We spent a week or so in Scotland last August, including several days in Edinburgh, with the remainder of our time hiking in the highlands. Highly recommend hiking. We utilized a guide to make the most of our time and to get off the beaten path. We were in Edinburgh during the annual Fringe festival and it was very crowded, and not something I would recommend timing a visit around. Edinburgh has some wonderful restaurants and shops and I highly recommend exploring there. We walked everywhere. I'm happy to share details if you are interested.