In Shadow of Edinburgh Castle, a New Hostel

With its ancient castle, the city of Edinburgh has one of the most dramatic skylines in Europe. Now there’s a new youth hostel offering budget lodgings and free local tours, set immediately beneath the ramparts of this Scottish fortification.

Castle Rock Hostel is located in a building that dates back to 1840 and is part of a United Nations’ World Heritage Site. It can accommodate up to 170 travelers in shared rooms with beds costing about $16.50 to $20 per person, per night.

The hostel is open 24 hours, has lounges, dining rooms, a self-catering kitchen and luggage storage. You’ll also find a notice board with job listings and entertainment information, and free international newspapers. Videos are shown nightly. For those who want to keep in touch with home, there is a computer with Internet access. Faxes can be received for free or sent for 85 cents to $2.50.

Those on tight budgets can get help with economical sightseeing. Free daily guided tours of the local neighborhood known as the Royal Mile are available, and there’s a booking service for arranging beds at affiliated hostels in Inverness, the Isle of Skye, Fort William and Oban. Guests also can book economical tours ranging from single-day programs to seven-night self-drive adventures.

Travelers who want to explore Scotland in a small group with a guide can sign up for MacBackpackers, which offers three-day tours to such places as Inverness (to look for the Loch Ness monster) and the Isle of Skye for $76. Five-day programs with two nights in the seaport of Oban and two nights on the Isle of Skye are $130. Accommodations are provided at affiliated hostels for an extra fee that averages $14 to $20 per night.

For more details, contact Castle Rock Hostel at 15 Johnstone Terrace, Edinburgh, EH1 2PH, Scotland; tel. 011-44-131-225-9666, fax 011-44-131-226-5078. You also can find information on this hostel and seven others in a small network known as Scotland’s Top Hostels on the Internet at: https://www.scotlands-top-hostels.com.

Izon is a Toronto-based freelance writer. She can be reached at https://www.izon.com.