One O’Clock Gun
ENTRY
from £14
SETTING
Outdoors
WHERE
Edinburgh
What it’s like
Crown Jewels, the Great Hall and a daily cannon blast at 1pm, all up a very steep hill in the middle of Edinburgh.
You're climbing to a castle on a volcanic rock, so wear proper shoes and don't bother with the buggy if you can help it, though the site does say it's wheelchair accessible. Once you're up there, the big draws are the Scottish Crown Jewels, the Great Hall, the Royal Apartments and the Castle Vaults, and if you time it right you'll catch the One O'Clock Gun going off, which is fired every day except Sundays, Good Friday and Christmas Day. That gun is the bit kids remember, so build your visit around 1pm if you can.
Tickets aren't cheap. A family of two adults and two kids is £67.50 booked online, £74.50 if you just turn up, and the gap between those two prices is the site nudging you pretty hard to book ahead. Kids aged 7 to 15 are £14 online, and under-16s need to be with an adult. Summer's the trickiest time to get in on spec, as tickets often sell out well ahead and once they're gone online there's nothing left at the gate.
Give it at least two hours, more if you want to do the Vaults properly or hire an audio guide (£4, with a print version and dyslexia-friendly large print if you need one). There's no parking at the castle itself, the nearest is Castle Terrace NCP, and if you're coming by public transport the tram or the Airlink 100 from the airport will get you close. Bike racks are only there from November to April, since the Tattoo stands take over the space the rest of the year.
Opening hours shift with the seasons, running 9:30am to 6pm in summer and dropping to 5pm or earlier from October through winter, with a few one-off changes around September and Christmas closures on the 25th and 26th. Buy from the castle's own tickets, not a lookalike site, since fake ticket sellers are a real problem here.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- School-age kids who'll get a kick out of the 1pm gun and the Vaults
- Last entry
- Varies by season: 5pm (Apr-Sept), 4pm (Oct-23 Dec, 27 Dec-31 Mar, 2 Jan-31 Mar), 3pm (24 Dec), 4pm (1 Jan)
- Booking
- Book online in advance for best price
- Parking
- No public parking at castle. Nearest is Castle Terrace NCP car park
- How long to allow
- At least 2 hours
- Getting there by bus or train
- Airlink 100 express bus from airport (25 minutes to Waverley Bridge)
- Worth knowing
- Carers accompanying visitors with disabilities get free entry
- Watch out for lookalike websites selling fake tickets, buy from the castle's own booking route
- Summer tickets go early, don't leave it to the week before
- Bike racks vanish May to October for the Tattoo stands
- Accessible parking on the esplanade is also squeezed May to October for the same reason
- Opening hours shift around September and over Christmas, so times aren't the same all year
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
£23.50 for an adult booked online, £14 for a child aged 7 to 15. A family of two adults and two kids comes to £67.50 online, more if you buy on the day.
Do we need to book ahead?
Booking online gets you the better price and the ticket you actually want, since walk-up costs more and can sell out completely, especially in summer.
How long should we set aside?
At least two hours to cover the main attractions properly.
What time does the One O'Clock Gun go off?
1pm daily, except Sundays, Good Friday and Christmas Day.
Is there parking?
No public parking at the castle. Castle Terrace NCP is the nearest option, and there's a small number of accessible spaces on the esplanade if you book ahead.
Can under-16s visit without an adult?
Children under 16 need to be with an adult.
What's a Flexi Ticket?
It lets you visit any day within a 7-day window from your chosen date, so you're not locked to a single timeslot.
Can we hire an audio guide?
£4 for the physical device from the audio booth, or buy the downloadable version when you book online.
Can we bring bikes?
Only from November to April, since the racks get taken over by Tattoo stands the rest of the year.
What if the weather's bad?
The castle can close for adverse weather or other reasons outside their control, so it's not guaranteed to run to plan.
Is the castle accessible for wheelchairs?
The site lists it as wheelchair accessible, with limited accessible parking on the esplanade that's best booked in advance.
Are there any discounts?
Young Scot card holders pay £1, Historic Scotland members get in free, and carers of visitors with disabilities also get free entry.
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