82 Accessible Edinburgh: A Festival Guide Sleeping 83

represented, but most space is given to Scottish painters – from
the Scottish colourists of the early 20th century to contempo-
rary artists such as Peter Howson and Ken Currie.
There’s an excellent cafe downstairs, and the surrounding
park features sculptures by Henry Moore, Rachel Whiteread and
Barbara Hepworth, among others, as well as a ‘landform artwork’
by Charles Jencks, and the Pig Rock Bothy, a rustic timber per-
formance and exhibition space created in 2014 as part of the
Bothy Project (www.thebothyproject.org).
A footpath and stairs at the rear of the gallery lead down to
the Water of Leith Walkway, which you can follow along the river
for 4 miles to Leith. This takes you past 6 Times, a sculptural pro-
ject by Antony Gormley consisting of six human figures standing
at various points along the river. (The statues are designed to fall
over in flood conditions, so some of them may not be visible after
heavy rain.)
There are a number of accessible parking spaces next to the
entrance. Modern One has wheelchair access throughout and a
limited number of wheelchairs for loan. There is also an accessi-
ble toilet and lift (not suitable for larger motorised wheelchairs).
For events in the Gymnasium, parking is available in the south
car park. The book with descriptions of paintings in large print
will delight visually impaired visitors.

MODERN TWO
Directly across Belford Rd from Modern One, another neoclassi-
cal mansion (formerly an orphanage) houses its annexe, Modern
Two, which is home to a large collection of sculpture and graphic
art created by the Edinburgh-born artist Sir Eduardo Paolozzi.
One of the 1st-floor rooms houses a re-creation of Paolozzi’s stu-
dio, while the rest of the building stages temporary exhibitions of
modern art.
Wheelchair access to Modern Two is from the car park at the
rear entrance (press buzzer to be let in). Near this entrance is an
accessible toilet and lift, enabling all parts of the building to be
accessed by wheelchair. To access the ticket desk and cafe you
need to negotiate a cluttered and often busy gift shop.

Sleeping

The city centre can get very rowdy at weekends,

and accommodation options fill up fast, mostly with

groups who will probably roll home boisterously

some time after 3am. If you prefer an earlier

appointment with your bed, you’ll be better off in a

smaller, quieter lodging, or in the West End. Booking

ahead is essential at weekends and in July and

August.

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Accessible Edinburgh: A Festival Guide