Castle Lookout Apartment 8/5 Porteous’ Pend Welcome! Welcome!

Welcome to our apartment in the ! It has one of the best views of Castle! We are delighted that you have chosen to stay here. We have furnished and equipped the apartment with everything you need for your stay - whether it’s for two days or two months. It is our hope that you feel at home here, and ask that you look after it as you would your own home. So please have respect for both our property and our neighbours. This guide contains all the information you need to enjoy the apartment - including details about how to use the heating, wifi Internet, cooker, etc. If you have any problems with the apartment, please let us know straight away. We will then do our best to solve them as quickly as we can, letting you enjoy the rest of your stay. • Check in is from 4pm • Check out is by 11am The Important Stuff • If you are ill, and it is not an emergency, you This is the information you should never need - but can contact the NHS for further advice by it’s here in case you do: telephoning 111. They will offer advice, and may direct you to the nearest available doctor. • If there’s a fire, leave using the main door, and down the spiral staircase. If you have time, you • In a life-threatening emergency, contact the may alert the neighbours - but do not endanger emergency services. In the UK, the Police, yourself. Fire and Ambulance services can be contacted by telephoning 999. You can use • If there’s a water leak in the apartment, shut off the telephone provided in the apartment the water supply using the shut-off valve. The (located above the washing machine in the valve is located at the back of the big cupboard in the hallway. large cupboard), any mobile phone, or there is a public telephone in the Grassmarket. • If there’s a water leak from the loft, please contact us as soon as you can. • The telephone provided in the apartment requires power and Internet. If either have • If the electricity supply is interrupted, check failed, it will not work. that the RCD trips on the distribution board have not activated. The distribution board is • If you are summoning emergency help, or if located high on the wall above the door on the you are reporting an emergency, you will inside of the big cupboard (with the washing need to quote the full postal address of the machine). A one-off trip may be nothing to apartment: worry about (a so-called nuisance trip). Repeated trips may be a cause for concern, 8/5 Porteous’ Pend and you should contact us. 25 Grassmarket Edinburgh EH1 2HP Contacting Us Please be aware that a call to us may be routed If you have a non-urgent need to contact us, just either directly to us, to an assistant or to a use the facility provided by the booking method messaging service - but be assured that your call that you used to reserve the apartment. will reach us, and that we will respond. To contact us in an emergency, or to report an If you need us to call you back, please let us know urgent problem, you can reach us by telephone how we can contact you. on: 0131 516 6400. You can use a mobile phone, or there is a public telephone located in the Grassmarket. Connectivity Television You’ll find a television in the living room. The WiFi Internet television receives Freeview. The apartment has WiFi internet for your use. From time-to-time, Freeview will alter the television channels that are available. If this happens when You should not attempt to either change the you are staying, please just follow the on-screen settings of any network equipment, connect to instructions and re-tune. any admin controls, or reset any device. Telephone If you have a problem with the internet, please ask for help. If you try and fix a problem yourself, you The telephone is provided to communicate with us or to call the emergency services, and is not for may cause the system to malfunction. any other use. You can connect to the access point from any WiFi The telephone requires power and internet. If device. Look for the wireless network: either have failed or are disconnected, it will not work. • name (SSID) : Mercury • password: icanseethecastle! Please do not disconnect the power from the telephone, and please do not remove or re- On connecting to the WiFi, you will be required to patch the cables connecting it to the internet accept terms and conditions. Most devices will access point. automatically present a page for you to do this. If that doesn't happen, simply attempt to browse to any web page on your favourite browser. shouldn’t go down the toilet. That includes The Building nappies, baby wipes and sanitary items. Sash Windows In addition, please avoid putting things down the There are two windows in the apartment. They are kitchen sink that might block the drains - for sash windows, and the bottom sash of both can example, left-over food, or oil. be opened for ventilation. Bins • Take care when opening and closing the sash Please use the bins in the apartment for your windows. Like all sash windows, they can be stiff, and can sometimes be difficult to move. rubbish. When the bins get full, the rubbish must Take care not to trap your fingers when be emptied into a specific bin outside. This is opening or closing the windows. because our rubbish is classified as "commercial waste", and cannot be placed in "domestic" bins. • If you have children with you, take particular care that they are not able to climb near the If you are staying with us for only a few days, then windows, and we recommend that you open you probably will not need to empty the bins. the windows only a very small amount. Simply leave the rubbish in the apartment, and we • Both windows have devices (hinged catches) will take care of it. on their left sides that prevent wide opening. If you do need to put the rubbish out, then our bin • It is a very long way down, and the street is is provided by a company called "Tartan Waste". It directly below. Do not allow anyone or is labelled "8/1", and you will find it in the pend. anything to fall out. You need a special key to unlock the bin. The key Toilet and drains is large, and lives on the main table in the lounge. Please remember that the drains in this part of Please re-lock the bin after you have used it! - and Edinburgh have been here for a very long time, so be sure to return the key to its correct place. please don’t put things down the toilet that The system will maintain the new temperature until Creature Comforts the next programmed time, at which point the Heating target temperature will revert to the programmed The apartment is equipped with electric central temperature. heating. The heating is controlled by the A rotating symbol is displayed on the thermostat thermostat in the front room. There are radiators in screen when it is requesting heat from the system. each room. Other than pressing the up or down arrows to The thermostat is programmed to keep the temporarily adjust the temperature, please do not apartment at 21oC / 70oF in the mornings and attempt to re-programme the thermostat, and evenings, and at 19oC / 66oF during the day and please do not attempt to adjust the heating system overnight. in the big cupboard. If you need to adjust the temperature, press the up If you attempt any re-programming or adjustment, or down arrows on the thermostat. you may cause the system to malfunction, and you will cause the system to behave unexpectedly for the next person to stay in the apartment. T h e t h e r m o s t a t w i l l normally display the If you need help using the system, or if there current temperature of the seems to be a problem, please contact us. apartment in Degrees Celsius.

