In your opinion, Anything bad about Edinburgh?

University of Edinburgh

Scroll to see replies

the winter weather is really, really cold obviously...but...what about the summer?

I'm a big fan of bitter winters but even more of a fan of nice, sunny summers. Is it freezing during the summer aswell?

also, I thought things were supposed to be cheap up in edinburgh? compared to london anyways?

University of Edinburgh

Reply 41

naivesincerity

The summers are great, warm but not too hot, and the days last so long.

Reply 42

HawkAhriman

O: sounds quite nice really. can't be much worse than down south anyways. we get dreary, wet summers AND dreary, wet winters. it rained on bloody christmas day for gods sake.

fingers crossed that I actually get in then I guess.

Reply 43

naivesincerity

HawkAhriman

LOL, well you do know it's colder up there right? The downside is that winter is freezing and dark, the upside is that summer isn't too hot and the days are so long.

Reply 44

HawkAhriman

call me odd, and I'm sure it'll sound odder trying to explain this, but I like the cold. But not when it's a piss-weak bit of drizzle and a cold breeze.

so the cold isn't so much the problem really.

Reply 45

oxymoronic

its more of a crazy freezing wind coming in off the Forth rather than a cool breeze... i hate the wind in edinburgh, its the worst part about walking over the meadows as then you're all exposed and its freezing. The place would be so much warmer if wind didn't exist.

Reply 46

michaelnicholson88

And yet, here's someone else who doesn't mind it at all. Well, when you're used to Gales sweping across the Hebrides, the Edinburgh "wind" is no bother at all.

Reply 47

Dill

Hm, I can't really think of anything bad about Edinburgh. Of course when I'm up there I get home sick. I miss the countryside and all the nice scenery. But of course, it's a city, so you wouldn't expect countryside anyway! I wouldn't say it's too expensive, definitely not as expensive as London anyway. Drinks are more expensive than what I'm used to down here, and even the student unions don't seem to be particularly cheap. To be honest, I haven't noticed people being particularly friendly :\ And yes, it is annoying when people on bikes go through red lights! Gr!

Reply 48

dominiclmorris

I've not been to Edinburgh, though I am applying and I hear wonderful things. On the subject of it being insular, that wouldn't supprise me too much. if you're socialable and are friends with lots of people from different schools, at 17 there's a good chance you're not more than a couple of degrees of seperation from most 16-18 years olds in north london, it's not even too uncommon to meet londoners abroad who you have some sort of connection with.

That's prolly different for students though, as most of them don't come from Edinburgh.

Also, as a massive fan of live music, I hear Edinburgh isn't all that great? if you want to hear good indie, do you have to bus it to Glasgow (is that hard?) or is there a scene in Edinburgh?

Reply 49

NicLeys

Indie Clubs in Edinburgh - theres Cab Vol and Liquid Rooms. Then theres a lot of musical madness come the festival.

For big bands, Glasgow is at an advantage being a bigger city, more venues etc.

Reply 50

Keeno89

dominiclmorris

Also, as a massive fan of live music, I hear Edinburgh isn't all that great? if you want to hear good indie, do you have to bus it to Glasgow (is that hard?) or is there a scene in Edinburgh?

In addition to Cabaret Voltaire and Liquid Rooms - if it is a club you are looking for The Hive have a few rock/ indie nights a week too. I am told it is fairly good and not too expensive.

You find a fair number of local bands who play at Cab Voltaire and Liquid Rooms but in my experience very few more well known bands play there. La Belle Angele and The Venue are apparently the best places to go for indie.

As for larger venues the most commonly used nowadays seems to be the Corn Exchange which is only 30 mins bus journey from the centre of town. Meadowbank recently had the Foo Fighters but can't think of many others who have played there. Murrayfield gets the occasional use too, I remember the Red Hot Chilli Peppers playing there a couple of years ago.

All in all Edinburgh isn't that bad for music but Glasgow is way better. As for travelling to Glasgow it is about 1 hour 15 mins on megabus and depending on when you book it will probably cost £2-£4 each way. Train takes about an hour and is about £10 return.

I can't help but laugh when I read all the comments about Edinburgh being freezing. Up until 3 months ago I had lived there all my life and honestly it's not that bad! Going back this Christmas I didn't even need to wear a jacket! Yeah it can be windy but as long as you don't go out in shorts and t shirt in the middle of winter you will be fine.

Someone mentioned the cost of going out a while back I think... anyway cheapest place I remember was the Rush bar, after you buy a drink there you get a student card and I think it is £1.50 or something like that onwards. It is a bit pricey by standards elsewhere ( that would get you a double in Aberdeen! ) but is far cheaper than clubs.

Hope that helps :smile:

Reply 51

naivesincerity

Keeno you forgot the Usher Hall on Lothian Road.

Reply 52

ooze

Nothing.

edit : Oooh apart from the fact that hardly any good bands seem to come. I'm always in Glasgow for gigs but the trains are OK and there are late buses between the cities.

Reply 53

Sadhbh

I don't think the weather is too bad. I quite like it.

I can't think of anything too bad. Maybe a bit pricey but you can shop around. Doesn't seem to be a great music scene. Sometimes I think it's a little small. But it's still a nice place. Nobody's overly friendly though. They seemed friendlier before I began to attend university come to think of it.

Reply 54

Tajel

Hearts.

Oh, and Hibs.

Reply 55

orangeoreos

are the people there really friendly? I'm Asian, so I'm a bit concerned if the city isn't as metropolitan as London. :/ and how cold exactly does it get?? :s-smilie:

like, -10 degrees Celsius? -20 degrees? if it's that cold I'm not sure I could last through a winter without freezing over.

Reply 56

elisabethbridge

orangeoreos

are the people there really friendly? I'm Asian, so I'm a bit concerned if the city isn't as metropolitan as London. :/ and how cold exactly does it get?? :s-smilie:

like, -10 degrees Celsius? -20 degrees? if it's that cold I'm not sure I could last through a winter without freezing over.

I've seen a lot of Asian's around so you'll be fine. I haven't heard of any problems concerning racism or anything. Also, the temperature is above zero in general. And if it goes under, it's only by a couple of degrees and mostly this happens during the night.