Edinburgh’s abandoned Wild West cowboy town, in a side-street within an upmarket neighbourhood, is one of the city’s best kept secrets.
The last thing a visitor to the area might expect to find would be a street that looks exactly like it was created to shoot a cowboy movie.
But that is exactly what lies at Springvalley Gardens in Morningside.
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The Wild West was created in the 1990s by a furniture store called “The Great American Indoors” that sold Southwest-style furniture.
Strolling down the street visitors can expect to see the saloon, jail and stables and to become totally immersed in the Wild West vibe.
It is alleged a former Disneyland Paris employee designed the the street, which evokes an authentic setting through great attention to detail.
Surrounded by western facades that include a trading station and a cantina - which is actually the fire door for Morningside Library - you half expect some tumbleweed to fly down the street.
However, after the furniture store went out of business, the street emptied, giving it the creepy appearance of a ghost town - which arguably only adds to its quirkiness.
But, despite one blogger speculating in 2005 that the Wild West street was poised for redevelopment and might soon be demolished, it is still standing today.
All in all, this urban Wild West town is nothing short of a hidden gem and is surely one of the capital’s best kept secrets. Have you ever visited? It’s definitely a great place to get some unusual selfies.
It is advised that any new visitors go to the area at the weekends when the street is quieter and local businesses are not operating.
