Edinburgh At Last: A Surprising Fondness For Stockbridge Discovered

by Emma Williams

I’ve found Edinburgh to be busy, in a quiet sort of way. A way in which I can still hear the crows cawing from above or stamping towards me in the hopes of receiving a piece of flaky croissant. The leaves rustling still stirs my attention, just as the scents of fall tingle in my nose. The noise has not dulled the senses, as it has in other cities. Edinburgh has not been overwhelming in chaos, nor underwhelming in charm. It is big, bigger than I imagined, but with a small and charming feel. I have thoroughly enjoyed this far-away-from-home introduction to fall.

Since arriving in sunny Edinburgh - yes, it has been eerily sunny since my arrival and I am desperately hoping for rain - I have stepped foot in a fairytale -  matured. As a teenager I dreamt of coming here and it has turned out to be everything I hoped or imagined. There are certain places you are meant to visit in life, ones not intended to be last minute or spontaneous decisions; though some are  also wonderful and surprising. I think I know nothing; finding joy and love is all that matters. 

Nevertheless, I am glad I waited to step foot in the country I’ve always mused on; the timing now is just right. When I travelled abroad for the first time it was incredible and stressful. I had yet to figure out international buses and trains, and had never lived in a city where everything was so fast, busy and on the go. With a little experience tucked under my belt, this time in Edinburgh can simply be enjoyed, inhaled, and appreciated. 

At the end of the street of my current stay sits a pub called “The Orchard.” One night I decided to pop in and have a drink while I read “Fresh Water For Flowers,” a book like a love letter written to life itself. My mom and I have established somewhat of a relationship with the bartender here, a middle-aged man with red hair who often disappears down a set of stairs located under a trapdoor behind the bar. 

The pub is full of charm, with big windows that allow the daylight to stream in unfiltered, and stained glass lamps which fill the space with a warm glow in the evenings. I like to sit at the tables lining the windows, situated a little higher than the rest of the pub where I have a nice view of the whole place. The bar is made of brass, a common sight here, one I have come to thoroughly enjoy. There are palm trees placed here and there around the space, which add nicely to the vibe. Interestingly, there are a surprising amount of live palm trees as well as palm tree decor in Scotland. I can’t say I was expecting that from Scottish culture. 

The Orchard happily reminds me of McMenamins, my beloved; a family-owned pub chain in the Pacific Northwest where I for so long called home. The McMenamins brothers convert abandoned or historic buildings, like old schools and asylums, into the coolest hotels and pubs, wineries and spas. Much like The Orchard, but even more so as they are decorated in dark and cozy fashion with lowlight lamps and beaded artwork, brass bars, and eclectic paintings. Having seen quite a few similar situations here in Scotland, perhaps the McMenamin brothers got their inspiration from Scotland. It is fascinating, in a way, the comfort of home that I find in the pubs here, a feeling I haven’t been particularly longing for as of late, but appreciate, nonetheless. 

Opposite The Orchard is a little cafe called Betty and George, where I once indulged in a delicious cheese and fennel scone with pesto, again taking my book to read. Here I got the impression that they don’t love it when customers hang around for too long, despite it not being overwhelmingly busy. I left earlier than I wished and a little disappointed, but found my way to a park bench nearby where I continued my reading untroubled.

We stumbled upon the beautiful and extremely photogenic Circus Lane, on our way to Stockbridge one morning. The lane gently wraps in a curve, entirely lined with stone cottages crawling with ivy and flowers, and the lane itself is the ever enchanting cobblestone street. While it appears as one, Stockbridge isn’t really a village anymore, having merged with Edinburgh over time. It does feel like its own little town though, sitting along the river Leith and filled with Victorian houses,specialty shops and pubs. Stockbridge has become a favorite of mine, with its picturesque shops offering a range of delights, from little deli shops with charcuterie specialties, cheeses of every type and hand-formed meat pies, wines and rustic loaves of bread, to curated bookstores, eclectic jewelry and even tarot shops, if you know where to look. I look forward to shopping here for Christmas gifts. I already had to stop myself from doing it, as I hardly have room in my luggage for my own clothes.

There are an abundance of cafes in Stockbridge as well; I became very fond of a little Swedish spot called Söderberg, that offered a large selection of delicious pastries and sandwiches, as well as coffees and teas in a simple and minimalistically designed space. On occasion here, I enjoyed a blueberry roll with vanilla and berries gently tucked into a soft dough twisted with cinnamon and sugar. As with much of Edinburgh it seems, Stockbridge is a very popular place, especially on the weekends. It was often not possible for me to find a cafe then, or at least not easily, for the queues out the door. As I was just going to read or write, I usually chose not to wait. If you have the time, though, it appeared that in some spots, such as Söderberg, the line moved faster than expected. There is a quite popular breakfast spot called The Pantry, which we first attempted to go to on a Saturday, before seeing the line that stretched down the block. Returning on a weekday morning, we were seated immediately. We enjoyed a breakfast of eggs benedict on thick sourdough toast and various side dishes, as well as some hot tea. The food was prepared and presented nicely, but as I am not much of a breakfast person it was merely good.

Despite a relatively average cocktail at the St. Bernards Bar Speakeasy one night on the main street, we enjoyed the space just the same. St Bernards, in a historic 2 story building, has tapestries and mannequins lining the walls, bookshelves filled with old stories, warm lamps and an infinite amount of interesting signs and picture frames filled with various pictures of characters, old Edinburgh and more… No doubt it is a happening place to frequent, for surely some interesting characters would present themselves at such a place on a Saturday night. 

It’s October in Stockbridge and the cold is blowing in. Each day the sun retreats little by little and the wind blows a little more crisp. The leaves are almost entirely yellow and orange, slowly but surely saying farewell to the branches they grasp. I wonder how it will look when I return in December; will there be a layer of frost on those branches? Will the streets be lined with twinkling lights to stroll when night falls much earlier? Will snow find me here or merely a cold, rainy winter, that I do not know. I cannot wait to find out.