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Edinburgh Castle - not a golf course but a must visit when in the area

Richard Watt
Golf in Scotland

Edinburgh Castle & The Royal Mile December 2025

If you are travelling to Edinburgh for golf, please consider carving out some time for a visit to the Castle that dominates the city sky line. The area encompassing the Castle and the Royal Mile that links the castle to Holyrood Palace is rich in history and offers great dining, some interesting shops and more generally conveys aspects of the region that would be a pity to miss out on.

You can easily park at Castle Terrace or The St James Center and have less than 20 minutes walk to the Castle. Here’s my visit impressions when a sharp December 3 club wind met us as we ascended toward Edinburgh Castle.The Esplanade, bleak and magnificent, frames the castle as both citadel and stage. From this vantage point the Royal Mile drops away, a medieval spine connecting Scotland’s seat of power with the life of the Old Town below.

HISTORIC FEATURES OF THE CASTLE — DATES & CONTEXT

Scotland has history! St Margaret’s Chapel is the oldest surviving building in Edinburgh, commissioned by David I to honour Queen Margaret and built in 1130. Other milestones to note include:

  • 1314 – Recapture in the Wars of Independence. Thomas Randolph scaled the north cliff in a night assault, retaking the fortress before Bannockburn.

  • 1356–1370 – Reconstruction. After “Burnt Candlemas,” David II rebuilt the castle.

  • 1511 – Completion of the Great Hall. James IV added a grand ceremonial space expressing Stewart ambition.

  • 1457–1500s – Mons Meg & the Gunpowder Age. Mons Meg symbolised the shift toward heavy artillery. It is a very large piece of artillery.

  • 1571–1573 – The Lang Siege. English artillery devastated parts of the upper works.

  • 1650 – Cromwell’s Occupation. The castle capitulated only after Edinburgh itself surrendered.

  • 1689 & 1745 – Jacobite Risings. The castle resisted both attempted assaults.

  • 1818 – Rediscovery of the Honours of Scotland. The crown, sceptre, and sword were uncovered by a group led by Sir Walter Scott.

A feature worth incorporating into your visit is THE ONE O’CLOCK GUN. Introduced in 1861 to assist maritime timekeeping, the daily firing still binds castle, harbour, and city in a shared acoustic ritual. A crowd gathers to see and hear this daily ritual. Make sure you get positioned early.

KEY EXPERIENCES INSIDE THE CASTLE:

The Scottish National War Memorial (1927). A solemn, architecturally austere space honouring Scots who fell in the First World War and subsequent conflicts. Carved stone, stained glass, regimental alcoves, and lists of the fallen create an atmosphere of reflective dignity. It is one of the most powerful memorial interiors in the United Kingdom—quiet, and worthy of respect for the dreadful waste of human life under such awful conditions.

The Great Hall (1511). Commissioned by James IV, the hall is a showcase of early Renaissance Scotland.
Features include:

  • A magnificent hammerbeam roof constructed without nails

  • Displays of weaponry and armour

  • A central fireplace that once warmed royal banquets
    The room also marks the transition from medieval fortification to ceremonial royal statecraft.

There’s also a magnificent picture that tells the tale when at Waterloo on 18 June 1815, Ensign Charles Ewart fought into a French infantry square, killed the bearer of the Eagle of the 45th Regiment, and captured the standard. The act required extraordinary composure under chaotic conditions.

The Crown Room & Honours of Scotland

The Crown, Sceptre, and Sword of State—rediscovered in 1818 under Walter Scott’s supervision—are displayed in a secure chamber. These symbols of sovereignty are among the oldest surviving crown jewels in Europe and form a tangible link to Scotland's monarchical past.

The Stone of Destiny

Used for centuries in the coronation of Scottish monarchs, later taken to Westminster and returned in 1996. Its enduring symbolic weight far exceeds its modest physical form.

The Royal Palace

A sequence of chambers associated with the Stewart dynasty.
Mary, Queen of Scots gave birth here to James VI in 1566—the only monarch born in the castle.

The Prisons of War Exhibition

Former vaults beneath the Great Hall housed prisoners from wars with France, America, Spain, and the Netherlands.
Exhibits show surviving graffiti and the cramped living conditions endured by 18th- and early-19th-century captives.

The Regimental Museums

  • The Royal Scots Museum (the oldest infantry regiment in the British Army)

  • The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Museum
    Both provide precise military history, uniforms, standards, and accounts of key engagements—including the capture of the French Eagle at Waterloo, tying directly to the narrative of Ensign Ewart.

