Heriot Watt University campus is conveniently located 6 miles west of Edinburgh City Centre. The campus is a 10-minute drive from Edinburgh International Airport and easily accessible from Scotland’s Motorway network. The University is centrally located in Scotland just a 1-hour drive from Glasgow, Stirling and Perth. The campus has excellent public transport links into the city centre 7 days a week, via the Lothian Bus service which runs approximately every 5 minutes throughout the day.
You can find comprehensive location and travel information to plan your journey.
Parking on Campus
The campus offers free on-site parking spaces.
Campus Guide
Our Edinburgh campus has a wealth of things to discover and explore and is renowned for its open and spacious environment, rich in nature, wildlife and art. To showcase some of the many highlights and hidden treasures the University have put together campus guide and campus trails.
Maps and Travel
Maps and directions Edinburgh Campus | Heriot-Watt (hw.ac.uk)
About Edinburgh
Edinburgh is a simply stunning city, set in the shadow of the majestic Pentland Hills and with the sparkling Firth of Forth lapping its Eastern shore. Perhaps its best-known feature is Arthurs Seat which rises in the middle of the city and provides a striking backdrop for the rambling medieval lanes, nooks and crannies of the old town. The elegant architecture of the new town provides a pleasing contrast highlighting the sense of history and evolution over time that characterises Scotland’s capital. Edinburgh is a dynamic, lively and exciting place which boasts thriving nightlife in its many and varied bars, restaurants and clubs and which attracts a whole panopoly of international festivals on throughout the year. Edinburgh is a wonderful place to spend a day, a week or a lifetime!
Edinburgh plays host to a huge range of festivals but the most famous, and deservedly so, is undoubtedly the Fringe Festival which lights up the city every summer. If you’re lucky enough to visit Edinburgh during its three-week run you can expect to see weird and wild street acts; delicate or daring dance performances; moving and magical theatre and side-splitting comedy at every turn. Whatever your tastes, the enchanting, eccentric and always exciting Fringe festival will have something to delight you.
The Fringe lasts only a month though and outside this time Edinburgh certainly does not go sleep. It boasts an enviable array of galleries which showcase some of the worlds finest artworks in equally beautiful surroundings.
As well as being inspired by the art in its galleries, Edinburgh’s museums will transport you back to your childhood or take you on a voyage of discovery to explore the Earths geological history, the cultures of the ancient world or Edinburgh’s gruesome past. The perfect blend of fun and culture for a day out and about.
Theatre is still very much alive and well in Edinburgh too, and it is graced with a number of venues which provide a wide range of entertainment for all the family. From the big-name and bright lights of The Playhouse to the low-key community charm of The Churchill, there is a venue and show to suit all ages and tastes every day of the year.
Visitor Attractions
Edinburgh is a fabulous tourist destination with something to see and do at all times of day and in any weather. The castle dominates the Edinburgh skyline and provides a fun and educational day out for children and adults alike. Just down from the castle on The High Street is the amazing Camera Obscura where kids can hold people walking on Princes Street in the palm of their hand (not literally of course!). If you havent had enough of the past after a visit to the castle, or if your kids want the more horrible side of history, the Edinburgh dungeons will send plenty of shivers down your spine!
If the older heritage of Edinburgh isn’t your cup of tea there’s still lots to enjoy. A day-trip to the zoo is always a treat, with kids from one to one hundred enchanted by the antics of its animal residents- watch out for the penguin parade! Edinburgh also deserves its reputation as a green city; wherever you are there will be a park within striking distance where you can enjoy a picnic in the sunshine. Gorgie farm provides a little bit of the countryside in the city and The Royal Yacht Britannia makes an excursion down to the shore in Leith well worthwhile.