Six Nations: top Edinburgh rugby pubs

EDINBURGH: not a place where you’ll find yourself short of options for a pint or two, especially when the Six Nations circus pitches up. That said, visiting rugby fans can be more than a little intimidated by the sheer number of watering holes presented to them - so where should they go?

The Beehive

Like many Grassmarket bars, you can put money on the Beehive being host to a carnival atmosphere on matchday; in fact, the whole area comes alive, acting as an unofficial HQ for visiting fans unable to attend the game. While it doesn’t strike as being particularly impressive on the outside - it is overshadowed by, of all things, Edinburgh Castle - the Beehive is a bar steeped in 400 years of history, and the garden to the rear of the building makes an ideal spot to soak up the sunshine/rain/snow come kick-off.

18-20 Grassmarket, EH1 2JU

0131 225 7171

The Three Sisters

A caveat for the real ale supper: don’t bother with The Three Sisters. An unashamedly populist proposition, you won’t find much more behind the bar than the standard selection of weak lagers, but the Three Sisters is a hard option to argue against otherwise. Boasting one of the largest projectors you’ll likely find anywhere (it covers the entire wall of the adjacant hotel), a sprawling beer garden at the front of the building and plenty of televisions in the bar itself, you’ll be hard-pressed to deny it has its conveniences. Moreover, when the beer garden is at its busiest, it’s not so far removed from the ruckus you’d hear outside of Murrayfield.

139 Cowgate, EH1 1JS

0131 622 6801

The Guildford Arms

At the other end of the spectrum, The Guildford Arms is a haven for those who might wish to enjoy the game in relative peace. Tucked away behind a former Burger King outlet on the east side of Princes Street, the Guildford Arms is situated in a rather more discreet location than its Grassmarket counterparts, but it is a hidden gem in every sense. It has a fine selection of real ales to choose from (and malt whiskies too if you’re feeling adventurous), and the whole building has a rather elegant, saloon-style feel about it - not a puggy in sight here.

1 West Register Street, EH2 2AA

0131 556 4312

The Abbotsford

Along the road from the Guildford Arms, The Abbotsford offers a not-too-dissimilar proposition to rugby fans where its array of real ales and malt whiskies is concerned - it is the sister bar of the Guildford, after all - though you may feel a little underwhelmed by its relatively plainer interior. However, the Abbotsford lays claim to some classic Victorian features - the wall panelling and Spanish mahogany, for example - and is as good a place as any on Rose Street to either toast your team’s victory, or, as the case may be, drown your sorrows.

3-5 Rose Street, EH2 2PR

0131 225 5276