The Dean Village Tour Description

A little green oasis in the heart of the city, David will show you around this beautiful, quiet village and bring its hidden history to life.

Meeting at the excellent Cairngorm Cafe, just a few minutes' walk from Princes Street, David will tell you all about the beginnings of the Dean village, and that it actually used to be two separate villages! We'll start at Thomas Telford's last engineering masterpiece, the Dean Bridge, where David will tell you all about one of the city's most intriguing houses, which used to be the headquarters of a real Edinburgh eccentric, who ran a horse cab business from the premises. 
Formerly an old coaching inn, he famously redesigned the house with lots of eccentric features, including stairs to nowhere and a ridiculously tiny minstrel’s gallery!

We'll then walk down into the village, past the rear of the former home of artist Charles Martin Hardy and an old car garage, to the impressive OldBaxter’s Tollbooth built in 1675. Used as a granary and toll house, we'll have a look for the coat of arms of the Baxters, and spot the baking and loaves in the motif still visible today. 
We'll then have a look for some birds and wildlife and enjoy the spectacular river views from the old bridge, which was a vital crossing point over the centuries for people travelling between Edinburgh and South Queensferry. David will help you to take some photos of this incredibly picturesque and beautiful spot (and some selfies too!).

We'll then visit the village's very last mill, now converted into lovely flats. Spot the industrial features hiding in plain sight and uncover a hidden stone angel in the wall, rarely seen. 
Walking past the lovely Victorian school, which used to teach children from the former nearby Dean Orphanage, we'll visit the magnificent and picturesque social housing built by the philanthropist and former owner of the Scotsman newspaper, John Ritchie Findlay, and hear about the families who would have stayed there, and the strict curfews they had to obey to keep their tenancy!

Our next stop will be the iconic lattice bridge over the Water of Leith, located next to the ancient ford crossing (still visible) which offers some of the prettiest views of the village and the water of Leith. David will help you to take some great photos there with lots of his top photography tips.. It's then a short stroll to the strikingly beautiful Victorian Dean Cemetery, and the galleries of modern art for a coffee and a bathroom break, and David will tell you all about Eduardo Paolozzi, born in Leith, and one of Edinburgh's most revered sculptors and artists, whose amazing studio has been recreated there. 


Along the Water of Leith, we’ll visit one of the worlds earliest sports clubs and then visit two mineral wells, one of which is particularly impressive, and try to spot the local wildlife along the river, including kingfishers, dippers, and herons. While we'll be very lucky to spot any otters, there is a guaranteed otter, a statue by Stan Wilson celebrating their return to the river, which only the locals know where to find.

As we approach Stockbridge, we’ll pass through one of the city’s most striking and ornamental stone bridges and David will show you a sculpture by Anthony Gormley, which takes many people by surprise, and cuts quite a striking austere figure in such a green and luscious place.


To finish, we'll visit the street, where the real Mrs. Doubtfire had her antique shop, and discover the entrance to the old Stockbridge market, which has become a great favourite with photographers -

- and much, much more.

To book, please choose a date from the calendar below or simply get in touch.