August 8, 2025 • 8 mins
"Brooding, imposing, ruggedly beautiful and spilling with forth with a storied history, Edinburgh stirs the senses of even the most jaded traveller. I’ve just reacquainted myself with the striking Scottish capital, as part of a riveting romp around the UK on Trafalgar’s Real Britain tour."
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack team podcast
from News Talks at b Mike Yard.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
He's our travel corresponding. He's here this morning.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
Hey Mike, good morning Jack.
Speaker 4 (00:17):
Are you going to be coming live from Alaska this
time next week?
Speaker 1 (00:20):
No?
Speaker 2 (00:20):
I know, how amazing. I love how So you're just
referencing Donald Trump and his impending meeting with Vladimir Putin.
Interesting that they're meeting in Alaska. Yes, I mean it's
kind of like halfway for both of them.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Actually, I wonder what the time? What the flight time
from Moscow to Alaska is? Anyway? Have you been to Alaska?
You've been to Alska?
Speaker 3 (00:44):
I have.
Speaker 4 (00:44):
I'd love to go and do more. I haven't been
to Anchorage and I haven't done. What did you do
a few years ago? Was it the dogs sledding or something?
Speaker 2 (00:51):
I covered the idea to Rod in Alaska. There's a
New Zealand team who are in the Idita Rod Sleeed Race.
And actually I did go dogs sleading in Alaska, which
was very cool. Have to say the thing about dogs
sitting not not comfortable way of traveling.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
It would be my how are we I could imagine?
Speaker 2 (01:10):
Yeah? Yeah, but but but amazing. And actually, the thing
I remember most about Anchorage, apart from it feeling like
a big mining town, is I had a an incredible
reindeer breakfast burrito or nice. I still think about that thing.
It was like three days worth of calories and it
(01:31):
was just it was amazing. I was cold, and I've
been out filming all night and I finally made my
way back to this place and made my way back
to a diner and had like a raindeer reindeer breckfast burrito,
and I was like, yeah, this is Yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:44):
I highly recommend Rudolph Dancer. Yes, Britson blazon the work.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
I suspect that I suspect that Vladimir won't be won't
be indulging in a brickfast burito. Who knows, Yeah, who knows. Hey, Anyway,
we're turning our attention to another top spot this morning.
You've got your top treats and treasures in Edinburgh and
it is one of those special cities loaded with intrigue
no matter how many times you visit.
Speaker 4 (02:09):
Right totally, Jacket's beauty is rugged, not shiny. I think
that's part of the attraction. It's a brooding sort of place.
Imposing I reckon. Edinburgh is the movie set of your dreams,
and it's one of those cities where that oft described
phrase hidden gems really is so true. They're just everywhere,
(02:32):
so many stories spilling forth from the cobbles. So what
I love about Edinburgh, and I've been there a few
times since, I always come away with a few more surprises,
you know, as if I have just sampled a few
more secrets, and it's just one of those cities that
you can just nibble on time and time again.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Yeah, for sure. There's quite a lot of dark history
in the city though.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
Oh man, so much, and I reckon.
Speaker 4 (02:55):
One of the biggest stains would have to be Edinburgh's
past hysteria for witch hunting. So if you find yourself
waiting to get into Edinburgh Castle, you'll be standing on
castle where the military tattoo is held right now actually
every August, and on that esplanade check out witches.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
Well.
Speaker 4 (03:14):
So this is like this big cast iron fountain and
it's on the site of where they reckon. Somewhere between
three hundred and five hundred women were burnt at the
stake on that exact site. So yeah, back in the day,
of course, they were first taken to the lake and
if they didn't drown, they were determined miraculous, so they
(03:37):
must be a witch. So then they were taken to
cartle Esplanard and burnt to death.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Yes, there's definitely there are a few flaws in that
testing system round there, to say the least, but that's
a huge three to five hundred. I didn't realize that. Yeah,
it was that many. A lot of Old Edinburgh's now underground, right,
can you go subterranean?
