Edinburgh

LET THE EDINBURGH ALE & GIN TRAIL BEGIN

Ready for an adventure you’ll remember for years? Step this way, the Edinburgh Nicholson’s Ale & Gin trail starts right here…

Get to know Edinburgh's fascinating history, intriguing characters, and irrepressible spirit – and see the local pubs’ eye for classic ales and incredible gins while you’re at it.

For the best experience download The Nicholson’s app.

Edinburgh street outline

Deacon Brodies, Greyfriars Bobby's Bar & The Last Drop

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.

Then it’s a short step to Grassmarket and The Last Drop(3), a pub haunted by a small girl in medieval clothing.

The Haymarket, The Kenilworth & Rose Street Brewery

The journey then 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 tiled grandeur of The Kenilworth(5) on Rose Street. From here it’s just a short walk up to Rose Street Brewery (6) the former home of ‘Auld Reekie Ale’ which was served only to the inhabitants of Rose Street as apparently it didn’t travel well…

The Conan Doyle & The Mitre Bar

The Conan Doyle(7) 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(8), 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.

To avoid disappointment, please check individual pub pages for opening times before your visit.