This walking tour takes you on a journey through Robert Louis Stevenson’s university years, when he readied himself for a career as a writer instead of following in his father’s footsteps and becoming a lighthouse engineer.

We’ll explore Edinburgh’s Gothic Old Town, which has a dark side that inspired some of Stevenson’s best loved writing. We’ll end the tour at Canongate Kirk where Scotland’s three great Roberts – Burns, Fergusson and Stevenson – became forever connected.

Your narrator is John Shedden, one of Scotland’s legends of the stage and screen who also helped with the design of the tour. The multi-talented Vincent Guy is the voice of Stevenson reading snippets from his writing.

Stevenson eventually left Edinburgh, never to return. But he was forever inspired by his memories of home.

On this tour, you can look forward to hearing about:

• Stevenson’s brief career as an advocate
• The inspirations for Dr Jeykll and Mr Hyde
• Stevenson’s views on Edinburgh and its weather
• The inspirations for The Deacon Brodie and Body Snatcher
• The inspiration for Long John Silver from Treasure Island
• Stevenson’s connection to Rabbie Burns and Robert Fergusson

This tour is part of a series of walks around Edinburgh dedicated to the life of the celebrated author. You can find the others by search under Edinburgh or by selecting my author profile and seeing all my tours there.