Speaker 4 (03:57):
Yes, I was thinking of you in the city rail
link Jack, and I'm with you, subterranean rocks. The old
town in Edinburgh is stat like a pancake, literal layers
upon layers of civilization. So one of the really cool
encounters is to venture underground into Mary King's clothes. This
has just got so much history, this little pocket of
(04:21):
underground Edinburgh. The thing that blew me away is they
reckon the locals that this was one of.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
The worst places to.
Speaker 4 (04:28):
Be in the seventeenth century when the bubonic plague swept
through because of virtually everyone died in Mary King's clothes.
Those that survived were treated by a plague doctor called
George Ray and man he would slice off the top
of the victim's saw and then jam a red hot
(04:49):
poker into the wound to cauterize it. So it was
a really agonizing technique, but it actually proved to save
people's lives.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
So that's the sort.
Speaker 4 (04:59):
Of anecdotes you will glean when you're down under.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Yeah, you don't want to think about that too much.
Where'd you go for the best city views?
Speaker 4 (05:09):
This is a really good insider's tip that I got
off a local. So chances are you'll strike some grizzle
todays weatherwise in Edinburgh. Good place to go the National
Museum of Scotland. Say hello to Dolly the Sheep and friends.
But then take the lift to the seventh floor of
the museum because that opens out onto the rooftop terrace.
(05:31):
And I mean, Edinburgh's got some great viewpoints, right, But
to be slap bang in the middle of the old
town seven stories up with that starling three point sixty
vantage point. Man, it's got the medieval rooftops, the bustle
below you can see Arthur's seat backdropping the whole city.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
It really is a special spot.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
So the new Town is home to all of the
Georgian architecture. A where's the best spot?
Speaker 4 (05:57):
Yes, Charlotte Square is stunning. So this is a masterpiece
in historic urban planning with all those Georgian townhouses around
the square. But it's sort of like a little microcosm
of Scotland's best and brightest. So back in the day
you had Alexander Bell living at number fourteen, Lord Leicester
(06:18):
of Listerine fame at number nine. J. M. Bowry aka
Peter Pan frequently stayed at number seven, and number six
is the ten downing street of Scotland, home to the
country's first minister. So Luminary's Hello Charlotte Square was very
much like the epitome of living, breathing history in Scotland.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
Oh yes, the shity's got no shortage of historic pubs.
Any top piece you can.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
Share couple of quick taps.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
I would go to Deacon Brodie's tavern on the Royal Mile.
And I didn't realize this, but Deacon Brody was the
inspiration for Robert Leward Lewis Stevenson's Jeckelin Height. So Brody
was this acclaimed carpenter by day by night, a recid
of as to Burglar. He basically broke into all the
wealthy houses that had been.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
Working on earlier in the day and it just went
on for ages.
Speaker 4 (07:10):
When he was executed, apparently it was one of the
most biggest turnouts for an execution in Edinburgh when they
decided to knock him on his head.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
So all of that history is told of the pub.
Speaker 4 (07:24):
And then also on Candlemaker's Row, you've got to check
out Grayfire's Bobby's Bar. This is like a shrine to
Edinburgh's most famous pooch. So the story goes Jack that
this dog stood vigil and slept at his owner's grave
for fourteen years after his master died and now he's
(07:46):
laid to rest next to his owner's grave in Greyfriars Churchyard,
which is very close to the namesake pub. Disney actually
made a film about the dog Bobby. So yeah, that's
a great spot for a dram or two.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
And what's the must do for fans of the Royals
in Edinburgh.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
Will definitely taken on board tour of the yacht Pretannua,
which is permanently birthed at Ocean Terminal and Leath. It's
access all areas. That's what I think blows people away.
The ship was left in situ after it was decommissioned,
and you can explore every nook and cranny, the state
reception rooms, the Queen's bedroom left exactly as.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
They were and I love this.
Speaker 4 (08:24):
You can even see Princess Margaret's numerous cigarette burns. She
was quite careless. I don't think his sister would have
been very impressed. But there's just another stirring slice of Edinburgh.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
Yeah, oh so good. It sounds amazing. It's been years,
years since I've been to Edinburgh, but you hit the
nail on the head. It feels like one of those
cities that you can go back to time and time again.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
Anda.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
Yeah, oh, that.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Sounds so good. Thanks Mike. All of Mike's treats and
treasures in Edinburgh will be up on the News Talks.
