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South Queensferry Forth Bridge

South Queensferry – A perfect half day trip from Edinburgh

Posted on July 13, 2017July 23, 2022 by Fiona Mai

If you’re looking for a peaceful half day trip from Edinburgh, South Queensferry is the place to be!

Trains from Edinburgh Waverly to Dalmeny (the main train station in South Queensferry) run every half an hour and take only 20 minutes to arrive, making South Queensferry an ideal destination to temporarily get away from the bustling capital of Scotland.

Still not sure whether South Queensferry is worth a half day trip from Edinburgh (well it can be a day trip as well)? Check out some of my favourite things to do in South Queensferry below.

Jubilee Clock Tower South Queensferry Half Day Trip from Edinburgh
South Queensferry Half Day Trip from Edinburgh

Things to do in South Queensferry | Half day trip from Edinburgh

Explore South Queensferry’s High Street  

This is my top thing to do in South Queensferry. High Street runs along the coastline and features highly-rated restaurants, pleasant coffee shops, cool souvenir shops as well as other attractions such as the Queensferry Museum and the Jubilee Clock Tower. You can also just walk along High Street and take photos of those colorful houses.

South Queensferry Half day trip from Edinburgh
South Queensferry Old Town
South Queensferry half day trip from Edinburgh
South Queensferry High Street
High Street South Queensferry things to do
High Street South Queensferry
Jubilee Clock Tower South Queensferry Half Day Trip from Edinburgh
Jubilee Clock Tower South Queensferry

Enjoy an amazing view of Forth Bridge from Ferry Glen

The Forth Bridges, including Forth Bridge (UNESCO World Heritage Site), Queensferry Crossing, and Forth Road Bridge are considered not only distinctive landmarks of South Queensferry but also as modern symbols of Scotland.

The construction of the Forth Bridge dated back to the 1880s and lasted for 8 years. Nowadays, it is estimated that an average of 200 trains pass by Forth Bridge daily.

Best place to see The Forth Bridges

You can view Forth Bridge and Forth Road Bridge from a number of locations, such as from the Hawes Pier, from High Street, or even from one of the hills further away from the coast.

A perfect location to view Forth Bridge and Forth Road Bridge is Ferry Glen, which is a large woodland situated between High Street and Dalmeny train station.

There is a tucked-away viewing point at Ferry Glen, from which the whole view of Forth Bridge, Forth Road Bridge, the Firth of Forth, and the old town of South Queensferry will surely satisfy your eyes. You need to climb up one of the stairs at Ferry Glen and then walk down a narrow lane to access this viewing point.

South Queensferry things to do Forth Bridge
South Queensferry Forth Bridge
Forth Road Bridge South Queensferry
View of Forth Road Bridge South Queensferry from Ferry Glen

Take a leisurely stroll around Hawes Pier in South Queensferry

Hawes Pier South Queensferry half day trip from Edinburgh
South Queensferry

Taking a stroll around Hawes Pier allows you to fully enjoy the peaceful scenery of this area. There are also some day cruises available for those who are keen on heading out to the sea for a closer view of the beautiful Forth Bridges.

Discover beautiful gardens in South Queensferry

This is truly one of my favourite things to do in South Queensferry!

Walking around South Queensferry is itself a quite pleasing sightseeing experience, especially when there are many Victorian houses with beautiful gardens for visitors like me to admire.

South Queensferry half day trip from Edinburgh
Lovely garden houses in South Queensferry
South Queensferry half day trip from Edinburgh
Beautiful houses with gardens around South Queensferry

Sum up: My half day trip from Edinburgh to South Queensferry

So, my half day trip from Edinburgh to South Queensferry (approx. 4 hours) was a tranquil and pleasing experience! If you have more time to spare, there are certainly other interesting things to do in South Queensferry as well. Consider for example taking a fun Forth Boat Tour, visiting the magnificent Hopetoun House, or seeing the stunning Inchcolm Abbey.

For a half day trip from Edinburgh, South Queensferry does not really stand out compared to some other options. However, if you want to escape the hustles and bustles of Edinburgh for a short while, South Queensferry should definitely be one of the destinations on your list!

