Edinburgh's Old Town at twilight

STANDING on the battlements of Edinburgh Castle, the view across the city and over the Firth of Forth to Fife is magnificent, whatever the weather.

We were lucky on our day trip to the Scottish capital earlier this week; we had sunshine most of the day with a shower in the late afternoon. But even in summer, the wind can play a blinder. Top tip: bring a cagoule rather than a brolly.

It might seem a bit ambitious to do Edinburgh in a day', but GNER can whisk you there in just over two and a half hours, so it's perfectly possible to have breakfast in York, lunch in Edinburgh and be back home in time for supper.

And with plenty to cram into your day out, you'll definitely have worked up an appetite.

The tourism organisation, Visit Scotland, lists almost 70 attractions for Edinburgh and the Lothians, with everything from brass rubbing and whisky tasting, to stately homes, palaces and castles to visit.

Some of the city's finest draws lie a wee bit from the city centre: the zoo at Corstorphine in the west; the Royal Yacht Britannia at Leith in the north; Concorde at the Museum of Flight, down the coast in East Lothian.

And while it would be possible to see those on a day trip, it would probably be to the exclusion of anything else.

Our mission for the day was to go on foot and see as much as possible. York trains terminate at Waverley Station, nestled conveniently at the base of the Old Town, Edinburgh's historic heart.

A five-minute walk will lead you up to the Royal Mile, the city's most famous street, with Edinburgh Castle sitting austerely at the top and the grand Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Queen's official residence in Scotland, at the bottom.

The Royal Mile is also home to some of Edinburgh's most popular places of interest, including Our Dynamic Earth, the Camera Obscura, the Museum of Childhood and St Giles Cathedral, so it is easy to spend your entire day here. The newest kid on the block is the Scottish Parliament, which has its own visitor centre.

My companion for the day was my four-year-old daughter, Eva, so I decided to focus on seeing how much fun we could have together without suffering fusty fatigue' from an overdose of historic buildings and monuments.

We got off to a great start at the National Library Of Scotland which is hosting a Miffy exhibition, to celebrate the 50th birthday of the best-loved rabbit in the world.

Since the colourful world of Miffy, so vividly brought to life by Dutch artist Dick Bruna, appeals to adults and kids, this is a treat for all the family.

Youngsters can attend Miffy's birthday party, take part in a Miffy and friends puppet show, dress up as Miffy and even draw her a birthday card. There is hands-on fun for all, and to top it all, entry is free.

Next, we visited Café Florentin, in St Giles Street, a couple of minutes walk across the other side off the Royal Mile, a stone's throw from the High Court and the cathedral. This is one of the loveliest cafes in Edinburgh, with fantastic coffee, cakes and pastries.

Fuelled up, we made a short hike up towards the castle. Eva loved climbing over the guns, which still poke out threateningly from the castle walls, while I enjoyed trying to spot the area's other landmarks.

It's a steep climb up to Crown Square, where visitors can see Scotland's honours' including the nation's ancient crown, sceptre and sword, as well as the Stone of Destiny, on which Scottish monarchs sat during their coronation.

For sheer fun, no family visit should miss out the Camera Obscura, at Castlehill, at the foot of the castle esplanade.

Spread over four floors, this is a veritable world of illusions. From magic mirrors to horror holograms, big lenses and shadow walls, there is fun for all.

The main attraction is the Camera Obscura itself, which has been amazing Edinburgh audiences for 150 years. In a 15-minute live show, visitors enter a dark room where, with the use of a special periscope', mirrors and lenses, live pictures of Edinburgh are cast on to a white-topped table in the centre of the room.

Eva was almost spellbound when she was given a white piece of card and was able to lift' some of the people walking across the castle esplanade up into the air. Trust me, you have to see it to believe it.

For lunch, the Royal Mile is crammed with cafés and restaurants, but sometimes it is worth taking a detour down a side street to find the best value, and escape the crowds.

Victoria Street, directly below the castle's southern side, has several good quality eateries offering lunchtime deals. We went to the well-regarded Indian restaurant Khushi's (www.khushis.com) and had a delicious thali platter featuring two small dishes of curry, riata, rice, poppadoms and salad for £6.95 a piece.

Next stop was the Museum Of Childhood, about half way down the Royal Mile, which is host to three floors of old toys, featuring everything from dolls houses and old prams to teddies through the ages and board games of yesteryear.

There are hands-on activities here too, and with free admission, it is another good place for families.

By late afternoon, we were wilting from our Edinburgh adventure. But having only touched what the city has to offer, we left knowing we'd be back for more.

Fact file...

Happy Birthday Miffy, National Library Of Scotland, George IV Bridge.

Open: Mon to Sat, 10am-5pm; Sun 2pm-5pm; admission free. Until June 3, 2007.

For more information: www.nls.uk Edinburgh Castle Open: from April to September, daily, 9.30am-6pm (or 5pm, October-March) Admission: Adult £11, child £5.50, concessions £9, under-fives free Camera Obscura, Castlehill, Royal Mile.

Open: Daily from 9.30am-6pm (or to 7.30pm in July and August) Admission: Adult £7.50, child £5, concessions £6, under-fives free For more information: www.camera-obscura.co.uk Museum Of Childhood, 42 High Street, Royal Mile Open: Mon to Sat 10am-5pm, Sun in July and August from noon to 5pm Admission: free

GNER runs 36 services every weekday, slightly fewer at weekends, between York and Edinburgh. The journey time is two-and-a-half hours and prices start from £20.50 standard return and £49 first-class return, only on www.gner.co.uk For general inquiries, phone 08457 225225

9:52am Saturday 12th May 2007

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