Dean Village

A century-old mill village in the Water of Leith valley, with red-roofed stone houses and arched footbridges, only about a 15-minute walk from Princes Street yet feeling like the countryside.

Dean Village sits at the bottom of the Water of Leith valley on the northwest edge of the New Town. From the 12th century it was a cluster of watermills, known as the 'Mill Village', and at its height as many as 11 mills ground flour for the city. After industry declined the village fell into disrepair, but it was restored as a residential area from the 1970s onward. Today it is famous for its fairytale houses with red roofs and yellow walls, timber-framed buildings and stone arch bridges, and it has become one of Edinburgh's most photographed spots on social media. The classic shot is taken from the small bridge downstream, looking back at the tower-like Well Court housing block. Following the Water of Leith Walkway northeast for about 15 minutes takes you past the little Greek temple over St Bernard's Well to Stockbridge, which hosts a farmers' market on Sundays. Heading west, you can walk to the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art. This is a real residential neighbourhood, so please keep your voice down and do not enter private gardens. From the west end of Princes Street, it is also about a 15-minute walk across Dean Bridge, which gives a view over the whole valley.

Dean Village

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Places to eat nearby