Leith is a buzzing port district, home to hip creatives, longtime locals and full of European landmarks. Leith used to be a very busy port due to trade links with the UK and the rest of Europe. For example, Leith offered ferry services to many European ports, including Hamburg and Oslo. Waterfront Italian, Greek and French seafood bistros dot the Shore area. The Royal Yacht Britannia, a former ocean-going royal residence, showcases elaborate state apartments. The riverside Water of Leith Walkway and Leith Walk, a busy street with European food shops, link the area with the city centre.
A timeline of Leith history can be found at this link.
This walking tour starts at the Custom House on the Shore and finishes at John Paul Jones View – a distance of about 4 kilometres long. The route is level and should be achievable by most people in 1 1/2 hours. However, the walk does involve cobbles. If you feel you can’t join all the walk, please join part of the walk and/or enjoy the many photographs and links on the website.
Lothian Buses run frequent service buses (16, 36 ) to the Shore from the city centre. By car, you can follow the road signs to Leith/North Edinburgh, the brown tourist signs for Britannia and the Leith Attractions signs. Free car parking is available at Ocean Terminal which is a 10 minute walk away from Custom House.
