Silverknowes – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Lauriston Castle launches 2025 programme

Tickets for March to December 2025 events programme on sale now

Over 100 events including atmospheric film screenings, ghost stories, murder mysteries, sketch workshops, lectures, picnics and theatre offer locals many opportunities to enjoy the Edwardian manor and gardens.
All information on Lauriston Castle events can be found at www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk.

Lauriston Castle has officially launched its exciting 2025 programme with a visit from Lord Provost Robert Aldridge and members of the multi-award-winning Edinburgh Living History (ELH).

The Lord Provost joined ELH for a special guided tour of the 16th-century castle last week. Known for its breathtaking views over the Firth of Forth, Lauriston Castle is set to host a diverse range of events in the coming months, offering something for everyone.

The castle’s Lectures Series will feature captivating discussions on topics such as growing up in Corstorphine in the 1950s, the Women of Lauriston, and the inspiring legacy of Emily Pankhurst and the Suffragette movement.

For those looking to tap into their creative side, the Adult Crafts Workshops will include sessions on watercolour painting, wreath-making, and more.

Meanwhile, Family Events will feature exciting activities such as dinosaur and space-themed days, as well as the beloved annual Lauriston Castle Teddy Bear’s Picnic.

Visitors will also have the opportunity to enjoy Costumed Performances, with live re-enactments of Edinburgh life from days gone by, bringing the past to life in an immersive way.

A key new addition to the 2025 programme is a focus on Lauriston Women’s History. New themed tours and a lecture series will delve into the often-overlooked stories of the women who played a vital role in the castle’s history.

The programme also includes special events and themed tours, theatre performances, atmospheric film screenings, and garden events.

Lauriston Castle is also collaborating with renowned partners like the Edinburgh Multicultural Festival, the Edinburgh International Magic Festival and the Edinburgh Horror Festival to bring even more exceptional experiences to the public.

Details of all events are listed on the Museums & Galleries website.

Lord Provost Robert Aldridge said: “It was an absolute pleasure to visit Lauriston Castle today. Edinburgh Living History and our fantastic Museums & Galleries colleagues were kind enough to welcome me and provide a chance to explore one of our most unique venues.

“In the coming months, there’s an excellent range of events taking place as part of the Lauriston Castle 2025 programme. From lectures on circular fashion to the grisly history of anatomy in 19th-century Edinburgh, alongside adult creative workshops and family events, there’s truly something for everyone.

“As we continue our Edinburgh 900 celebrations, I would encourage all of our residents and visitors to take advantage of these fantastic opportunities to learn more about Edinburgh’s history.”

CRAFT WORKSHOP PROGRAMME AT LAURISTON CASTLE

Our Lauriston adult creative workshop programme for 2025 is now live and bookable.

17 fantastic adult creative workshops for you to explore your creativity in our supportive relaxing setting.

Explore here: https://www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk/adult-craft-workshops…

BE QUICK, THOUGH – SOME CLASSES ALREADY SOLD OUT!

Tour of the Trees

Welcome to the first Lauriston Farm Tour of 2025!

If you’re curious to learn more about Lauriston Agroecology Farm – and especially about why we planted so many trees – come along to our farm tour on Saturday 1st February 11:30am (finishing 1:15pm with soup and bread).

Farming with trees (‘agroforestry’) was once commonplace, and nearly got swept away by large scale industrial agriculture and monocrop growing. We will share how we are reviving it here at Lauriston Farm, with all the hope and excitement this brings.

The farm tour will take in the:

– Community Orchard

– Woodland restoration area

– Agroforestry alleys (lines of trees that create sheltered and stable space to grow other crops, as well as bringing crops of fruits and nuts themselves)

You’ll hear from the folk who look after the trees on the farm – sharing what we’ve done, why we’ve done it, and what we’ve learned so far

+ then all return to the Community Kitchen for soup and chat.

Who is this For?

We welcome all curious visitors, including total newcomers, as well as farmers and growers and anyone interested in a career or volunteering in this type of work. This tour is aimed at adults or interested young people (the free community event in the afternoon is more suited to children).

