54 Accessible Edinburgh: A Festival Guide Sights 55
New Town
Edinburgh’s New Town lies north of the Old, on a ridge running
parallel to the Royal Mile and separated from it by the valley of
Princes Street Gardens. Its regular grid of elegant, Georgian ter-
races is a complete contrast to the chaotic tangle of tenements
and wynds (narrow alleys) that characterises the Old Town, and
is the world’s most complete and unspoilt example of Georgian
architecture and town planning; along with the Old Town, it was
declared a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1995.
Apart from the streetscape, the main sights are the art galleries
and gardens on Princes St, and the Scottish National Portrait Gal-
lery near St Andrew Sq, all within walking distance of each other.
Bute House
6 Charlotte Sq; not open to the public
The centrepiece of the grand Georgian facade on the north side
of Charlotte Sq, No 6 is the official residence of the First Minister
of Scotland.
Calton Hill
All Leith St buses
Calton Hill, which rises dramatically above the eastern end of
Princes St, is Edinburgh’s acropolis, its summit scattered with
grandiose monuments dating mostly from the first half of the
19th century. It is also one of the best viewpoints in Edinburgh,
with a panorama that takes in the castle, Holyrood, Arthur’s Seat,
the Firth of Forth, New Town and the full length of Princes St.
On Regent Rd, on the hill’s southern side, is the Burns Monument
(1830), a Greek-style memorial to poet Robert Burns. Note that
this is a 1km-long steep hill.
Charlotte Square
Buses 19, 36, 37, 41, 47
At the western end of George St is Charlotte Sq, the architectur-
al jewel of the New Town, which was designed by Robert Adam
shortly before his death in 1791. The northern side of the square
is Adam’s masterpiece and one of the finest examples of Geor-
gian architecture anywhere. Bute House, in the centre at No 6, is
the official residence of Scotland’s first minister.
Church of St Andrew & St George
http://www.stagw.org.uk; 13-17 George St; 10am-3pm Mon-Fri, 11am-
1pm Sat, 9am-1pm Sun; buses 10, 11, 12, 16The Church of St Andrew & St George, built in 1784 with an unu-
sual oval nave, was the scene of the Disruption of 1843, when 451
dissenting ministers left the Church of Scotland to form the Free
Church. Access is via a temporary ramp at the side of the venue;
insiders level.Edinburgh Dungeon
0131-240 1000; http://www.thedungeons.com/edinburgh; 31 Market
St; adult/child £17.95/13.95; at least 11am-4pm Mar-Oct, check
website; bus 6This manufactured attraction combines gruesome tableaux of
torture and degradation with live actors who perform scary little
sketches along the way. There’s also a ‘horror labyrinth’, a creepy
mirror maze inhabited by the ghost of a little drummer boy. It’s
mildly amusing in a large group, mildly embarrassing in a small
one and genuinely terrifying for small children. Children under
15 must be accompanied by an adult; not recommended for kids
under eight.
The majority of facilities are fully accessible, with the ex-
ception of the Boat Ride and Drop Dead – Drop Ride to Doom.
There’s also a limit of one wheelchair-using visitor at any one
time for safety reasons. Accompanying carers are admitted free
of charge as long as there is documentary evidence of disability.
Visually impaired guests will struggle to navigate due to the dark-
ness and may need to bring a companion. Similarly, hearing-
impaired guests may struggle with the voice-over audio and
actors delivering a speech in low light. For further information,
email [email protected].Fruitmarket Gallery
http://www.fruitmarket.co.uk; 45 Market St; 11am-6pm Mon-Sat, noon-
5pm Sun; bus 36One of Edinburgh’s most innovative and popular galleries, the
Fruitmarket showcases contemporary Scottish and international
artists, and also has an excellent arts bookshop and cafe.
There is level access, good circulation space and a large acces-
sible toilet. The lift to the 1st floor was described by two reviewers
as shaky and unnerving! Blue Badge holders should be able to find
on-street parking, but may struggle during festival time. Chairs
and tables can be rearranged as necessary if visiting the cafe.