Edinburgh is a city of myth and legend. Scotland’s capital is known worldwide for its beauty and intrigue above and below ground.
Most people know about the underground city of the dead, but there is also another mysterious underground world that you can visit. The suburb of Gilmerton, on the south-east edge of Edinburgh, was itself a mining village before being absorbed into the city.
So discovering an underground tunnel probably won’t come as a huge shock. But in the case of Gilmerton Cove, no one is entirely sure what it was used for.
The existence of this complex array of passageways and rooms has been known since the early 1700s, and many proposals have been discussed for its purpose. One theory is that it was used as a refuge for Covenanters fleeing religious persecution.
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Some believe it was a drinking den for the local clergy, a meeting place for the Hellfire Club, and even a hideout for smugglers. Accessible through an unassuming cottage on Drum Road, research suggests Gilmerton Cove may be even more extensive than previously discovered.
The small room has stone benches, a table, and even a small hand-kept sandstone chapel. The place opened to the public in his 2003 year, and now guided tours transport people to another world beneath the streets of Gilmerton.
One TripAdvisor reviewer called it “an eye-opener.” Another said: ‘I can’t recommend this place enough!! We took a great tour around the Cobh – really interesting and full of history.
“It’s not too difficult to get here from Edinburgh using public transport, and it’s well worth the little effort to get to the outskirts of the city and visit. We strongly encourage people to continue their work.”It’s our job to get the word out.” ”
Gilmerton is a 20-minute drive from the center of Edinburgh, and there are bus services between the two locations. Or, if you prefer a walk, Waverley Station is just 90 minutes away.
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