The Other Side of Edinburgh – Dean Village and Stockbridge
Edinburgh has long captivated visitors with its old-world charm and a rich history that spans centuries. From Old Town to New Town and along the Royal Mile, Scotland’s capital boasts a distinguished reputation for being a world-class city.
Beyond the famous castles and cathedrals lies a tranquil oasis that bustling central Edinburgh could never mimic. Slightly northwest of New Town’s Charlotte Square is Dean Village, a former grain milling area dating back 800 years. It has been transformed into a quiet and quaint village.
Maintaining its unique medieval charm, Dean Village has become one of the most prominent stops located on the Water of Leith Walkway, a twelve-mile pedestrian friendly path showcasing natural Edinburgh with scenic vistas and lush greenery. The path is home to foxes, rabbits, and roe deer, as well as over 80 species of birds including owls, heron, and finches. The walkway runs alongside Edinburgh’s main river- the Water of Leith- which flows through the city and into the Port of Leith, where it empties into the Firth of Forth.
Although the river technically begins in the suburb of Balerno, one of the most popular places to pick up the path is in the easily-accessible Dean Village. Old stone buildings from the village’s grain milling days line picturesque cobble stoned streets- particularly on famous Miller Row- while the river gently flows below (the village’s name derives from the word “dene,” meaning deep valley). Amidst the greenery are relics of the village’s past, like Bernard’s Well, an 18th-century neoclassical, six-column well once widely believed to hold medicinal powers in its mineral water.
Less than a mile on the walkway will bring you to Stockbridge, a lively, affluent neighborhood in northern Edinburgh with a bohemian vibe, thanks to the many artists, thespians, musicians, and writers who reside there. The neighborhood gets its name from the Scottish word “stoccbrycg,” meaning the timber wood footbridge following the larger bridge that connected the Water of Leith to the village. What was once a small outlying village is now a charming, well-established neighborhood popular with residents and visitors. The vibrant energy of Stockbridge is evident in its vast and impressive culinary scene. Whether you’re looking for a gastro pub with a menu created by two Michelin star chefs like The Scran & Scallie, a cozy bistro with authentic Spanish food like Rafael’s, or the award-winning The Stockbridge Restaurant, the gastronomy of Stockbridge will surely satisfy and impress.
Stockbridge also boasts a notable shopping scene. Raeburn Place and Deanhaugh Street are the neighborhood’s most popular shopping areas, with funky independent boutiques and unique vintage shops starting to push out the larger high-end chains as local businesses continue to be warmly embraced. Perhaps most noteworthy of the neighborhood’s shopping scene is the wildly popular Stockbridge Market, an open-air market featuring local organic food and delicacies, as well as locally-made jewelry, soaps, antiques, paintings, prints, and much more. Open on Sundays, it’s the perfect place to pick up some fresh cheese, bread, fruit, and baked goods for a picnic lunch alongside the river as you enjoy the environment of some of Edinburgh’s lesser-known gems. Part of the beauty of travel lies in not knowing what’s around the corner, and being pleasantly surprised by the treasures we find when we allow ourselves to explore.
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