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Edinburgh in AugustDateline: 24th July, 2005For eleven months of the year London is the focal point for British theatre-lovers but in August attention switches north to Scotland's capital, Edinburgh, which becomes the theatre capital of the UK. And not just the theatre capital, either, for as well as hosting the International Festival and the Fringe (both of which feature theatre, music and dance), Edinburgh also has the Book Festival, the Jazz Festival and the Film Festival. All of these bring hundreds of thousands of people in the city, as does the other August attraction, the Edinburgh Tattoo. And that, of course, is apart from the fact that it is a city of great historical and architectural interest in itself. It is, however, probably true to say that the majority of people who flock to Edinburgh during August are there for the Fringe. For many it will be their first visit, so here we have BTG editor Peter Lathan's personal guide to Edinburgh in August. He's been covering the Fringe since 1997, so he knows the city's closes, wynds, streets, steps and hills well - and has the aching legs to prove it! Edinburgh is a wonderful city. It is small and compact and very friendly. For those who are more used to the traffic chaos, long distances on the Tube and rush, rush, rush of London, or the canyons of New York, it is hardly a city at all. Even in comparison to Birmingham and Manchester it seems small. But this is its joy. For someone who is only reasonably fit, it is quite possible to walk from the Royal Botanic Gardens in the north to Bruntsfield Links in the south in little more than an hour. Try walking from Begravia to the City of London in that time! First of all, where should you stay? If you want to be in thick of things and not on the outskirts of the city, you're probably already too late. There may be places available, but you'll have to hunt. Try typing "Edinburgh Bed and Breakfast" or "Edinburgh Hotels" into Google. There's also Festival Beds which takes bookings for people who are not normally in the B&B trade but who open up their spare rooms for August only. You should also try the Accommodation section of the Edinburgh Fringe website - very useful! You need to get hold of a copy of the Fringe programme, preferably before you actually go to Edinburgh because there is so much on that the listings section of the programme is 183 pages long! The actual programme is free and you can usually pick one up in tourist information offices throughout the country. They do tend to vanish quickly, so it might be best to order one from the Fringe website. It'll cost you for the postage, though. Of course, you can wait till you reach Edinburgh and pick one up for free from the Fringe Shop at 180 High Street. With so many shows to choose from - and all of them tantalisingly described in the programme - how do you choose? It really does depend upon your own character: if you are the adventurous sort and don't mind risking being disappointed, just go with your reactions to the programme descriptions. If, on the other hand, you want to be sure that what you see will be - at the very least - well done and of a good standard, then restrict yourself to the major venues: the Assembly and its offshoots, C and its subsidiaries, Gilded Balloon Teviot, the Pleasance Courtyard and Dome, the Traverse and the Underbelly. This is not to say that there aren't good or even great shows elsewhere. Of course there are, but they can be mixed in with shows which are - shall we say? - not quite so good. But part of the fun of the Fringe is taking the risk. One good way of picking shows is to get the free daily publication (the name has gone out of my mind! Oh dear - age!), available from most venues, which lists what's on by the hour. Very useful if you've got a couple of hours to spare and want to fit something in but don't know where to start. And although you can't watch shows round the clock, you can get pretty close to it. The first theatre shows start around 10 am and the last usually usually finish about one in the morning, but you'll find some comedy and jazz shows going on later. As for ticket prices, most shows charge between £6 and £12, with £8 being about the average. On the first two days - 7th and 8th August - many shows are offering 2 for 1 deals. But what if you're on a limited budget and can't spend a fortune on seeing show after show? Then head for High Street. It is closed to traffic between the Lawmarket and South Bridge for most of the day, until about nine at night, and is filled with street entertainers, Fringe participants promoting their shows by showing extracts and by handing out so many flyers that you could save half a dozen trees just by recycling those you collect in the course of one day! Another place to see street