Bookable
An Apollonaut travel guide
A port on the Firth of Forth.
An introduction to Leith, Edinburgh’s port, where the Royal Yacht Britannia is berthed beside Ocean Terminal.
On this page
Read the port
Leith grew up at the mouth of the Water of Leith on the southern shore of the Firth of Forth, and it has long been Edinburgh’s main port. A separate burgh for centuries, it was merged with Edinburgh on 1 November 1920.
A guide can give context without turning a place into a backdrop. Notice how the old docks have been turned to new uses, how the shopping centre wraps around Britannia’s berth and how the water still shapes the district.
The Shore
The Shore, Leith’s old waterfront along the Water of Leith, is now known for its pubs and restaurants.
Begin with a detail and ask who built it, who used it and how it has changed. A photograph alone cannot tell you that.
A royal chapter
Britannia shows one side of Leith: a working port that is now home to a royal yacht and her story.
Look at the meeting of the two: the modern terminal and the dark blue hull alongside it, and the rooms inside that carried the Royal Family around the world.
Make room for context
Pair this reading with Britannia’s history and the Journal. This is an introduction for visitors, not a claim that our team manages these places or represents the people who run them.
Read at the source
Sources & further reading
Links lead to the original publishers.