He'd be website for.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
More from Saturday morning with Jack Tame. Listen live to
news Talks he'd be from nine am Saturday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack team podcast
from News Talks at b Mike Yard.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
He's our travel corresponding. He's here this morning.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
Hey Mike, good morning Jack.
Speaker 4 (00:17):
Are you going to be coming live from Alaska this
time next week?
Speaker 1 (00:20):
No?
Speaker 2 (00:20):
I know, how amazing. I love how So you're just
referencing Donald Trump and his impending meeting with Vladimir Putin.
Interesting that they're meeting in Alaska. Yes, I mean it's
kind of like halfway for both of them.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Actually, I wonder what the time? What the flight time
from Moscow to Alaska is? Anyway? Have you been to Alaska?
You've been to Alska?
Speaker 3 (00:44):
I have.
Speaker 4 (00:44):
I'd love to go and do more. I haven't been
to Anchorage and I haven't done. What did you do
a few years ago? Was it the dogs sledding or something?
Speaker 2 (00:51):
I covered the idea to Rod in Alaska. There's a
New Zealand team who are in the Idita Rod Sleeed Race.
And actually I did go dogs sleading in Alaska, which
was very cool. Have to say the thing about dogs
sitting not not comfortable way of traveling.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
It would be my how are we I could imagine?
Speaker 2 (01:10):
Yeah? Yeah, but but but amazing. And actually, the thing
I remember most about Anchorage, apart from it feeling like
a big mining town, is I had a an incredible
reindeer breakfast burrito or nice. I still think about that thing.
It was like three days worth of calories and it
(01:31):
was just it was amazing. I was cold, and I've
been out filming all night and I finally made my
way back to this place and made my way back
to a diner and had like a raindeer reindeer breckfast burrito,
and I was like, yeah, this is Yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:44):
I highly recommend Rudolph Dancer. Yes, Britson blazon the work.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
I suspect that I suspect that Vladimir won't be won't
be indulging in a brickfast burito. Who knows, Yeah, who knows. Hey, Anyway,
we're turning our attention to another top spot this morning.
You've got your top treats and treasures in Edinburgh and
it is one of those special cities loaded with intrigue
no matter how many times you visit.
Speaker 4 (02:09):
Right totally, Jacket's beauty is rugged, not shiny. I think
that's part of the attraction. It's a brooding sort of place.
Imposing I reckon. Edinburgh is the movie set of your dreams,
and it's one of those cities where that oft described
phrase hidden gems really is so true. They're just everywhere,
(02:32):
so many stories spilling forth from the cobbles. So what
I love about Edinburgh, and I've been there a few
times since, I always come away with a few more surprises,
you know, as if I have just sampled a few
more secrets, and it's just one of those cities that
you can just nibble on time and time again.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Yeah, for sure. There's quite a lot of dark history
in the city though.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
Oh man, so much, and I reckon.
Speaker 4 (02:55):
One of the biggest stains would have to be Edinburgh's
past hysteria for witch hunting. So if you find yourself
waiting to get into Edinburgh Castle, you'll be standing on
castle where the military tattoo is held right now actually
every August, and on that esplanade check out witches.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
Well.
Speaker 4 (03:14):
So this is like this big cast iron fountain and
it's on the site of where they reckon. Somewhere between
three hundred and five hundred women were burnt at the
stake on that exact site. So yeah, back in the day,
of course, they were first taken to the lake and
if they didn't drown, they were determined miraculous, so they
(03:37):
must be a witch. So then they were taken to
cartle Esplanard and burnt to death.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Yes, there's definitely there are a few flaws in that
testing system round there, to say the least, but that's
a huge three to five hundred. I didn't realize that. Yeah,
it was that many. A lot of Old Edinburgh's now underground, right,
can you go subterranean?
Speaker 4 (03:57):
Yes, I was thinking of you in the city rail
link Jack, and I'm with you, subterranean rocks. The old
town in Edinburgh is stat like a pancake, literal layers
upon layers of civilization. So one of the really cool
encounters is to venture underground into Mary King's clothes. This
has just got so much history, this little pocket of
(04:21):
underground Edinburgh. The thing that blew me away is they
reckon the locals that this was one of.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
The worst places to.
