The Dickins Edinburgh Accommodation Blog

What's on in June 2009

June sees the start of the Edinburgh Festival season, including:

Scottish International Children's Festival 1-8 June
www.imaginate.co.yj
This is a week long festival of children's theatre, taking place in venues around the city and featuring music, dance, drama, puppet shows and comedy.

Edinburgh International Film Festival 17-28 June
www.edfilmfest.org.uk
Sam Mendes is to open this year's Film Festival which offers over 100 features, animations and shorts.

Royal Highland Show 25-28 June
www.royalhighlandshow.org
This annual extravaganza of Scottish craft, agricultural machinery, livestock, sheep, horses and equestrian competition takes place at Ingliston near the airport

Out Hot Tip of the Month - June

Now that the Edinburgh Film Festival has moved to its own stand alone spot in June (17th - 28th) there's no excuse for being too busy to take in a film or two. There are over 100 features, animations and shorts on offer. www.edfilmfest.org.uk

Before or after a movie we recommend eating at Mother India's Cafe at 3-5 Infirmary Street in the Old Town, 0131 524 9801. We ate there recently and were very impressed by the food. They serve small tapas sized portions which means that you get to try a real variety of dishes. The food was really fresh with each dish having its own individual flavours and it is great value.

We look after a lovely two bedroom flat at 28 Roseneath Place in the Meadows which is in a good location for taking in the film festival.

Louise Dickin's Five Favourite Things About Edinburgh

Louise Dickins owns Dickins and has lived and worked in the city since 1995. Previously she had lived in Hong Kong for 5 years where she qualified as a chartered surveyor and ran her own business bringing art exhibitions out from Britains to sell in Hong Kong. She started organising festival lets back in 1998 and expanded that business to offer short lets and holiday lets all year round in 2006.

1. The Festival
   I love the Edinburgh Festival. Being a small cog in the great big machine that makes the Festival happen every year, gives me a real buzz and makes me feel very proud. The fact that you can step out of your front door to see the very best of the world has to offer culturally, makes us Edinburgh folk some of the luckiest people in the world every August. Sadly my stamina for continuously late nights is waning, but every now and then walking back home over North Bridge at 5 o'clock in the morning, after an action packed evening of shows feels great!
   
   

2. Edinburgh's architecture
   I feel so lucky, that in running Dickins, I constantly have the chance to look at some very beautiful apartments and houses all over the city. Whether it is a Georgian New Town flat with stunning architectural details, or an older apartment in the Old Town up stairs steeped in history and with a view out over the Edinburgh skyline, the range of properties I see is amazing. But it is also fascinating to catch glimpses of the inside of New Town flats as you walk past. In living and working in the centre of Edinburgh, when you are outside, your eyes are nearly always looking at something beautiful and that view of old Edinburgh from Princes Street as the sun i setting never fails to impress.

3. Bumping into people
   If you can be a bit lazy about keeping in touch with friends like me, then walking around Edinburgh is perfect as you always seem to bump into someone and get the chance to catch up. Edinburgh is a big village really. A good catch up on the street is far better than Facebook!

4. I love the fact that Edinburgh sits on hills
   It means that there are so many vistas where you see far beyond the edge of the city. Sienna in Italy sits on a hill too and it has the same effect. Outside our office you can see out to the Firth of Forth and over to Fife. Edinburgh really is a fantastic city to live and work in, but it feels good to know that there is countryside outside the city and that it is not too far away.

5. Sitting on my roof terrace
   I feel very lucky to live in a flat which has a little roof terrace which has wonderful views over Edinburgh chimney pots and up to Calton Hill. It faces West so gets the best of the evening sun. I grow plants, herbs and vegetable sup there and even have an apple and pear tree. Watering my plants, cooking our supper on a little barbeque or just sitting there with a glass of wine always feels lovely.

Out Hot Tip of the Month - May

Although by the time you read this the moment may have passed, it is worth putting it in your diary for next year. May Day celebrations traditionally start at sunset on 30th April and herald the start of Summer. The Beltane Festival on Calton Hill can be seen from all around Edinburgh with the traditional setting alight of the bonfire. It's a definite spectacle with people dancing wildly by the light of the fires. If you can stay up all night, legend says you can listen for the bells that herald the approach of the Fairy Queen and after a couple of glasses of wine, you may believe you can, but if that sounds like too much excitement, you can set your alarm clock nice and early so that y the time the sun rises at 5:30am, you can have climbed Arthur's Seat where yo'll join hundreds of people making a special wish as they wash their faces in the dew.

