Travel || Dean Village, Edinburgh

Posted on April 15, 2020

I was supposed to be deep into a fantastic, once-in-a-lifetime trip to Bordeaux on my first proper holiday in in several year. For obvious reasons, that trip has not panned out, and finances willing one of the first things that I am going to do when the threat of Covid19 is behind us, is book a holiday.

But for today, I thought I’d share some of the lovely Dean Village in Edinburgh from my quick, wintery city break.

I will freely hold my hands up and admit that I was alerted to the beauty of Dean Village through instagram. I think more of us than will possibly admit have been made aware of a travel destination through that ubiquitous app.

Dean Village used to be a thriving milling village northwest of Edinburgh City centre and it was nicknamed the “Water of Leith Village”. It’s now an absolute oasis only about a 5 minute walk from Princes Street. Dean Village is absolutely dripping with quaint charm. You can see the old mills and carved stone plaques and as you follow the curve of the Water of Leith walkway, you come to the stunning Dean Bridge and the classical temple of St Bernard’s Well.

Well Court is perhaps the most picturesque and striking building in the village; it was built in the 1880s to house local water mill workers, and it was recently restored by the Edinburgh World Heritage fund. There’s also two lovely museums in the area: the Dean Gallery and the Gallery of Modern Art.

The best views are a short walk away, particularly at the bottom of Hawthornbank Lane: walk down Hawthornbank Lane, a narrow, cobblestone road that heads downhill along the Water of Leith.

There aren’t really any restaurants or cafes in the village as it is mostly residential, but that doesn’t mean it is not worth your time. You’d be fortunate to find somewhere more picturesque in the whole of Edinburgh.

Dean Village really is a must-visit for any Edinburgh tourist. Have you stopped by?