South Queensferry

• The bridges are most visitors' first sight of South Queensferry - you'll see them as you come in to land at Edinburgh Airport.
• • Forth Bridge — This cantilever railway bridge, completed in 1890, carries the East Coast Mainline railway from London to Aberdeen. It's of very sturdy construction, as in 1879 the winter winds had tragically brought down the Tay rail bridge. That bridge's architect was sacked from the Forth project, and the design allowance for wind strength raised five-fold. Painting the Forth Bridge was long a by-word for a never-ending task, but in 2011 they finally finished, as modern paints were much longer lasting. In 2015 the bridge became a . It's not worth crossing by train just for the view, as trains rattle across in a couple of minutes.
• • Forth Road Bridge — Opened in 1964, this suspension bridge carried the A90 until replaced in 2017 by the new bridge. It now carries only public transport, making it the world's most elaborate, expensive bus lane. There's a footpath and cycleway on either side: exit onto A904 Ferry Muir Rd and follow signs for the Visitor Centre, free parking. Normally pedestrians and cyclists use the east walkway, with the west used for maintenance vehicles. Occasionally use is switched, when they need to carry out maintenance on the east side. Use the steps and underpass either end to cross between walkways. — Price: No tolls
• • Queensferry Crossing — This cable-stay road bridge, opened in 2017, carries the M90. There's no walkway or cycle path, so view it from the waterfront or old bridge. — Price: No tolls — Website: http://www.forth-bridges.co.uk/queensferry-crossing/about.html
• Old town of South Queensferry stretches along the waterfront. Its east end lies beneath the railway bridge, with a slipway and the historic Hawes Inn (see "Sleep"). Here in Stevenson's novel Kidnapped young David Balfour is tricked aboard a ship, knocked out and carried away, to cheat him out of his inheritance. The slipway used to be the ferry jetty: it's still used for boat-trips to Inchcolm Island (see "Do"), and for landing tenders from cruise liners. The street is wide at this point, and is the main car and coach parking lot. The best views out to sea are from this eastern part, with tankers, Royal Navy warships and big cruise liners in the offing. The small fortified island forming the base for one of the rail bridge cantilevers is Inchgarvie: you can't visit. Going west the road narrows into the cobbled High Street, where some houses date from the 15th century.
• • Queensferry Museum — Small exhibition of the history of town, ferry and bridges. It remains closed. — Address: 53 High St EH30 9HP — Hours: Closed — Phone: +44 131 331 5545 — Website: https://www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk/venue/queensferry-museum
• Vennel Cemetery behind Ferry Tap has elaborate old gravestones. It belonged to the adjacent old parish church, built 1633, which is now a private house.
• • St Mary's Episcopal Church — Built around 1450 as a priory for the Carmelite Friars, but falling into disuse until restored in 1889 when it became Episcopal (Anglican). The stumpy tower was once three storeys high. The rest of the Carmelite monastery buildings have entirely disappeared. — Address: Hopetoun Rd, EH30 9RA — Website: http://www.priorychurch.com

• Walk the John Muir Trail along the shore. East of town, the path starts near Hawes Inn, follow Longcraig Rd. Good views out across the Firth, the bridges are soon lost to view as you turn the headland towards Dalmeny. The path leads over the lawns of Dalmeny House, admire but please respect private property. Near Cramond, find Eagle Rock on the shore, a Roman carving of circa 200 AD. Beyond this you fetch up against the muddy tidal creek of the River Almond: there's no bridge, and the ferry (a little rowboat) ceased in 2001. Its replacement is continually debated, but for now, you either have to re-trace your steps, or divert a mile or two inland to the A90 bridge.
• • Port Edgar Marina and Sailing School — Dinghy sailing, kayaking, canoeing, powerboating. Hire and tuition available at this council-run facility. Berthing facilities available for visiting yachts. — Address: Shore Road, EH30 9SQ — Hours: Daily 9AM-4:30PM — Phone: +44 131 331 3330 — Website: https://www.portedgar.co.uk/
• Golf: Dundas Parks GC at Dundas Castle is 9 holes. Niddrie Castle GC is south of M9 towards Broxburn.
• The Loony Dook is a traditional New Year's Day swim in the bracing waters of the Firth of Forth, from the jetty below the Boat House. It's sometimes an "official" part of Edinburgh Hogmanay, with charity fundraising. That hasn't happened since covid, but people plunged in anyhow.
• Ferry Fair is a community festival held in August. Its strangest aspect is the "Burry Man", a local man covered from head to toe in burrs (the sticky hooked fruit of the burdock) who leads a procession through town. As his odd garb restricts his movements the procession dawdles over several hours, so two assistants periodically ply him with sips of whisky through a straw.

