The Sheep Heid Inn- Ages of Edinburgh

            After much traveling and a busy school schedule my friends and I decided to meet up for a nice dinner on Wednesday. Where to go, but a place nestled along Arthur’s Seat and a local keepsake of Scottish tradition. The Sheep’s Heid Inn is the oldest pub, restaurant and inn in Edinburgh. It certainly lives up to its historical reputation. This inn is decorated with all sorts of medieval swords and daggers, wood carved clocks and royal portraits. Dark wood floors and tables compliment the soft green and blue hues of the plaid carpet and chairs. The soft patterns and shades warm the rooms. At this inn, I felt as though I was peaking into centuries of Scotland’s past preserved by the innkeepers and local patrons. The rooms held a certain festive ambiance and seasonal character. From the mirrors hung red, green and gold reefs in anticipation for the Christmas season while the menu reflected the tastes of fall. These seasonal smells and colors melted together to bear the image of a cozy cottage tucked just outside the hustle the city. In a warm wool sweater and a cup of cocoa, this is the place I would find myself and villagers from centuries past who come to think and ponder the wonders of Edinburgh.

The Sheep Heid Inn is a cozy white stucco and dark wooden cottage nestled on the corner of the road. I love the Sheep signage hanging over the title. It really adds a local and village feel to this tucked away secret place.

            Gathered around the dining table, we all ordered savory Scottish dishes and caught up on our recent adventures abroad. Later, we enjoyed a taster plate of Scottish deserts such as warm apple pie and Cherry Cheesecake. In this moment, I felt completely warmed and welcomes. This night was a bond between all of my favorite things in life- food, friends and stories. There is no better place to experience such wonders than a cozy night at a traditional Scottish pub.

Our delightful deserts! The taster platter came with so many favorites including Apple pie, Cherry Cheesecake, Creme Brulee, Brownie Pie and Pecan delight. It tasted like a sweet slice of fall!

            Later in the evening we entered into the pub quiz. We competed against all other diners ranging in age and knowledge. We did not fair so bad either, coming in third place with the temptation for winning a few pounds or a bottle of wine. Beyond the prize though, it was a way for us to extend our evening and enjoy each other’s company.

One of the wonderful clocks
decorating this inn.

Groups of clocks hang together as a
symbol of the passing of time born
in this cozy inn.

A barometer clock. These are
beautiful and historic telling
time and temperature.

            We finished the night off by strolling into the inn’s well-known bowling alley. This spot is an antique all on its own. Wooden floors strike the alleyway and cascade down the walls. Classic red and white striped ball pins are aligned at the end of the alley in a perfect handmade triangle. The bowling balls match the age of this alley as they resembled big and small rounded stones missing the finger holes found on the perceivably modern bowling balls. I really enjoyed the classical feel of this place- the fact that we manually set up the ball pins for each other and rolled the balls on their belt. The 1950’s music humming in the background delved this image of the 1950s retro bowling alley even deeper in time. After much playing around, we decided to head back through the dining room and call it a night.

A real antique bowling alley! The wooden alley way and sturdy bowling balls create an image of the old school bowling alley and place to enjoy the company of friends.

            This inn is one I hope to revisit again. My friend’s and I plan to make this place a tradition. The Sheep Heid Inn is also a spot I plan to take all of my other visitors to Edinburgh for the true Scottish experience. As a sweet humble abode tucked away from the city center and hidden beyond the mountain, it is the perfect place to escape into the wonders of Scotland. In this dwelling, we can rest from our busy lives abroad and simply appreciate the traditions of Scotland and the value our time spent here. As we headed home, we walked past Arthur’s Seat. On this stroll, I cherished the essence of this stoic cottage tucked by the mountainside. I found myself envisioning past visitors to this inn throughout the centuries. Each traveler set along a journey and bringing to this inn their own set of stories and wonders of the world. On my stay, I relive these and add a new chapter along this countryside tale. Edinburgh is a city born in history and these cottages inviting in the long traditions comfort me. I am welcomed in and feel right at home.