Take the Balmoral Hotel exit from Waverley station, cross over Princes Street and you’ll find yourself in the vicinity of The Guildford Arms; surely one of the very best pubs in the whole of the pub-rich city of Edinburgh.

The outside might not be much to look at just now – the whole building is covered in scaffolding – but inside it’s a haven of ornate Victorian / Edwardian splendour. High ceilings, big windows and huge mirrors give the long, narrow saloon bar area a light, airy feel that compliments and off-sets the classic polished brass, stained glass windows and dark wood of a proper drinking establishment.

Jo and I visited the Guildford Arms a couple of times the weekend before last during a trip up to Edinburgh for a wedding, but the place was busy both times, so I didn’t feel like getting my phone out to take a snap. There are a couple of pics at www.guildfordarms.com though, with plenty to find on Flickr; well worth taking a quick look.

There’s a small restaurant upstairs that serves good quality, reasonably-priced pub food (the grilled haddock was particularly tasty). The ale selection in the downstairs bar is superbly Scottish. When we were there they were offering Fyne Avalanche, Orkney Dark Island, BrewDog The Physics (tasting notes on those three to follow), Stewart Pentland IPA, Harviestoun Bitter & Twisted and three or four other session-strength ales; all from independent Scottish breweries. They also have bottles of Innis & Gunn Oak Aged Ale, if you prefer something stronger.

Highly recommended if you’re staying in Edinburgh city-centre overnight, or even if you just have an hour to kill while you wait for a train.