Craigmillar Castle: the other Edinburgh castle and its park
A near-intact medieval castle, Mary's refuge, and the long view back to Arthur's Seat. This is a Claude-drafted route awaiting the editor's walk.

1. Craigmillar Castle approach
Walk up through the trees of the castle grounds. The tower keep rises grey and square above the wood long before you reach it — the kind of arrival the Royal Mile castle can't give you any more. Take it slowly.

2. Craigmillar Castle
One of Scotland's best-preserved medieval castles, an L-plan tower of the 1400s wrapped in later walls. Climb the keep for the parapet; explore the great hall and the warren of rooms below. Ticketed (Historic Environment Scotland), but you can roam freely once in.

3. The Queen Mary chamber and the courtyard
Mary, Queen of Scots came here to recover in 1566, and the plot to murder her husband Darnley — the 'Craigmillar Bond' — was hatched within these walls. The inner courtyard is the place to stand and feel that history press in.

4. The view back to Arthur's Seat
From the castle's north side the whole city lays itself out — Arthur's Seat, the castle on its rock, the Forth beyond. This is the view the castle was built to command, and it still does. Best with afternoon light on the crags.

5. Craigmillar Castle Park and the dovecot
Drop into the country park below the castle — meadow, woodland and a fine old beehive doocot (dovecot) that fed the castle's table. The paths loop wide; pick one and let it carry you north and west.

6. Hawkhill Wood and the descent to Cameron Toll
Follow the wood and the burn down off the rise toward the city's edge. The trees thin into suburb and the buses gather at Cameron Toll, where the 3 and others run back into the centre.

Craigmillar Castle: the other Edinburgh castle and its park