Guide to Edinburgh and Heriot- Watt University campus

Transcription

1 28 th - 29 th May 2015 Spanish in contact - new times, new spaces and new speakers 7 th International Conference of Hispanic Linguistics (5 th Biennial Meeting of the International Association for the Study of Spanish in Society [SiS]) ees.com/ Heriot- Watt University, Edinburgh 27 th 29 th May 2015 with the support of COST Action 1306 New Speakers in a Multilingual Europe Guide to Edinburgh and Heriot- Watt University campus Welcome to Edinburgh! Heriot- Watt is approximately 5 miles from Edinburgh city centre. This is a quick guide to Heriot- Watt campus, Edinburgh city and all things in between. 1

2 Transport Bus The most direct link from the city centre to the campus is the number 25 bus run by Lothian Buses. These leave at least every 10 minutes in the day, and also go into the city centre and to Leith. At night, the N25 will take you to and from campus. Lothian buses only accept exact change for bus tickets. The prices are as follows: Single Ticket (one journey): 1.50 Day Ticket (more than one journey): 3.50 You can also buy pre- paid bundles of tickets online (these also provide a discount on the price). Bundles come in packs of 10 day tickets for 35, or there is a visitor s pack of 28 day tickets for 88 (which could be split between a group). Tickets bought online can be collected from Haymarket station. More information: services/buy- online 2

3 To get to the city centre from campus, you can catch the number 25, 34 or 45 buses. Further details on timetables can be found here: Alternatively, to view timetables and routes you can download free apps from community/article/edinburgh- by- bus (Apple and Android) or (Android, Windows, Blackberry and Apple) Taxi A journey to campus costs approximately 40 for a round trip. If you are on campus, main reception in the James Watt Building will telephone for a taxi for you. If you are in the city, you can flag down any of the classic hackney cabs. To pre- book taxis, City Taxis and Central Taxis have an app for Android and Apple, or you can call them direct. Capital Taxis offers a 20% discount for any journey pre- booked on their app, and also provide cars that seat 6-8 people. There are many other companies available. Airport The airport bus (number 100) leaves from outside Waverly train station and will take approximately 40 minutes to get to Edinburgh International Airport. It is bright blue, so is easy to spot! Single fares cost 4.00 and an open return is Taxis will also take you to and from the airport, but pre- booking is advisable to get the best price. You can also take the tram to and from the airport to the city centre. Please note that Heriot- Watt campus is very close to the airport. A taxi from Heriot- Watt to the airport will cost between 10 and 15, depending on traffic. Train The closest station to campus is Curriehill, which is approximately 15 minutes walk away. Trains leave from Haymarket at 30 minutes past the hour, every hour and cost 3.80 for a return ticket. Trains also leave from Waverly every hour. For more information: Curriehill station is in the middle of the countryside, so if you want to get a taxi to campus you will need to book in advance. Alternatively, you can walk the following route: 3

4 The entrance to campus is the first right- hand turn off the main road, next to a small cottage. Follow the campus road until you get to a junction, and you will then see signs to the main buildings on your right. Accommodation Below is a short list of centrally located Edinburgh hotels. Please also see for all available hotels in Edinburgh. We recommend hotels near the West End, Haymarket, Princes Street and Waverly Station. Total price for two nights for one person, subject to change: Mercure Edinburgh City Princes Street Hotel ( 168 without breakfast) Premier Inn Haymarket ( 196) Motel One Edinburgh ( 158 without breakfast, 177 with breakfast) Tune Hotel Haymarket ( 122) Apex City Hotel ( 208) STAY Central Hotel ( 210) Ibis Hotel ( 152) 4

5 The Lairg Hotel ( 150) Grosvenor Gardens Hotel ( 190 with breakfast) Edinburgh Central Guest House ( 110 with breakfast) Travelodge Edinburgh Haymarket Hotel ( 64) Travelodge Edinburgh Central Rose Street Hotel ( 76) Travelodge Edinburgh Central Princes Street Hotel ( 134) easyhotel Edinburgh ( 60) Campus A campus map is provided in your welcome pack, but if you cannot find a building, ask at the main reception in the James Watt Centre. Buses arrive and leave from the area outside the James Watt Centre. Refreshments will be provided throughout the conference, but if you want alternatives, there are several options in the Hugh Nesbitt Building (including a student shop and several coffee options), or there is a cafe/restaurant in the Edinburgh Business School. If you wish to eat outside or get some fresh air (weather permitting), the sunken garden behind the library is an attractive place to go. Wifi can be accessed through your Eduroam credentials. If you experience difficulties contact the IT Helpdesk in the Library. If you do not have access to Eduroam, please notify one of the conference organisers. Campus details are as follows: Heriot- Watt University, Riccarton Campus, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS. Edinburgh A map has been provided in your welcome pack; however for an alternative which shows the main sites and attractions in the city, try: The Guardian also has a very useful interactive map which has recommendations for places to eat, socialise and visit alongside reviews and indications of cost: city- guide The city is divided into different areas, all of which are accessible either on foot or by bus. 5

6 Haymarket This is the area around Haymarket train station. To see: Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art on Belford Road To eat and socialise: There are lots of small restaurants in the Haymarket area (try Morrison Street to start). Chop Chop on Morrison Street may not look like much, but is a city favourite and was recommended by Gordon Ramsay on the F- Word! Alternatively, the Grassmarket is approximately a 10 minute walk east along Morrison Street and West Port, and has a good mix of pubs, restaurants, cafes and bars and a great atmosphere. New Town This area includes Princes Street and the street north of Princes Street To see: Princes Street Gardens (which provide a good view of Edinburgh Castle), the Scott Monument (Princes Street), the National Gallery (Princes Street). Calton Hill is at the far east end of Princes Street and provides great views of the Firth of Forth and the Old and New Town (as long as the weather is good!) Further north you can see traditional Georgian architecture at the Royal Circus. To eat and socialise: Rose Street has a huge array of pubs. George Street contains a mix of bars, pubs and restaurants. Old Town This is the area south of Princes Street, and is the other side of Princes Street Gardens To see: The Royal Mile (stretches from the top of High Street to the bottom of the Canongate). Edinburgh Castle is at the top of High Street and has good views over the city from the esplanade (entry inside the Castle is 16). The Scottish Parliament, Holyrood Palace and a view of Arthur s Seat can be found at the other end of the Royal Mile at the bottom of the Canongate. There is also lots to see in between! To eat and socialise: There are pubs, cafes and restaurants all along the Royal Mile. Deacon Brodie s Tavern will provide you with traditional Scottish food and drink. Alternatively, for a wide range of Scotch whisky, you could try The Whiski Rooms on Bank Street. For non- Scottish fare, Viva Mexico on Cockburn Street is a good Mexican option. Leith 6

7 This area is in the north of the city, on the coast. It takes approximately a 25 minute to walk from the top of Leith Walk in the city centre to Leith. Alternatively, the number 25 goes either from campus or the city centre to the bottom of Leith Walk. To eat and socialise: Leith has experienced a renaissance in the last 20 years and is now a great area in which to eat and socialise. Shore Road has a great selection of pubs and restaurants many of which serve high quality seafood. A good guide to Leith can be found here: edinburgh/areas/leith 7