If you press the up and down arrows, a new temporary target temperature will be shown briefly, and the heating system will then work to achieve that temperature. Hot Water The hot water tank and its immersion heater The hot water in the apartment is provided using a supply all the hot water for the kitchen sink, the system that is very common in the UK - but maybe bathroom sink and the shower. it’s a little different to systems that you’re used to. The most important things to understand are: Please take a moment to understand how it works. • The hot water is not “infinite”, and it’s not “on There is an insulated hot water tank in the big demand”. It has to be heated in the tank in cupboard. The water is heated using an electric advance of you needing to use it. immersion heater - just like the heating element in • The booster switch does not make the water an electric kettle. immediately hotter. If there is no hot water left The immersion heater is activated every morning in the tank, then typically you will need to wait and evening on a timer, and should heat up about half an hour after activating the booster enough water for a day’s normal use - including a switch before there is enough hot water for you to take a hot shower. couple of showers. • The hot water is not at a high pressure - Please do not attempt to adjust the timer, or meaning that it will run from the tap relatively override its controls. slowly. If you need more hot water, Please be sure that children are supervised when you can activate the booster using hot water, and are not scolded. switch located on the wall inside the big cupboard - to heat the water for another short period of time. Shower Towel Rail The shower uses hot water from the hot water The towel rail in the bathroom is controlled tank, heated by the immersion heater. independently, and is not part of the main heating system. • Turn the outside knob clockwise to start the shower. Use the booster switch in the big cupboard to • Turn the inside knob to adjust the temperature. activate it. Please be aware that it will take about Please be aware that it will take about a minute for 15 minutes to heat up, and that it will stay warm the shower to run with hot water. We recommend for a while after it is turned off. that you start with the temperature control pointing straight down, and adjust from there. There is a shower pump. It turns on automatically when you take a shower. The pump is located behind the washing machine in the large cupboard, and you will hear it when in use. Remember that there is not an infinite supply of hot water in the tank. If you take a lot of showers, then you will need to use the booster switch to heat more water. • Try Mums on Forrest Rd for a good traditional Eating out breakfast or the Elephant House on George IV Bridge. There are plenty of choice for places to eat on your doorstep, and the following might help you get www.monstermashcafe.co.uk started. We would welcome your feedback to pass www.elephanthouse.biz on to other guests. • And we can recommend Oink on Victoria street • Petit Paris in the Grassmarket serves lovely for an excellent hog roast roll at lunch time! French food and their Plat du Jour menu (lunch www.oinkhogroast.co.uk and early evening) is good value. www.petitparis-restaurant.co.uk • Patisserie Valerie is appealing for posh coffee and cake. • Howies on Victoria Street provides good Scottish Fayre, also with good value set menus. www.patisserie-valerie.co.uk/ cafe-george-IV-bridge.aspx www.howies.uk.com/ edinburgh_victoria.php • Timberyard on Lady Lawson St is pricey and trendy but might just appeal for that special • Mamma's pizza in the Grassmarket if you like occasion, as might Castle Terrace restaurant or pizza, Or Pizza Express is at the top of Victoria the Witchery on Castle Hill. St/George IV bridge (great for children) www.timberyard.co www.mammas.co.uk www.pizzaexpress.com/visit-a- www.castleterracerestaurant.com restaurant/edinburgh-george-iv-bridge/ www.thewitchery.com Eating In Microwave For basic operation Hob • Turn time knob for desired time • Then press 'start'. Note that the microwave is a relatively high power model, and that you should select cooking times appropriately - but always check that food is If you can't seem to make the hob work, then it properly cooked before consuming. is probably locked. Read on... Shopping • Press button [1] to turn the hob on. There is a Sainsbury’s supermarket just a couple of • Press buttons [3] to select front or back. minutes up the road on West Port. Walk out of Porteous’ Pend, and on to the Grassmarket. Turn • Press buttons +/- [2] to adjust temperature. left, and walk up the gentle hill. • Press and hold button [5] to lock or unlock the controls. By law, Sainsbury's will charge you for a plastic bag - so take your own! • Button [4] is for a timer. It's complicated to use, and we suggest you don't try! If you set the timer by mistake, you can cancel the time by press and holding both +/- [2] buttons together.