CASTLE ENVIRONS: RAMSAY GARDEN, CANNONBALL & CAMERA OBSCURA

Surrounding the Castle are Ramsay Garden which softens the fortress’ silhouette with Arts-and-Crafts charm. The Cannonball Restaurant & Bar sits just below the gate, while the curious Camera Obscura provides rooftop views that emphasise the Mile’s axial importance while providing panoramic views of a huge area.

THE ROYAL MILE: CLOSES, FIGURES, STATUES & CONTRADICTIONS

The Royal Mile is defined by a dense network of closes—vertical neighbourhoods that once housed craftsmen, merchants, and professionals.

For example:

  • •Advocate’s Close – Known for its framed view of the Scott Monument.

  • •Lady Stair’s Close – Home to the Writers’ Museum.

  • •Riddle’s Close – Associated with David Hume and Patrick Geddes.

  • •Brodie’s Close – Linked to William Brodie, inspiration for Jekyll and Hyde.

  • •Mary King’s Close – Preserved beneath modern buildings, illustrating plague-era Edinburgh.

Figures who shaped the Mile include David Hume, John Knox, Mary, Queen of Scots, Sir Walter Scott, and Stevenson. The statue of David Hume stands as a neoclassical gesture toward Edinburgh’s Enlightenment ambitions—its polished toe an ironic counterpoint to rationalism. But all these figures have had immense impact on the western world. Sometimes I think Scottish people forget just how rich their history and impact has been.

I do have to say that The Mile’s authentic character is threatened by a proliferation of low-quality tartan shops selling imported goods, eroding the dignity of one of Europe’s most significant medieval streets.

GRASSMARKET & VICTORIA STREET — LIFE, COLOUR & DARKER FOOTNOTES

The Grassmarket sits in a dramatic hollow beneath the Castle Rock, once a centre of trade and public executions. Its cobbled enclosure witnessed centuries of justice, spectacle, and hardship.

The Last Drop pub derives its name not from whisky but from the last drop of the hangman’s rope—condemned prisoners traditionally receiving a final drink before execution. Today it stands as a lively establishment, though its name carries the weight of darker history.

Victoria Street rises from the Grassmarket in one of Edinburgh’s most graceful curves. Its colourful façades and layered arcades represent one of the city’s most successful attempts to blend modern commerce with architectural preservation.

Also noteworthy are two notorious characters who operated in the shadow of the castle in and around the grass market. In the early 19th century, Edinburgh was Europe’s leading centre for medical education. Its anatomical teaching was advanced, in high demand, and dependent on cadavers. Legal supply, however, was restricted largely to executed criminals, creating a severe shortage.

That gap produced a grey market in bodies. Initially this involved grave-robbing, but Burke and Hare exposed a more extreme consequence: murder driven by medical demand rather than pathology itself. Their crimes were not an aberration outside the system, but a pathological response to it.

The scandal forced reform. Public outrage over Burke and Hare directly accelerated the Anatomy Act of 1832, which legalised and regulated the supply of bodies for medical study, ending reliance on criminals and body-snatchers. This stabilised anatomical science and protected Edinburgh’s medical schools from reputational and ethical collapse.

THE ROYAL EDINBURGH MILITARY TATTOO

For those of you visiting in August, this is a must do. Since 1950, the Tattoo has transformed the Esplanade into a global performance stage, blending military precision, spectacle, and international artistry. I happen to know the CEO of the Tattoo is a keen golfer, and he has run an amazing event for several years now that attracts hundreds of thousands to the City. I believe this and The Festival is the biggest cultural gathering in westernmost Europe.

FINAL REFLECTIONS

The Castle and the Royal Mile are good examples of how a city can successfully blend heritage with modern pressures. The Castle is well worth the time to visit and for a half day, a walk from the castle down the Royal Mile is ideal. Or, after golf, come into town and enjoy dinner or a few jars at one of the many bars in this fascinating part of Scotland.

DINING ALONG THE ROYAL MILE & NEARBY

Cannonball Restaurant & Bar – Castle-adjacent Scottish dining.

Ondine Oyster & Grill – Modern seafood near the Lawnmarket.

Angels with Bagpipes – Elegant, contemporary Scottish cuisine.

The Witchery – Dramatic, Gothic dining near the castle gates.

Howies Victoria – Dependable Scottish fare on Victoria Street.

The Bow Bar – A classic whisky pub of integrity.

HOTELS IN THE OLD TOWN & NEW TOWN

Radisson Blu Edinburgh – A strong base on the Royal Mile.

The Balmoral – Edinburgh’s landmark hotel.

Cheval Old Town Chambers – Luxury apartments off the Mile.

Waldorf Astoria – The Caledonian – West End hotel with Castle views.

The Scotsman Hotel – A characterful conversion near North Bridge

Some links:

Fulham and Nearby Golf : Wimbledon

Hawley Golf Club, with just a little touch of Leeds v Liverpool