standard tartan tat and pocket-money treats to toys, T-shirts and full-size replica weaponry. Disabled visitors should note that a wheelchair-accessible courtesy vehicle runs from the Esplanade to the upper reaches of the castle.