Accessibility

This is a walking tour across the farm, lasting around 1.5hrs, potentially also suitable for all terrain/off road wheelchairs or mobility scooters, but not standard wheelchairs. The ground is rough, and will be wet and muddy in parts.

Tickets

Book on Eventbrite:

https://www.eventbrite.com/…/farm-tour-of-the-trees…

The standard rate ticket helps us cover our costs. We also offer solidarity options, so you can contribute more if you are able to, and take a discount if you need to:

Standard rate: £6

Solidarity +50% £9

Solidarity -50% £3

+ if the ticket cost is a barrier please get in touch with info@lauristonfarm.org as we have some limited free places available.

#Edinburgh #Agroforestry #Agroecology #UrbanFarm #RegenerativeAgriculture #CommunityOrchard #NorthEdinburgh #RegenAg

Strollers at home this Saturday

If you don’t fancy the Christmas shopping The Civil Service Strollers are in action this Saturday at Marine Drive.

They are taking on West of Scotland side Shotts Bon Accord in the 5th round of the South Challenge Cup.

Kick off – 3.00pm
Admission £9
Concessions £5
U 16 free accompanied by adult

Who’s serving up at The Pitt?

Hello Pitt Peeps!

It’s less than two weeks until we’re officially fully open so make sure that date’s in your diary – Friday, 6th December – and be one of the first down to Granton to check us out. And if you’ve been wondering who’s going to be quenching your thirst and filling your belly, our official Resident foodies will be:

Choola: Nepalese street food with a Scottish twist
Fire Bowl: East Asian style street food
Buffalo Truck: Delicious fried chicken with all the added delights
Social Bite Does dessert: amazing sweet treats and lots of custard
Lazeez: Authentic Lebanese delights (fully halal) and shish
Pulp Friction: Seasonal fresh fruit infused drinks, from mulled sangrias to frozen margaritas
Barney’s and Newbarns: supplying the best locally brewed beers
Serving up Williams and Johnson coffee, savoury and sweets will be Long Shot Coffee.

Don’t forget, The Pitt also has two saunas from Soul Water Sauna (booking opening soon), a weekly local produce market from Granton Community Garden, community and family areas, a co-working space and one of the best views in Edinburgh across the Firth of Forth.

December opening hours:
Friday 6th: 5pm-10pm
Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th: 8am-10pm
Then weekly until 29th: Thursday to Sunday: 8am-10pm
Hogmanay, Tuesday 31st: 8am-2am – family friendly entertainment with free entry all day to The Pitt Market. Please note, the Hogmanay Extravaganza is a separate, ticketed event which is suitable for 16+ only.

Entry to The Pitt Market is from the Granton Promenade. The Market will always be free to enter and is family and dog friendly every single day.

Retail / Lifestyle Opportunity

Perfect for anyone who wants to trade and be part of a supporting community of entrepreneurs looking to kick start their business or any pop up ideas.

More info HERE

We can’t wait to see you very soon!

The Pitt team

Special offer from Civil Service Strollers

There are no SPFL games this weekend, so why not come to Christie Gillies Park on Marine Drive for your football fix?

You can watch The Strollers battle it out with Irvine Meadow XI for a place in the 5th round of the SFA South Challenge Cup.

As a special bonus for coming along, we’ll let you watch another home game for free!

Here’s how the offer works :-

send us a personal message to let us know your coming and which game you want to watch for free (choose from the list below),

check in at the gate this Saturday, and pay the relevant admission.

You can then look forward to your chosen free game!

Thats it!

We look forward to seeing you and are sure you’ll enjoy both games!

Thanks

Ferry Gait Drive incident: Do you know ‘goggles man’?

Police have released an image of a male officers would like to speak to in connection with an assault and robbery which occurred on Sunday, 7 July, 2024 at around 11.30pm on Ferry Gait Drive.

Officers believe the man in the image could assist them in their ongoing enquiries and are appealing for the man himself or anyone who may recognise him, or has information about this incident, to get in touch.

The male (pictured) is described as aged in his 30s, between 5ft 7ins and 5ft 10ins in height, was seen to be wearing a suit, goggles over his eyes and a blue baseball cap with an ‘LA’ logo.

