Gifts suggestions in Edinburgh

I'm hoping to bring back some gifts, thinking about tartan scarfs etc. I've read about the TartanWeaving Mill and Exhibition. Is this a good place to find fair prices for decent quality goods? Or is there a better alternative along the Royal Mile?

Will also be looking for some gifts for the grandkids, I understand there is a Harry Potter section there as well.

Anyone have any suggestions?

The best prices will be away from the Royal Mile. The shops along it are paying high rents to be there. One thing a friend of mine gave me is a spurtle. I use it more frequently than I thought I would.

Whilst I agree with geoherb that care needs to be taken on the Royal Mile but bu using a bit of common sense you can buy authentic items. As a rule of thumb, the louder the music and the bigger the SALE signs are , my advice would be AVOID THAT SHOP!!!!

Heathergems make jewellery from heather plants. These items are all made in Scotland and available in various shops along the Royal Mile. I like Johnston's of Elgin for authentic knitwear, again in several locations along the Royal Mile. Orkley Silverware is another good buy.

Whilst I agree with geoherb that care needs to be taken on the Royal Mile but bu using a bit of common sense you can buy authentic items. As a rule of thumb, the louder the music and the bigger the SALE signs are , my advice would be AVOID THAT SHOP!!!!

 

Heathergems make jewellery from heather plants. These items are all made in Scotland and available in various shops along the Royal Mile. I like Johnston's of Elgin for authentic knitwear, again in several locations along the Royal Mile. Orkley Silverware is another good buy.

Thanks Tartan, I'm not a big shopper, especially when traveling to such wonderful places. But I would like to pick up a few authentic things without investing too much time!! I will keep in mind your advice, avoid the big SALE stores, and keep my eye out for Johnston's of Elgin and Orkley.

We are fortunate that we will be there overnight. We are going to the Tattoo the first day we are there, then have an airb&b on North Bridge, right off the Royal Mile that night. So we can get up bright and early to tour the Castle and enjoy the rest of the area. So I'll try to wander off the Royal Mile a bit.

Thanks again for all your advice.

Sorry a typo on my part. It's Orkney Silverware - contemporary and very beautiful

I have a Harris Tweed jacket I bought on Princes Street years ago, for an excellent price, given the top quality.

It looks like the day I bought it.

I wish I did.

**This place only seems to be open sporadically** a caveat. But if it is open and you have a little time, this makes a wonderful special gift. I did 2 small rubbings, one to keep and one to give to a special friend. Mine is still on my kitchen wall. Two simple patterns done white on black took no more than an hour and a half. Also relatively inexpensive.

http://www.edinburghspotlight.com/2010/04/review-edinburgh-brass-rubbing-centre/

**This place only seems to be open sporadically** a caveat. But if it is open and you have a little time, this makes a wonderful special gift. I did 2 small rubbings, one to keep and one to give to a special friend. Mine is still on my kitchen wall. Two simple patterns done white on black took no more than an hour and a half. Also relatively inexpensive.

 

 

http://www.edinburghspotlight.com/2010/04/review-edinburgh-brass-rubbing-centre/

That looks like something all of my grandchildren would enjoy. Does it have to be done there? Or can I purchase them with instructions and take them home with me?

That looks like something all of my grandchildren would enjoy. Does it have to be done there? Or can I purchase them with instructions and take them home with me?

Darn, when I tried to find the website, it stated the store was no longer there.

That looks like something all of my grandchildren would enjoy. Does it have to be done there? Or can I purchase them with instructions and take them home with me?

We did this at St Martin's on the Field in London. Great experience and I brought mine home to frame. I don't think you could DO it at home though because you rub it against something they have in the shop.

Thanks Tartan, I'm not a big shopper, especially when traveling to such wonderful places. But I would like to pick up a few authentic things without investing too much time!! I will keep in mind your advice, avoid the big SALE stores, and keep my eye out for Johnston's of Elgin and Orkley.

 

We are fortunate that we will be there overnight. We are going to the Tattoo the first day we are there, then have an airb&b on North Bridge, right off the Royal Mile that night. So we can get up bright and early to tour the Castle and enjoy the rest of the area. So I'll try to wander off the Royal Mile a bit.

 

Thanks again for all your advice.

Just a taste of what this store has.

https://www.johnstonsofelgin.com/us/

I'm hoping to bring back some gifts, thinking about tartan scarfs etc. I've read about the TartanWeaving Mill and Exhibition. Is this a good place to find fair prices for decent quality goods? Or is there a better alternative along the Royal Mile?

Will also be looking for some gifts for the grandkids, I understand there is a Harry Potter section there as well.