South Queensferry half day trip from Edinburgh

South Queensferry half day trip from Edinburgh

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South Queensferry Half Day Trip from Edinburgh
South Queensferry Half Day Trip from Edinburgh

Check out my other blog posts about Scotland:

6 Reasons I don’t like Edinburgh

16 Breathtaking Photos of my Scottish Highland Tour from Inverness

  • edinburgh
  • scotland
  • south queens
  • 36 thoughts on “South Queensferry – A perfect half day trip from Edinburgh”

    1. Eniko says:
      July 15, 2017 at 7:51 am

      Perfect article as I’m heading to Scotland in 2 weeks! 🙂

      Reply
    2. Melissa says:
      July 15, 2017 at 7:58 am

      Wow! Looks like a very pretty area! I haven’t been there when I went to Scotland – and it’s a shame! I love how colorful it looks!

      Reply
    3. Lisa says:
      July 15, 2017 at 8:35 am

      This look like an great trip to take.

      Reply
    4. Julie says:
      July 15, 2017 at 8:46 am

      What a pretty looking town. I like that you have been able to capture the beauty of a place that may not be all that exciting. That’s a difficult thing to do and you’ve done it well.

      Reply
    5. Tanya Korteling says:
      July 15, 2017 at 4:23 pm

      This sounds lovely, I’ve not been to that part of Scotland before. May have to give it a look when we’re back in the UK.

      Reply
    6. Travelling Dany says:
      July 15, 2017 at 7:18 pm

      Thank you for the tips for the perfect location to take awesome photos of Forth Bridge! I’ve saved them for later use!!!

      Reply
    7. Becky says:
      July 15, 2017 at 8:30 pm

      I think I could easily spend a full day wandering around and taking photos…. as long as it’s not raining ha ha!!

      Reply
    8. Kathi says:
      July 15, 2017 at 10:42 pm

      South Queensferry is so cute! I stopped here with my mum on the way from St Andrews – we spent the night here before I had to drop her off at the airport. I loved the view onto the railway bridge, but also all the sweet houses along the high street. You picked a great place to visit 🙂

      Reply
    9. Nicola says:
      July 16, 2017 at 4:23 pm

      The place looks very nice. I love bridges and the little houses look lovely. I can imagine wandering around there…

      Reply
    10. Marisa Market says:
      July 16, 2017 at 4:58 pm

      This place is darling! Wish I had thought to go from Edinburgh when I was there!
      http://www.thefashionablephysician.com

      Reply
    11. Candiss says:
      July 16, 2017 at 10:28 pm

      South Queensferry looks like a great day trip! I will have to add it to my list for when I eventually make it over that way!

      Reply
    12. Chiera says:
      August 4, 2017 at 2:52 pm

      South Queensferry is such a pretty little place. I’ve only been a handfull of times but it’s always a good day. Your pictures are lovely 🙂

      Reply
    13. Janine beynon says:
      August 12, 2017 at 10:05 am

      This looks like a lovely place! I love bridges so especially in awe of Forth Bridge. Definitely want to visit more of Scotland.

      Reply
    14. Caroline says:
      August 12, 2017 at 12:03 pm

      Wow, what an unusual day trip! I know the area but didn’t think many tourists would do this. It’s great you wanted to see a real little town. Glad you liked it.

      Reply
    15. Jacky says:
      August 13, 2017 at 12:00 pm

      That looks like a lovely day trip 🙂 I think it’s always nice to get out of the big city and explore a little further. This seems like a good place to start!

      Reply
    16. Miranda Menelaws says:
      August 14, 2017 at 5:46 am

      Ah, so quaint! I love it, what a unique little day trip 🙂

      Reply
    17. Punita Malhotra says:
      August 14, 2017 at 11:17 am

      I haven’t done much research on Scotland yet, so this post is definitely food for thought. South Queensferry looks like a relaxed town.

      Reply
    18. julz says:
      August 15, 2017 at 7:21 am

      South Queensferry just looks so pretty 🙂 I lived in England for years and never made it to Scotland, I really regret it! I’d love to go –

      Reply
    19. Ania Travels says:
      August 15, 2017 at 12:46 pm

      I would love to do this trip sometimes, even if it’s a half day, looks like you cramed a lot in and those houses/your stroll look beautiful.

      Reply
    20. Vanessa >> Wanders Miles says:
      August 16, 2017 at 10:38 am

      I lived in Edinburgh many years ago and visited South Queensferry, such a lovely place. Definitely recommended if you are visiting Edinburgh!

      Reply
    21. Miranda says:
      August 18, 2017 at 3:26 am

      What a fun day! I absolutely loved the view of the bridge from Ferry Glen!