Oven • Use the knob on the left to select function (grill or oven). • Use the knob on the right to select the temperature. The Grassmarket gets its name from local farmers About the Grassmarket selling hay, corn and seed. It is better known however for its public hangings taking place until As you can see the apartment is right on the 1784, and for the famous Porteous Riots of 1736. Grassmarket in Edinburgh with plenty to see and do right on your doorstep. The tale of the end of Captain during the riot is too violent to recount here, but you will find all the gory details elsewhere without too much trouble... Take a tour and discover the story of the body snatchers Burke and Hare, how half-hingit Maggie survived the gallows and the world famous story of ! Many of the pubs in the area have been here for hundreds of years, their names offering a glimpse With only a few minutes walk to the , into the colourful history of the Grassmarket. 'The , Museum of and Last Drop' stands near to the location of the you've got plenty of time to gallows and the 'White Hart' is supposedly where linger in the many pubs, restaurants and cafes on Burke and Hare got paid for their body snatching the way. services! There is so much to see and do here in Edinburgh, whether for a few days or a few weeks. You can visit the many shops, theatres, art galleries and museums - or simply wander down the many closes and small streets of the old town and discover Edinburgh's gruesome past! Things to See and Do The Museum of Scotland

The following are a selection of attractions in Edinburgh you might be interested in visiting. There are many more but these should get you started..... Edinburgh Castle Edinburgh Castle (that big thing on the hill, right in front of the apartment...) is a must to visit and only two flights of steps to get there! It is Scotland's biggest tourist attraction, and houses the Scottish Crown Jewels and centuries of history. It’s free to enter if you have a Historic Scotland card, or you can pay at the gate. If you’re clever, avoid the queues, and book online. The Museum of Scotland is in Chambers Street, and is well worth a visit - especially if it is raining. www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk There’s plenty to see and do, for adults and children alike.

www.nms.ac.uk/our_museums/ national_museum_of_scotland.aspx Greyfriars Bobby The Royal Yacht Britania Greyfriars Bobby and Greyfriars Kirkyard are on The Royal Yacht Britannia served the British Candlemaker Row, a very short walk from the Monarch Queen Elizabeth II until 1997. It is apartment. moored at Ocean Terminal in Leith and is a very popular attraction if you want to venture further The story behind the than the city centre. statue tells of a loyal Skye Terrier who sat on his www.royalyachtbritannia.co.uk master’s grave for 14 years. Burials took place at Greyfriars Kirkyard from the late 16th century, and a number of notable Edinburgh residents are buried there.

Camera Obscura Camera Obscura is 5 floors of optical experiences with great views from the top! It is on Castle hill. www.camera-obscura.co.uk The Palace of Holyroodhouse The Palace of Holyroodhouse is the Queen's official residence in Scotland and is situated on the Royal Mile, at the opposite end from the Castle.

www.visitscotland.com/info/see-do/palace-of- holyroodhouse-p247111

Mary Kings Close Mary Kings Close is the hidden street beneath the There are many more including all the art galleries, city. Discover what else was hidden!? It's theatres and museums and city tours. Make the accessed from Warriston's close on the Royal most of your stay!... Mile. www.realmarykingsclose.com Other Ideas... Visit Edinburgh’s historic Saint Giles Cathedral Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August. http://www.stgilescathedral.org.uk https://www.edfringe.com

Go back-in-time at The Museum of Childhood The celebrations at New Year http://www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk/Venues/ https://www.edinburghshogmanay.com Museum-of-Childhood

Is the Scotch Whisky Experience the real Take a tour of the reason you’re coming to Edinburgh? http://www.parliament.scot https://www.scotchwhiskyexperience.co.uk Visit Edinburgh’s science centre at Our Check out the Tartan Weaving Mill! Dynamic Earth http://www.royal-mile.com/interest/tartanweavingmill.html http://www.dynamicearth.co.uk

Gladstone’s land is an authentically restored Take a walk (or run!) round Holyrood Park tenement. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holyrood_Park http://www.nts.org.uk/property/gladstones-land/ Can you climb to the top of Arthur’s Seat? The Writers’ Museum is tucked away in a quiet https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur%27s_Seat close, but well worth a visit. http://www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk/Venues/ The-Writers--Museum The National Gallery houses some of the Parking world’s greatest art. You can park your car on the street in the marked https://www.nationalgalleries.org parking bays. Between 8.30 and 18.30 Monday to Saturday it costs £3.40 per hour (the last time we looked...!), up to a maximum of 4 hours at once. Admire the architecture and planning of the Outside of those times (overnight, and on New Town Sundays) there is no charge. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Town,_Edinburgh You can pay manually with coins in the meter on the street, or by using the Ringo service. Explore the West End, just a few minutes walk away. Ringo is a telephone or App service, where you can pay using a credit card. You will need to note http://www.westendedinburgh.org the location reference number marked on the parking meters, and you will need to quote the registration number of your car. You can find more information about Ringo at: https://myringgo.co.uk/ For details of on-street parking charges and other parking options, check: http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/parking/ There are other car parks available in the area. The closest is at Castle Terrace, operated by NCP. https://www.ncp.co.uk/find-a-car-park/car-parks/ edinburgh-castle-terrace/ You are here. You are here.