Living in Polwarth, Edinburgh
Room to rent from private landlords Living in Polwarth, Edinburgh - no agency fees - Edinburgh
Quiet residential on the Union Canal, near the centre: tenements and greenery by the water.
Polwarth is a quiet residential neighbourhood in the centre-west of Edinburgh, crossed by the Union Canal and looking out over its park, between Merchiston, Shandon and Fountainbridge. Streets of stone Victorian tenements, the towpath along the canal and a quiet local scale make it a convenient, liveable area, near the centre but out of the chaos.
Who lives here
Families, young professionals and students live here, drawn by the convenient position and the quiet of the neighbourhood, in the area's Victorian tenements. It's a mixed, residential population, attached to the snug scale of the neighbourhood and the closeness of the canal and the centre.
What it's like during the day
By day Polwarth has the rhythm of a quiet residential neighbourhood: the streets of stone tenements, the towpath along the Union Canal, Harrison Park, the daily coming and going. It's quiet and convenient, with greenery along the water and the centre a short distance away.
What it's like in the evening
In the evening it's quiet and residential, with a few local pubs and venues along the canal, and the nightlife of nearby Bruntsfield, Tollcross and the centre a short distance away. It's not a nightlife area: it's more a neighbourhood for a quiet evening, with the centre's bars within reach.
Getting around
The area relies on Lothian Buses, with frequent lines towards the centre, and on the bike along the canal, which leads straight towards Fountainbridge and the centre. There's no tram here, but the centre is a short distance away and the centre-west position keeps everything within easy reach by public transport and on foot.
Eating and shopping
The internal offering is that of a residential neighbourhood: everyday shops, a few cafés and pubs along the canal, with the variety of nearby Bruntsfield and the centre within reach. For shopping there are supermarkets nearby. It's a convenient area where the essentials are on your doorstep and the centre is close.
When NOT to pick it
If you want nightlife and a lively neighbourhood, Polwarth is too quiet: it's residential and snug, made for calm near the centre. It makes sense for those after a convenient, quiet, well-positioned area on the canal, near the centre; less so for those who want energy and bars on their doorstep.