Anyone have any suggestions?

I bought small and medium sized watercolor paintings - think I found a few in St Giles Cathedral gift shop. Two were by Prince Charles (quite nice) and some were by an artist called Philip Gray. All of them were reasonably priced as my budget tends to require such limits. They are also light and easy to pack flat in the larger of my two bags.

I like to purchase artwork when I travel as a remembrance, especially in places that are themselves so very beautiful and that have insipired art or been the place where so many astounding moments in history have happened. It might also support a local artist, as I’ll oftem by from an artist at a market or on the street whose work I fancy. (Prince Charles certainly wasn’t hawking prints on The Mile; the funds benefited The Princes Trust, I was cool with that.)

Also purchased two soft covered but nicely textured photo books, one called A Short History of Scotland and another just called Edinburgh, because well....you’ll see....Edinburgh :) The thinking was, should I not absolutely love my photos, I have these or, I can’t possibly get the same access for my photos etc.

For kids I saw many options though I suppose it would depend very much on their ages.

As for all the gorgeous wool and tartan, yes I know but...it almost never gets used or worn and it’s quite expensive. Also, didn’t feel quite legit to me if I couldn’t lay claim to clan bloodlines; obviously if one can then I’d probably already own the tartan and not be considering it in a shop, but that’s only me. I’m Irish and we often take things WAY too seriously - probably why lots left and came to Scotland! :eek: ;)

Buy what represents you, your visit and what you think they’ll love...have a great holiday!

I went to a tartan shop in a very Scottish part of Nova Scotia once. They asked me about my family tartan. Well, back in the Shtetl in Eastern Europe they didn’t know from tartan. I didn’t buy anything, although I feel that gives me the ability to choose any tartan I like without any limits.

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For anybody who's in Edinburgh in August, this is a great place to go to buy unique Scottish items, made and sold by the person running the stall.

http://www.3d2d.co.uk/festival.html

There is a smaller version of this outside St Giles Cathedral in August too

There are a couple of gift shops halfway down Cockburn Street (off the Royal Mile) that my wife likes very much.

thanks, this is just what I was looking for!

That looks like something all of my grandchildren would enjoy. Does it have to be done there? Or can I purchase them with instructions and take them home with me?

Sorry, I’ve been away. You have to do it there. I think it is open in the summers, but it was closed for a few years while the church was renovated. If I remember correctly, they do have some other souvenirs, possibly some simple kits, but the rubbings can be fairly quick to do - I am no artist, and mine looked ok. It was closed the last time I was in Edinburgh, but that was in March, and now I realize that was off season.

All you can do is go by and see if they are open.

The main things I saw for sale were plaid scarves and cashmere sweaters. They were everywhere.

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The main things I saw for sale were plaid scarves and cashmere sweaters. They were everywhere.

 

 

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Thanks for the follow up. I guess I will just 'wing it'. I'm sure I will find something!!

One thing to note is if the merchandise was actually produced in Scotland or if it is actually a cheap replica manufactured elsewhere.

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I saw no end of shops along the Royal Mile offering tartan scarves in both wool and cashmere and in various sizes and widths. There were lots of deals (GBP 14.99 or 2 for GBP 25 type) and plenty of options for "fashion" tartans, rather than a specific clan.

If you are visiting any museums or art galleries, their shops are often very good sources of locally made and unusual gifts. My daughter brought me some gorgeous bluebell scented soap in a tin.

Did anyone else have to look up what a spurtle is?!!!! I did!

The thistle pins are really nice to bring back for others

I saw no end of shops along the Royal Mile offering tartan scarves in both wool and cashmere and in various sizes and widths. There were lots of deals (GBP 14.99 or 2 for GBP 25 type) and plenty of options for "fashion" tartans, rather than a specific clan.

One thing to note is if the merchandise was actually produced in Scotland or if it is actually a cheap replica manufactured elsewhere. Sent from my iPhone using Forums

This is a really important point and please take note of what Got2Cruise says. These deals are of very poor quality items generally made in the Far East, so hardly a souvenir of Scotland. They create a very bad impression of tartan.

I also saw that someone had bought watercolours. No watercolours by Prince Charles would be available to buy and these are of course framed prints. If that's the sort of thing you're looking for, you could easily just buy a paper print yourselves to take home and frame. There are lots of stalls around the Mound and as I said outside St Giles.

For Harry Potter merchandise, the best place would be a shop on the street that provide the inspiration for Diagon Alley. It's called Museum Context, formerly known as Diagon House and it's on Victoria Street. There are various locations in that area which provided the basis for JK and Harry Potter including the original Hogwarts

Thanks for everyone's suggestions.