Edinburgh Farmers' Market

Some of our guests come to Edinburgh to have a break from everyday routine, and like to eat out while they’re here.  Others arrive keen to find out more about the wonderful Scottish produce on offer here, and are delighted to find that if they’re here on a Saturday morning they can head to the Edinburgh Farmers’ Market to stock up on goodies for their stay.  We’ve got a reasonably well-equipped kitchen in Craigwell Cottage, and think that most keen cooks would find it possible to rustle up a feast there.

We really are lucky that in recent years the Edinburgh Farmers’ Market has settled to a regular Saturday morning slot at Castle Terrace, and as Edinburgh residents who live within walking distance of the Market we make forays there as often as we can to stock up.  If you’re resident at Craigwell Cottage, then walk to the top of the Royal Mile then take a left at the mini-roundabout by the Hub and go down Johnston Terrace where you’ll see the Farmers’ Market to your right on Castle Terrace.

We like to buy fresh seafood from one of the seafood stalls, follow it up with a purchase of meat from one of the many different producers, some fresh vegetables, bread and maybe some cheese and oatcakes or something sweet for dessert.  There is also an opportunity to stock up on preserves, oils and soaps – all of which might be a great souvenir or gift to take home from your weekend break in Edinburgh.

If you can’t bear to wait to get there for the surprise of which producers will be in attendance on any given day, then our top tip is to follow Edinburgh Farmers’ Market on Facebook where they regularly post the ‘running order’ for each market and keep us updated with news.

You’ll find some recipe books in our book case if you need inspiration or want to make up a shopping list before you go to the market, but if you’re in any doubt remember to ask the stallholders – often they’ll give you recipe leaflets or provide you with inspiration on how to prepare the delights you’ve purchased.  Or for an easy evening meal, smoked salmon, dressed crab, fresh salads, a wide variety of pies, oatcakes, cheese or baked goods will give you a fabulous repast for little effort.

Let us know what you enjoyed buying and cooking on your stay, by leaving a comment below, or letting us know via the Craigwell Cottage Facebook page.  Happy shopping!

Waverley Station

We’d really love it if you used the tickets to come to visit Edinburgh, and with Craigwell Cottage being only a short stroll from Waverley Station, it’s a great location from which you can wander to the city centre attractions, no matter what the weather. As the weekend tickets are bound to go fast, we’ll offer a special deal to help you take advantage of this great rail offer – book any 4 night stay at Craigwell Cottage and get one night free – quote RailDeal2011 when you book a break between 5 January and 17 February 2011. That’s only £300 for a 4-night stay for up to 4 people. Don’t delay – book now!

Ideas for things to do on a weekend in Edinburgh

We’ve got a whole underground street in Edinburgh where it never rains!
Or you could just wander from café to café doing the Edinburgh Cake Trail.
Edinburgh Zoo is open every day of the year unless it’s really icy.
Shop till you drop – with a view of Edinburgh Castle from Princes Street – where else would you get that?

When you’re travelling with young children, it’s always good to go
armed with some ideas of what to do of the weather is foul and you’re
on need of some indoor activity. During our October break we spent
some time at the Ceramic Experience just near Ocean Terminal, making a
lovely surprise for Grandma’s birthday.

Edinburgh is a wonderful place to spend time at any time of year, but
my favourite time of year is in September or October after the frenzy
of the Festivals is over and Edinburgh is getting back to ‘normal’. I
took this photo while out shopping on a Saturday afternoon. We were
just heading from Princes Street up to the Royal Mile as we wanted to
price some pieces of kit to complete a kilt outfit before the party
and dinner season got into full swing. On the way the view from
outside the Royal Scottish Academy through the Waverley Valley towards
the Forth caught my eye, and armed with only the camera on my phone I
still think I captured quite a good shot. Hope it will inspire you to
come and stay at Craigwell Cottage some time.

Our first morning at Craigwell Cottage looked a bit drizzly, so the
idea of walking over to The Manna House for croissants turned into a
quick trip in the car. But the croissants, petit pains au chocolat and
Mediterranean cheese swirls which we brought back were soon polished
off, and we were ready for a bit of light DIY. But it was not that
simple. Having dismantled the bed which had reached the end of its
useful life, we opened the new box to
find that the new one was in an even worse state. Time to hit the
phone. While Sandy took the old bed off to the dump (where he had to
put up with the predictable comments), we climbed up to the garden and
took some photos looking over the rooftops to Holyrood Park.

Just beginning to experiment with my new iphone and mobile blogging – so forgive this photo! It was meant to show that the minute we arrived at Craigwell Cottage for the weekend, we kicked back, and relaxed in front of the TV while the kids got ready for bed.

No, we’re not crazy! But as Sandcastle Cottage is booked during the
school holidays, we’ve decided to take the kids to the big city for
the weekend. Yes, our first stay at Craigwell Cottage in the heart of
Edinburgh’s Old Town. I’m hoping to put up some blog postings about
what we do while we’re here. More to come.