Forever Edinburgh: Here are some of the Capital’s most exciting things to try this weekend

Beer gardens and restaurants are expected to be full to capacity on Saturday and Sunday as we approach the first weekend out of level four restrictions for the first time in four months, but for those who don’t already have their bookings sorted there is still plenty to do in Edinburgh over the bank holiday.

The Pitt is set to reopen this weekend for the first time

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The Capital is reopen for business, with dozens of attractions, walks, and businesses to pay a visit to, all which have spent months adapting and making sure that social distancing measures are in place to ensure that all visitors remain Covid safe.

There are loads of fantastic things which Edinburgh has to offer for residents to discover for the first time as they venture out to try something new - or rediscover an old favourite.

Magical afternoon tea suitable for all the family will be served up at The Cauldron

Local businesses have been hit hard by the pandemic, and are in need of support in order to both thrive and survive after a difficult and unprecedented year in lockdown.

We’ve gathered up some of the top picks of things to do this weekend which have opened to welcome back locals and visitors alike for the first time this week.

Foodies across the Capital are rejoicing as one of Edinburgh’s favourite street food destinations is set to reopen for the first time this weekend.

Re-opening on April 30, the Pitt Street Market will welcome back hungry locals to enjoy a range of local vendors including Free The Chilli, Barnacles & Bones, Rost Eats, The Buffalo Truck, Moo Pie Gelato and Barney’s Beer.

The Capital is open and welcoming back locals to discover or rediscover the city, and there is plenty to do this weekend

Tables can be booked in the heated warehouse or out in the courtyard and there are still slots available to book in online.

Contactless ordering and payment will be in place through QR codes on each table and staff will be on hand to offer any help needed.

There will be a small cover charge of £2 per head and slots are available for an hour and a half maximum. Children and dogs are both welcome as well.

The outdoor yard will be open 6pm until 10pm on Friday, 12pm until 10pm on Saturday and 12pm until 7pm on Sunday.

Fore Play Crazy Golf will tee off at Picardy Place this weekend

The warehouse will be open until 8pm on Friday and Saturday and 7pm on Sunday.

A unique over-18s attraction which launched in their new home on Edinburgh’s Picardy Place in October was forced to shut just weeks later due to Covid restrictions, but this weekend Fore Play Crazy Golf are swinging their doors open once more on Friday April 30 and is promising thrill-seekers two floors jam-packed with fun, games and Instagrammable features.

Taking centre-stage the Edinburgh course are a host of famous Auld Reekie landmarks paying tribute to some of the city centre's most popular spots including Greyfriars Bobby statue and the Scott Monument.

Fore Play will also debut their heated, covered outdoor Cocktail Garden serving delicious drinks from partners Pickering’s Gin and Edinburgh Beer Factory, which can seat up to 80 people, and there will be delicious street food available too.

The Edinburgh International Climbing Centre will welcome back families for Clip 'n Climb sessions this weekend

Tee times to play a round can be booked online at the Fore Play website.

Edinburgh Leisure reopened this week and are welcoming locals back through their doors to keep active and well.

Edinburgh International Climbing Centre at Ratho, which is Europe’s biggest climbing arena is inviting families to book in for a thrilling session at Clip ‘n Climb.

Suitable for children aged 8 and over, and adults, Clip ‘n Climb will challenge your senses as well as your stamina with different shapes, vibrant colours and variety of textures.

No two challenges are alike, and each of the climbing elements offer unique and extraordinary experiences – it’s impossible to be bored and for those looking for continuous improvement, each challenge offers different levels of difficulty to push you even harder.

Locals are invited to challenge themselves and their family with 15 climbing elements providing a range of features and levels suitable for children and adults. If you lose your balance, the auto-belay gently lowers you and you can climb again unless it’s the end of your session.

The activity is suitable for beginners and five sessions will run on alternate Saturdays and Sundays each week with sessions bookable eight days in advance on the Edinburgh Leisure app.

One of the Capital’s most magical venues, The Cauldron, located Frederick Street, also announced it was reopening this week - and has launched an interactive ‘Wizard Afternoon Tea’ Experience.

The brand new immersive experience is for both kids and adults alike, and is an interactive and magical experience that also fits with the government guidelines around operations.

Use a working magic wand to brew scintillating teas and interact with an experimental cake stand topped with a pulsing dragon egg. The food offering is a magical twist on traditional Afternoon Tea items with elements of molecular gastronomy — sand-witches, Elven scones wrapped in banana leaves, freeze-dried Skittles, and éclairs oozing with mini pipettes filled with chocolate sauce.

When guests arrive they select their working, illuminated wand (full of magic), and enjoy their Wizard Afternoon Tea Experience at a magic wand-interactive tea tree, which is decked with tasty treats. The magic wand is also used to open a locked puzzle box containing the ingredients needed to brew flavourful teas.

Tickets cost £34.99 for the adults Arcane Wizard’s Tea and £19.99 for the kid-suitable Little Wizard’s Afternoon Tea and can be booked on The Cauldron website.

Council Depute Leader, Councillor Cammy Day said: “It’s fantastic to see lots of businesses, attractions and events across Edinburgh open and welcoming customers again this weekend. There are certainly some hidden gems, like the Pitt Street Market, great ways to be active with the family at the Edinburgh International Climbing Arena or enjoy the outdoors and our beautiful Capital in this round up, with so much more gearing up to re-opening their doors to local customers and visitors over the coming weeks.

“Every cafe, restaurant, bar, shop and attraction has worked hard to welcome customers through their doors, so I hope to see them busy again across the city and in our world-renowned city centre this weekend. We’re doing everything we can to work with and support these businesses to reopen as safely, responsibly, and successfully as possible.

“Through our City’s Forever Edinburgh campaign we hope to inspire people to rediscover all the Capital has to offer, while asking them to share the love and their own stories of fun trips or discoveries – there’s so much to experience around every corner.

“We’re all excited about a sense of normality being returned, and the chance to socialise with friends and family again. Let’s take care to continue sticking to the rules, observe physical distancing and hygiene guidance, to help keep COVID cases low and to make sure we can continue enjoying these freedoms.”

The Evening News is supporting Forever Edinburgh, a joint campaign between the City of Edinburgh Council, Edinburgh Tourism Action Group (ETAG) and VisitScotland. This encourages people to rediscover the city, its stories and places while supporting local businesses, promoting attractions, shops, bars and restaurants as lockdown eases.