What to look out for on the way

Your journey starts at Deacon Brodie's Tavern(1), a pub named after a man who lived a double life - by day a respected cabinet maker, by night a gambler and a rogue. From here, head past the libraries and law courts to the Old Town and to Greyfriars Bobby's Bar(2). The pub is next door to the Greyfriars Kirkyard, where John Gray and his faithful watchdog, Bobby, are buried. From here, it's a short step to Grassmarket and The Last Drop(3), a pub haunted by a small girl in medieval clothing.

The second stage of your journey takes you westwards towards Edinburgh's agricultural and industrial past. The Haymarket (4) stands at the eastern end of Edinburgh's former haymarket. Opposite is the city's first railway station and the chimney stack of a long-gone whisky distillery. The clock outside is a memorial to the Heart of Midlothian football team of 1914. They were the first British team to join up en masse to fight in the First World War. From here, turn back eastwards towards the stained glass and mahogany grandeur of The Kenilworth(5) on Rose Street.

The Conan Doyle(6) is close to Picardy Place, birthplace of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. A life-size bronze statue of his fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes, stands opposite his birthplace. Holmes stands in permanent meditation over the death of his creator. The final leg of your tour takes you south past the grand Waverley Station to The Mitre Bar(7), home to the ghost of John Spottiswood, former bishop of St Andrews. Legend has it that the bishop's throne is buried somewhere under the bar, protected by a thick slab of concrete.