entertainment is in East Princes Street Gardens beside the National Gallery of Scotland and the Royal Scottish Academy. If you're in the city on 14th August, take a walk along to the Meadows for Fringe Sunday. A combination of funfair and showcase for Fringe shows, it starts at eleven in the morning and lasts until around four in the afternoon and it's free (except for the fairground rides, of course). And there's plenty of food available - hot dogs, burgers, hot beef sandwiches, ice cream, fudge... Not a gourmet's delight but who wants that on an open-air day out? One word of advice: if you drive to Edinburgh, don't attempt to use your car to get around the city from venue to venue. It is not a car-friendly city and parking is expensive and difficult. Use the bus to get into the city centre - but remember that you need to tender the exact fare. Some of the drivers can be very rude if you don't and refuse to give change. The best way is to get a daily or weekly ticket. There are plenty of taxis around, of course, but, like buses and private cars, they can get caught up in some pretty big traffic jams. Very often - especially if you are going along Princes Street or round the Tollcross area - it is quicker to walk. What about food? Most venues offer some sort of catering, from tea and coffee to full meals. Most have bars, too, often selling sandwiches and the usual pub snacks. Edinburgh is full of cafes and restaurants of all kinds - check out The Oracle for a pretty comprehensive restaurant list - and there are plenty of pubs which do very good meals too. Everyone will have their favourites but I have to say that, for me, a visit to Edinburgh would not be the same without at least one meal at the Jasmine (in Grindlay Street, opposite the Royal Lyceum, just round the corner from the Traverse), which is one of the best Chinese restaurants in the UK in my humble opinion. If your taste runs to Thai, the Ayutthaya in Nicholson Street and the Jirada in Gilmore Place get my vote. There's a large number of Indian restaurants, too, but I find it hard to beat Suruchi in Nicholson Street, and it has the added advantage of often having live music (usually jazz) in the evenings. Its menu is written in "braid Scots" - which is interesting! For good solid traditional English fare, try Monster Mash in Forrest Road between Bedlam and Gilded Balloon Teviot. Wonderful sausage and mash with some lovely puddings - apple crumble (with ice cream or custard) and deep fried ice cream. Calories galore, but who cares! As for pub grub, if you're in the New Town, give the Rose Tavern in Rose Street a try. In the Old Town, pop along to Greyfriars Bobby, right next to Grayfriars Kirk. Both serve good quality standard British food at very reasonable prices - but both get very busy. As far as snacks and sandwiches are concerned, most of the independents seem to have vanished in recent years, to be replaced by the national chains, but there's still Piemaker on South Bridge (a few moments walk from C in Chambers Street - left as you come out, then left again and cross the road) which sells the most amazing variety of savoury and sweet pies you can imagine. I am often to be found during a Fringe afternoon wandering along South Bridge or Chambers Street munching on one of their delights. Try their peppered steak slice - bliss! More centrally, Deacon Brodie's Cafe just off the Lawnmarket does great afternoon teas and snacks. And as for fish and chips, my favourite is the chippie almost opposite C Electric in Clerk Street on the south side. And remember you're in Scotland - as for a fish supper. But these are, of course, personal choices. Other people swear by other places. There is such a huge choice and such competition that prices in most places are comparatively low and quality high. If you want to escape from the Fringe and the city, try a walk up Arthur's Seat, the extinct volcano which dominates the Edinburgh skyline. It's not Ben Nevis but it is an enjoyable walk, especially if you take it easy and stroll! And if it's your first visit to Auld Reekie, you must visit the Castle (fascinating) and take a trip on one of the open-topped tour buses which start from outside Waverley Station. A ticket lasts all day and you can hop on and off as much as you like. History buffs will find some of the guided walks (historical Edinburgh, haunted Edinburgh, literary Edinburgh, Rebus' Edinburgh) well worth trying. Most start from High Street near St Giles Cathedral - look out for the advertising blackboards. Finally, remember this is Scotland. The weather can be variable. Last year I lived in my waterproof whereas in 1997 it was incredibly hot, but generally it can be quite cool in the evenings and mist and showers don't come as a surprise! Be prepared for any kind of weather.
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