Anyone who recognises the male pictured or has any information is asked to contact Police Scotland via 101 quoting incident number 3947 of 7 July, 2024.

Alternatively, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, where you can give information anonymously.

Cutting sods at Silverlea: Work begins on former care home site

Council Leader Cammy Day was joined by Fraser Lynes, Managing Director of Cruden and architects Smith Scott Mullan as work got underway on the development of143 energy efficient social and mid-market rent properties.

In partnership with Cruden, the project will deliver a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom homes across the site, including wheelchair accessible accommodation.

Work will include upgrades to greenspace and the main footpath linking Salveson Cresent and Marine Drive to create safer, easier access to the shorelines. Plans also include a new Pavilion for Craigroyston Community Football club.

The development is part of the £1.3 billion Granton Waterfront regeneration which will create a new residential-led mixed-use community and will deliver around 3,500 net zero carbon homes, a primary school, a health centre, commercial and cultural space, and a new coastal park.

Council Leader Cammy Day said: It was great to attend the sod-cutting ceremony at the Silverlea site today as we marked the beginning of construction on this exciting development here in Edinburgh.

“We’re facing a Housing Emergency so we must continue to build more affordable housing to address our chronic shortage.

“To deliver our net zero targets for the Capital, sustainable regeneration is so important, and every element of this development has been designed with that in mind. I’m delighted that plans also include a new Pavillion for Craigroyston Community Football Club which will be a real asset to the community.

“The project forms part of the wider £1.3bn regeneration of the Granton area where we’re unlocking brownfield land to build a new sustainable 20-minute neighbourhood. We’re continuing to work hard to ensure Granton is somewhere residents will be proud to live and I look forward to seeing progress continue throughout this year.”

Fraser Lynes, MD of Cruden, added: “Silverlea is a great example of development with sustainability and community at its heart, and we are thrilled to be involved in the delivery of this transformational project.

“The City of Edinburgh Council must be commended in bringing forward these much needed social and mid-market homes amid the capital’s housing emergency, and for specifying them to net zero carbon standards, making them greener, cleaner and more efficient to heat and run.

“During this development, we’re looking forward to providing the new pavilion for Craigroyston Boys Club, carefully re-using the Griffens from the historic Muirhouse Mansion, as well as delivering an important programme of new tree planting and a wildflower meadow to enhance local greenspace.”

The progress is the latest in the Granton Waterfront regeneration with work already well underway on several other projects in the area.

Over 400 net zero homes at Western Villages as well as 75 net zero homes at ‘Granton D1’ are currently under construction.

Drylaw Walking Group: Walk and Talk at Lauriston Farm

EXCITING EVENT ALERT !!!

Join us next Monday for an inspiring Walk & Talk around Lauriston Farm with nature expert Leonie Alexander!

Explore this regenerative community farm—a stunning 100-acre haven in North West Edinburgh, overlooking the beautiful Firth of Forth. Since winter 2021, EAC has been transforming Lauriston into a vibrant space teeming with food production, biodiversity, and community spirit.

Date: Next Monday

Time: 10 AM – 2 PM

Meeting Point: DRYLAW NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRE

Bus to Toby Carvery entrance to Lauriston Farm at 10:30 AM

Walk begins at 10:30 AM

Vegetarian picnic provided!

What to bring:

A rucksack/bag

Good walking shoes

Waterproof jacket

Limited spaces available — book now through info@drylawnc.org.uk !

Taking care of trees at Lauriston Farm

Taking care of the trees! Weeding, mulching and tree tube maintenance help the saplings to thrive.

If you can help on Sunday 4th August 11am-1pm please sign up here:

https://volunteersignup.org/JRXXM

Talk about your daily bread

A few spaces left:

Could you spare an hour on Sat 20th July to chat about bread?!

Some Edinburgh University researchers are currently recruiting for a focus group, and will pay £20 (generic shopping voucher). Please email the address on the poster if you’re interested..

You may know that we’re doing various experiments with grain growing and have been running Granton Garden Bakery since 2019. We’re interested in your views on bread, whatever they are!