In a recent list of 'coolest places' to live in the UK, Leith took the top spot for Scotland.
The port area in the north of Edinburgh has a long and fascinating history, with the earliest surviving references dating all the way back to the 12th century. The harbour itself was established in the 14th century and has seen visits from many travelling monarchs over the years, from Mary, Queen of Scots to King George IV.
Today, Leith has garnered a reputation as a cultural hub, and is a popular spot among Edinburgh's creatives. With a seemingly endless supply of bars, restaurants, and boutiques popping up in recent years, it is no surprise that young people have flocked to the buzzing port district.
Having lived in Leith myself for around a year, I can't think of a better place to call home. Since moving here, I have noticed a lot of changes, with old businesses moving out and trendy new ones catering to a younger demographic taking their place.
I had previously spent a few months in the district a couple of years ago, and instantly fell in love with its laid-back atmosphere and close proximity to the sea. However, since moving here properly last year, I have never taken the time to properly explore the area.
I was keen to experience everything Leith has to offer and learn more about its residents and how they think it has changed over the years, so on a Friday afternoon, I headed out to see what I could get up to.
To start my journey off, as many visitors do, I began at the top of Leith Walk — one of the longest streets in Edinburgh. The first thing I noticed was the tram works, which when finished will connect Leith and Newhaven to the current end of the tram line at York Place.
If shopping is your main priority when visiting Leith, then a saunter from the top to the bottom of the Walk is sure to leave you satisfied. From trendy new pop-ups to longstanding shops that have been serving the local community for decades, you could easily spend hours just moving in and out of different stores.
While walking down, I passed by The Windsor — a traditional pub that has stood on the Walk for more than 100 years. Though I had no time for a drink, I was able to speak to manager Tiarnán Garrity, 38, about how Leith has changed over time.
The first thing he told me is that Leith is near-unrecognisable to how it was even just a few years ago. It is a common sentiment among locals that the district has been undergoing gentrification, and Tiarnán agrees.
He commented: "It's become a lot more gentrified over time, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It was quite a rough and rowdy part of town, but it's changed a lot and come a long way."
However, Tiarnán also said that Leith has retained much of its unique charm that separates it from the rest of Edinburgh. He added: "It's definitely its own little place down here."
After heading part of the way down Leith Walk, I decided to head over to the parallel street of Easter Road. While many Scots will only know it for the football stadium of the same name — the home ground of Hibs — Easter Road has also changed significantly in recent years.
From independent coffee shops giving locals a much-needed caffeine boost to small shops loaded with charming and unique trinkets, it gives even Leith Walk a run for its money. One of these gift shops, 101 By Support The Makers, is a very new addition, having just opened its doors in the last few months.
The store is home to more than 65 independent handmade creators' wares, and also hosts workshops for activities such as paper cutting and pop painting. I was able to speak with owner Carmen Chalmers, 45, about her thoughts on the neighbourhood.
While 101 By Support The Makers is new, Carmen herself is very familiar with Leith, having lived here 17 years ago before moving to Portobello. Commenting on Leith's newfound reputation, she said: "I think that's really cool to be part of Edinburgh and have Leith as the coolest place in Scotland.
"I think there's so much going for Leith in terms of like diversity, in terms of so many up-and-coming independent businesses and shops. And it's a really fun place to live.
"The community on Easter Road is phenomenal, the community in Leith itself is amazing. All the little businesses and shops that are working together to try and get more people coming to Leith and creating a buzz about certain streets."
Saying goodbye to Carmen, I continued my walk down Easter Road. Eventually I came to Leith Links, the major park space in the neighbourhood.
Fortunately, the weather was relatively dry, and there were many locals out for a jog or a walk with their dog. While I had been to the Links before, I came across a plaque this time that I had never seen before that detailed its history.
Unbeknownst to me, the park was originally designed as a golf course, which I suppose makes sense given the name. The plaque claims that the Links is the "home of golf", with the first official rules drawn up for a tournament in 1744 "forming the basis for the modern game of golf".
After that piece of fascinating Leith history, I decided to head into the nearby café Twelve Triangles to refuel. I picked up a caramel brownie that was honestly one of the tastiest I've ever had in my life.
I was able to speak with co-founder Emily Cuddeford, 34, about Leith and it being named the coolest place in Scotland. Having previously lived in the area for 15 years, she has seen firsthand how it has changed over the years.
She stated: "When we first opened the business eight years ago, there was such a good community — you had the Chinese supermarket, the Turkish supermarket — and had all these different influences of food. But there was less actual food businesses, it was more things like pubs.
"Whereas, over the years, more and more cafés and bakeries have been opening. Because of the general gentrification, a lot more people have been moving to the area, and the demographic has changed quite a lot."
Moving back over to Leith Walk, I headed down to the 'Foot of the Walk' at the bottom. I continued up past Constitution Street, venturing into a quieter and less commercial area of Leith.
Eventually, I came to the beautiful waterfront, which is home to a number of up-market eateries, as well as delis, pubs, and shops. I stood for a few moments on the shore, taking in the beautiful harbour views, before continuing along to the Water of Leith walkway.
This walking and cycling route takes you along the river of the same name, which flows into the sea via the Firth of Forth. The tranquil walk feels like it's in a completely different area to the rest of Leith, and is the perfect place to head if the hustle and bustle is getting to be a bit much.
Reaching the end of my journey, I began the journey back up Leith Walk. I stopped off at the Leith Arches Café Bar for a much-needed pick-me-up after walking for hours.
While waiting for my coffee, I spoke with local resident Andy Harrison, 28, who has lived in Leith for two years. Moving to the area relatively recently, the massive changes have been less noticeable for him.
He told me he loves living here, and was not surprised to hear that Leith was named the coolest place to live in Scotland. He commented: "Even though I have only lived here a couple of years, it still feels like I've only scratched the surface."
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