Edinburgh's dramatic hills and cobbled streets are a big part of its character — and a genuine consideration for anyone navigating the city with a stroller. Managed with a bit of route planning, though, it's a very manageable city with young kids.
Where the Terrain Gets Difficult
The Old Town, including the Royal Mile, is steep, cobbled, and has stretches of stairs (particularly around the closes and wynds branching off the main street) that a stroller simply can't handle. The Royal Mile itself slopes noticeably uphill from Holyrood to the Castle, which is a genuinely tiring push even before factoring in the cobblestones underneath the wheels.
Where It's Actually Easy
The New Town, by contrast, is largely flat and laid out on a grid, with wide Georgian streets that are considerably easier going. Princes Street Gardens offers a flat, green, stroller-friendly route right below the Castle, with playgrounds and open lawn space that make it a natural rest stop between more strenuous Old Town exploring.
A Practical Route Strategy
Many families do well entering the Old Town from the top (near the Castle) and walking downhill toward Holyrood, rather than pushing uphill the whole way — the same route, reversed, turns a demanding climb into a manageable descent. If you're set on exploring the closes and wynds off the Royal Mile, a carrier handles the stairs in a way a stroller never will.
Practical Notes
Scotland's weather is famously changeable regardless of season — layers and a rain cover for the stroller are worth having on hand even on a forecast-clear day. Public transport (buses) covers the flatter parts of the city well, useful as a backup when the hills get to be too much.
For the full destination guide with itineraries, see our complete Edinburgh destination guide.
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