Why is it called the Royal Mile?

Why is it called the Royal Mile?

The Royal Mile is at the heart of Edinburgh's Old Town, with Edinburgh Castle at its head and the Palace of Holyroodhouse at its foot. Its name comes from its tradition as a processional route for kings and queens for the last 500 years.

Is the Royal Mile actually a mile long?

It connects Edinburgh Castle (to the west) with the Palace of Holyroodhouse (to the east). Peculiarly, its length which measures 1.81 km is approximately one Scots mile long, which is longer than an English mile but hasn't been used since the eighteenth century.

Where does the Royal Mile start and end?

Follow the walk by clicking on the map pins or downloading the guides below

Location:	Edinburgh, Scotland
Start point:	Outside Edinburgh Castle, The Esplanade EH1 2NG
Finish point:	Scottish Parliament Building, EH99 1SP
Keep an eye out for:	The Heart of Midlothian and the World's End!

Can you drive up the Royal Mile?

There is bollards to prevent driving UP the Royal Mile from there, but you can drive down it to Canongate/The Bridges without bother. So you can get to the top of Fleshmarket Close on Cockburn st, and the bottom of fleshmarket close on Market st. You just can't drive up the close itself.

How old is Royal Mile?

325 million years ago It was 325 million years ago during an ice age that the immense pressure of moving glaciers carved out its profile. The Royal Mile is actually more than a mile by 107 yards. It starts at the Castle entrance to the gates of Holyrood Palace.

How steep is the Royal Mile?

4.1% Steep closes (or alleyways) run between the many tall lands (or tenement buildings) off the main thoroughfare. The route runs from an elevation of 42 metres (138 ft) above sea level at the palace to 109 metres (358 ft) at the castle, giving an average gradient of 4.1%.

What is a Scottish Mile?

Scots mile: 320 falls or 5920 feet (1807 metres, compare with the English mile of 5280 English feet or approximately 1609 metres), but varied from place to place. Obsolete by the 19th century.

Where does the Royal Mile start?

The Royal Mile Edinburgh starts at the entrance to the Edinburgh Castle, an impressive fortress on top of a Castle Hill. An at the other end, it ends at the palace of Holyroodhouse, which is the official residence of Her Majesty the Queen in Scotland.

What shops are on the Royal Mile?

The Royal Mile is famous for having a large variety of small independent shops....3. Shops

• 3.1 Elgin Cashmere. ...
• 3.2 Royal Mile Whiskies. ...
• 3.3 Fudge Kitchen. ...
• 3.4 Two Skies. ...
• 3.5 Cranachan and Crowdie.

Where does the Royal Mile End?

Where does the Royal Mile start and end? The Royal Mile Edinburgh starts at the entrance to the Edinburgh Castle, an impressive fortress on top of a Castle Hill. An at the other end, it ends at the palace of Holyroodhouse, which is the official residence of Her Majesty the Queen in Scotland.

Where does the term 'Royal Mile' come from?

• The term was first used descriptively in W M Gilbert's Edinburgh in the Nineteenth Century (1901), "...with its Castle and Palace and the royal mile between", and was further popularised as the title of a guidebook by R T Skinner published in 1920, " The Royal Mile (Edinburgh) Castle to Holyrood (house) ".

How long is the Royal Mile in Scotland?

• The Royal Mile runs between two significant locations in the royal history of Scotland: Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace. The total length of the streets between the Castle and the Palace is almost exactly a mile (1.6 km), hence the name.

What are the streets of the Royal Mile?

• The streets which make up the Royal Mile are (west to east) Castlehill, the Lawnmarket, the High Street, the Canongate and Abbey Strand.

Where to stay in Edinburgh - Royal Mile?

• The ibis Edinburgh Center Royal Mile is located right in the center of the historic city of Edinburgh, just off the historic Royal Mile. This elegant hotel has a lively bar and spacious rooms with internet access. The rooms are spacious and bright and have interactive flat-screen satellite TV.