      Reply
    22. My Travelogue by Bhushavali says:
      August 18, 2017 at 9:33 pm

      I’ve been to Edinburgh on a weekend trip, so didn’t have time to explore the outskirts of Edinburgh! This place looks stunning! The old town has a typical old world charm and high street is so colorful! I didn’t know of Fourth Bridge, indeed an impressive construction.

      Reply
    23. Ami Bhat says:
      August 19, 2017 at 1:55 am

      This is like a fairy town. I love the colors of it and your pics bring out a nice serene feeling that this town seems to have. Well done with those. Thanks for sharing these with us.

      Reply
    24. Adrenaline Romance says:
      August 20, 2017 at 9:42 am

      This is why we love Europe. Towns like Queensferry are very well preserved—cobblestone streets, brick houses, old buildings—-all against a backdrop of nature. This is a perfect example of a walkable/bikeable place.

      Reply
    25. James says:
      August 20, 2017 at 10:38 am

      I’m visiting Edinburgh next month and didn’t know about South Queensbury and the Forth Bridge. As the Forth Bridge is a UNESCO site I’ll definitely take the train up here and take a picture of it from the viewpoint you recommended.

      Reply
    26. neha says:
      August 20, 2017 at 5:11 pm

      I have got to agree the views are absolutely stunning. Particularly the bridge. I had not heard of queensferry before. But owing to your post, now it is in my bucket list of places to visit in and around Edinburgh when I happen to visit there.

      Reply
    27. Jean says:
      August 21, 2017 at 9:08 am

      Those houses are utterly adorable! I so wish I lived here. It looks like an amazing spot to visit even if it’s just for half a day. Was the food here worth the train ride?

      Reply
    28. Abigail Sinsona says:
      August 21, 2017 at 1:07 pm

      I love exploring destinations like this; when you get to see a glimpse of how the locals live. Those houses are beautiful and so are the gardens. I could spend all day just wandering the streets and taking photos! You did a good job with capturing the essence of this small village with your photos.

      Reply
    29. Marcie says:
      August 21, 2017 at 3:48 pm

      Those gardens looks so quaint! I’ve been watching a lot of TV from the UK and I’m obsessed with places like South Queensferry! Ack! This is making me want to look at airfare now!

      Reply
    30. Swayam Tiwari says:
      August 22, 2017 at 3:04 pm

      What lovely houses! Seems that they have been painted on boards by the road. England is indeed a beautiful place.

      Reply
    31. Rhiannon says:
      August 22, 2017 at 10:25 pm

      The views of South Queensferry remind me of an old kids Tv show that used to be aired over here called Balamory! All of the colourful houses and the sea and docks look just like the show! It’s based on an island in Scotland actually, so maybe the inspiration isn’t far from here!
      I really do want to visit Scotland so badly!! I’ve lived in Wales for my whole life (almost a quarter of a century!!!!) and haven’t been yet. When I do I’ll definitely add South Queensferry to my list of places to see!

      Reply
    32. Abhinav Singh says:
      August 23, 2017 at 9:52 pm

      Very well written. However instead of a half day or even a day trip I would love to spend at least 2 days here. There is so much to do here. Especially walk along the Hawes Pier in South Queensferry sounds the most appealing to me. I feel walking is the most immerse mode of travel.

      Reply
    33. Kim says:
      August 24, 2017 at 6:49 pm

      South Queensferry seems like such a charming coastal city. Those bridges alone are worth the visit! I’ve never seen any like them in the States. Thanks for the tip on where to get the best view!

      Reply
    34. Mimi & Mitch says:
      August 29, 2017 at 4:11 am

      Love the gardens! Edinburg is on our list, but really have no idea when we would go! Hopefully next year in our world trip!

      Reply
    35. Martynosia says:
      July 7, 2021 at 6:43 pm

      What you have in a photo called Hawes Pier is not Hawes PIer. Hawes Pier is on the east side of Queensferry, almost under the rail bridge. Your photo shows just South Queensferry harbour, and trips do not go from here.

      Reply
      1. Fiona Mai says:
        July 29, 2021 at 10:24 am

        Thank you for pointing this out. I’ve changed the caption as per your suggestion.

        Reply

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    Welcome to Fiona's blog!

    A 20-ish Vietnamese travel blogger who has been to 21 countries so far, Fiona was lucky enough to call herself a past resident of Helsinki, Berlin, Brisbane, Hanoi, and Kingston upon Hull. Even more fortunate right now to be back to where she comes from: Saigon, Vietnam. Read more about her journeys here.

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