• Queens Spice at 1 High St is an Indian open M 4-11:30PM, Th-Sa 5-10PM, Su 1-5PM.
• • Orocco Pier — Restaurant, bar and hotel on the waterfront. Outside decking for fine days with great views of the Forth and bridges. They also have rooms. — Address: 17 High Street, EH30 9PP — Hours: Food 8AM-11PM — Price: B&B double £110 — Phone: +44 131 331 1298 — Email: info@oroccopier.co.uk — Website: https://www.oroccopier.co.uk/
• • The Boat House — Pleasant seafood restaurant with great views. — Address: 22 High Street, EH30 9PP — Hours: Food daily noon-midnight — Phone: +44 131 331 5429 — Website: https://theboathouse.online/
• Thirty Knots next to the Railbridge is open Th-M noon-midnight.
• • Railbridge Bistro — Beneath the railway bridge, so-so reviews for the food. — Address: 4 Newhalls Rd, EH30 9TA — Hours: Su-F 9AM-6PM, Sa 9AM-10PM — Phone: +44 131 331 1996 — Website: https://therailbridgebistro.com/

• Inchcolm Inn is west end of town at 24 Hopetoun Rd, open W-Su.
• • The Ferry Tap — Character-laden old pub with good real ales and pub grub. Dog-friendly, nautical memorabilia and occasional live music. — Address: 36 High Street, EH30 9HN — Hours: Su-W 11AM-midnight, Th-Sa 11AM-1AM — Phone: +44 131 331 2000 — Website: https://www.ferrytap.co.uk

• Tesco is the main supermarket, in the retail park by the A904 / bridge junction. It's open M-Sa 6AM-11PM, Su 8AM-8PM has a filling station.

• • Hawes Inn — Historic pub with lodging, comfy and good dining. The 19th-century novelist Robert Louis Stevenson often stayed when journeying to and from the north, and mentioned it in his novel Kidnapped. — Address: 7 Newhalls Road, EH30 9TA — Directions: waterfront almost under the railway bridge — Price: B&B double £80 — Phone: +44 131 331 1990 — Website: https://www.innkeeperslodge.com/hotel/the-hawes-inn-south-queensferry-edinburgh
• • Stag Head Hotel — 17th century coaching inn with great views of the Forth, some rooms cold and draughty. — Address: 8 High St, EH30 9PP — Price: B&B double £130 — Phone: +44 131 331 1039 — Website: http://thestagheadhotel.co.uk/
• • Dakota Edinburgh — Slick hotel with great reviews for comfort and service, with free shuttle to airport. — Address: Ferrymuir, EH30 9QZ — Directions: in retail park off B800, S edge of town — Price: B&B double £100 — Phone: +44 131 319 3690 — Email: enquiries@dakotaforthbridge.co.uk — Website: https://www.dakotahotels.co.uk/edinburgh/
• • Premier Inn — Budget chain hotel, usually comfy but poor air-con / temperature control, some traffic noise. — Address: Builyeon Rd, EH30 9YJ — Directions: Bridge / A904 roundabout — Price: B&B double £65 — Phone: +44 333 777 4683 — Website: https://www.premierinn.com/gb/en/hotels/scotland/lothian/edinburgh/edinburgh-south-queensferry.html

Reaching the stately homes listed below will need a car, bike or taxi. Everything else is a short walk.

• "Right in the midst of the narrows lies an islet with some ruins; on the south shore they have built a pier for the service of the Ferry; and at the end of the pier, on the other side of the road, and backed against a pretty garden of holly-trees and hawthorns, I could see the building which they called the Hawes Inn."
• - Kidnapped, Robert Louis Stevenson 1886

The Firth is pinched at this point and has long been a crossing point. The first documented regular service was the Queen's Ferry, established almost 1000 years ago by St Margaret, wife of King Malcolm III, to ensure regular transport from Edinburgh to Dunfermline (then the capital) and to the pilgrimage town of St Andrews. The iconic railway bridge opened in 1890, to grace the lids of a myriad tins of Scottish shortbread. The car ferry remained in service until 1964 when the Forth road bridge opened. By the 21st century this was showing its age, and the replacement road bridge Queensferry Crossing opened in 2017. So nowadays most traffic bypasses high above the town, which has become a commuter suburb. The main reasons to visit are to stroll through the old town and admire the bridges, and to visit the ruined abbey on Inchcolm Island.