Speaker 4 (04:28):
Be in the seventeenth century when the bubonic plague swept
through because of virtually everyone died in Mary King's clothes.
Those that survived were treated by a plague doctor called
George Ray and man he would slice off the top
of the victim's saw and then jam a red hot
(04:49):
poker into the wound to cauterize it. So it was
a really agonizing technique, but it actually proved to save
people's lives.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
So that's the sort.
Speaker 4 (04:59):
Of anecdotes you will glean when you're down under.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Yeah, you don't want to think about that too much.
Where'd you go for the best city views?
Speaker 4 (05:09):
This is a really good insider's tip that I got
off a local. So chances are you'll strike some grizzle
todays weatherwise in Edinburgh. Good place to go the National
Museum of Scotland. Say hello to Dolly the Sheep and friends.
But then take the lift to the seventh floor of
the museum because that opens out onto the rooftop terrace.
(05:31):
And I mean, Edinburgh's got some great viewpoints, right, But
to be slap bang in the middle of the old
town seven stories up with that starling three point sixty
vantage point. Man, it's got the medieval rooftops, the bustle
below you can see Arthur's seat backdropping the whole city.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
It really is a special spot.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
So the new Town is home to all of the
Georgian architecture. A where's the best spot?
Speaker 4 (05:57):
Yes, Charlotte Square is stunning. So this is a masterpiece
in historic urban planning with all those Georgian townhouses around
the square. But it's sort of like a little microcosm
of Scotland's best and brightest. So back in the day
you had Alexander Bell living at number fourteen, Lord Leicester
(06:18):
of Listerine fame at number nine. J. M. Bowry aka
Peter Pan frequently stayed at number seven, and number six
is the ten downing street of Scotland, home to the
country's first minister. So Luminary's Hello Charlotte Square was very
much like the epitome of living, breathing history in Scotland.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
Oh yes, the shity's got no shortage of historic pubs.
Any top piece you can.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
Share couple of quick taps.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
I would go to Deacon Brodie's tavern on the Royal Mile.
And I didn't realize this, but Deacon Brody was the
inspiration for Robert Leward Lewis Stevenson's Jeckelin Height. So Brody
was this acclaimed carpenter by day by night, a recid
of as to Burglar. He basically broke into all the
wealthy houses that had been.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
Working on earlier in the day and it just went
on for ages.
Speaker 4 (07:10):
When he was executed, apparently it was one of the
most biggest turnouts for an execution in Edinburgh when they
decided to knock him on his head.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
So all of that history is told of the pub.
Speaker 4 (07:24):
And then also on Candlemaker's Row, you've got to check
out Grayfire's Bobby's Bar. This is like a shrine to
Edinburgh's most famous pooch. So the story goes Jack that
this dog stood vigil and slept at his owner's grave
for fourteen years after his master died and now he's
(07:46):
laid to rest next to his owner's grave in Greyfriars Churchyard,
which is very close to the namesake pub. Disney actually
made a film about the dog Bobby. So yeah, that's
a great spot for a dram or two.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
And what's the must do for fans of the Royals
in Edinburgh.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
Will definitely taken on board tour of the yacht Pretannua,
which is permanently birthed at Ocean Terminal and Leath. It's
access all areas. That's what I think blows people away.
The ship was left in situ after it was decommissioned,
and you can explore every nook and cranny, the state
reception rooms, the Queen's bedroom left exactly as.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
They were and I love this.
Speaker 4 (08:24):
You can even see Princess Margaret's numerous cigarette burns. She
was quite careless. I don't think his sister would have
been very impressed. But there's just another stirring slice of Edinburgh.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
Yeah, oh so good. It sounds amazing. It's been years,
years since I've been to Edinburgh, but you hit the
nail on the head. It feels like one of those
cities that you can go back to time and time again.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
Anda.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
Yeah, oh, that.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Sounds so good. Thanks Mike. All of Mike's treats and
treasures in Edinburgh will be up on the News Talks.
He'd be website for.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
More from Saturday morning with Jack Tame. Listen live to
news Talks he'd be from nine am Saturday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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