Dee Atkinson's Five Favourite Things about Edinburgh

Dee Atkinson runs Napiers, Edinburgh's leading complementary and natural health care specialist. It was started in Bristo Place in 1860 by Duncan Napier, a respected botanist and herbalist and Napier's still use some of his recipes and operate out of this shop to this day. They have another branch on Henderson Row and are the place to go if you need a herbal remedy. The staff are helpful too. THey have an excellent team of complementary therapists. www.napiers.net

1. Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh
   Originally founded in the 17th century as a physic garden, the botanic gardens are now found in Inverleith. A wonderful oasis of calm in the city, they are an ever changing mural of colour and texture. With the hot houses and exhibitions in Inverleith house, there is always something to do on a wet day, and no matter how busy the city is, you can always find a quiet spot in the rock garden to sit and contemplate the city skyline. I find total inspiration just by walking around the gardens, having a coffee on the terrace and watching the world go by.
2. Leith
   This vibrant slightly edgy area of the city is a bit of a hidden and often misunderstood gem. Few tourists venture this far, although I'm not sure why, it is within easy walking distance of the centre. The pub grub is some of the best in Edinburgh, with fish a regular feature. The Shore bar has live music on some evenings and there is a friendly neighbourhood atmosphere. You can still get the vibe of a working dock and despite the gentrification of the area, this is still the beating heart of the city.
3. The Scotch Malt Whisky Society
   Hidden in one of Leith's oldest commercial buildings, the Scotch Malt Whisky Society is quietly promoting some of the best whisky's Scotland has to offer. The atmosphere is wood panelling, open fires, the odd game of chess and a bar full of single cask strength whisky's. I first went here about 15 years ago and have been a member ever since. Months can go by between visits, and then when the nights start drawing in, the idea of snuggling up in fron of a fire with a dram draws me back.
4. George Street
   OK, it is just a slightly upmarket shopping street, but for anyone who loves the occasional trip to the shops, George Street is special. In one stretch you have all the top high street brands an then there is the double pleasure of Harvey Nichols and Jenners at the east end. I can easily spend a whole day wandering and making pit stops for coffee and lunch in one of the many cafe's. Even those with a shopping phobia find George Street manageable.
5. Arthur's Seat
   One of the seven hills of Edinburgh, this strange city centre protuberance is an extinct volcano, formed about 340 million years ago. The views from the top are spectacular, straight across the Firth of Forth to the hills of Fife. It is a good half hour steep clibm up to the windswept top, or there are lovely walks around the base. It's a great way to feel that you have got out of the city and done some exercise, when in fact you are still in the city and with in easy reach of a glass of wine or pot of tea. Edinburgh has lots of outside experiences from Arthur's Seat to tackling the miles of cycle paths around the city, or even following the canal bank out to Ratho.

Thanks for the great job.....

'Thanks for the great job getting Ann Terrace and Lower London Road flats booked. Keep up the good work.' Alan McLeod, all year round apartment owner.

If you own an apartment which you sometimes like to use yourself, then short term letting could be the answer for you. We had over 28,000 hits on our website www.dickins.co.uk in May this year and are getting busier and busier each month, so get in touch today 0131 558 1108. 

Wonderful, you are stars!

'Wonderful, you are stars! I have passed your name onto others, so perhaps they will be in touch soon.' Rosemary Burnett, festival flat owner.

Own a central, well presented flat which is available over the Edinburgh festival? Give us a ring today on 0131 558 1108 or check out our website www.dickins.co.uk

Thanks for this booking...

'Thanks for this booking. It's terrific you're getting us so many lets this summer.' Lisa Kerr, owner.

Own a special or unique Edinburgh flat and are interested in short letting? Give us a ring today on 0131 558 1108 or have a look at the Dickins website

Snows Falls on Midsummer's Day

I'm not sure if you've been to, or even heard of Jupiter Artland. I hadn't until Friday, but my strong advice is to get there as soon as possible.

Robert and Nicky Wilson have turned the 80 acre estate around their home Bonnington House, into the most incredible sculpture featuring works by major artists including Andy Goldsworthy, Anthony Gormley, Ian Hamilton Finlay, Charles Jencks and Anish Kapoor.

On Sunday we arrived at 11am and a few metres after entering the gates we were driving through softly falling snow for at least 200 metres down the drive. This work was the brain-child of Peter Liversidge and it was magical. All the children there, and quite a few of the adults too, were in paradise, throwing snowballs. This was a one of piece, but the park is open Friday to Dunday 10am to 4pm until 1st August, when to the end of August, it is open on Thursday too. www.jupiterartland.co.uk 

Back in the reality of the office and we're getting there with housing all our clients for the Edinburgh Festival. So if you're looking for Edinburgh Festival Accommodation and haven't secured any yet, you'd better get in touch fast if you don't want to be pitching a tent on the Meadows.