Children and their families gathered at the Scottish Storytelling Centre at the heart of the Old Town on Thursday to meet a very special Old Town character and hear some of the fantastical tales and stories buried in the area’s history.

The Scottish Storytelling Centre, the City of Edinburgh Council and Edinburgh World Heritage have collaborated on a brand new family walking trail pack, which takes in some of the sights and stories of the Royal Mile.

With the Old Town Adventure pack local families and visitors to the city will have a new opportunity to explore the rich stories, the outstanding architecture and many popular attractions of the Netherbow and Canongate areas.

The pack features an attractive, family-friendly set of story-cards, a helpful trail map and plenty of pointers and activities, plus colourful reward stickers. Families with children aged 7-11 will have a new reason to set off to explore the Edinburgh UNESCO World Heritage site for themselves.

Storyteller and actor Robert Howat started off the fun on Thursday, with tall tales of Old Town characters and the crooked closes and twisty wynds where their stories lurk.

The pack takes in the Storytelling Centre and John Knox House, the City Museums on the Mile, plus easy-to-miss treasures such as Tweeddale Court and the Trinity Apse which houses the Brass Rubbing Centre.

The pack’s creators hope that it will help to bring the history and sights of the area alive, as well as demonstrating the wealth of heritage and story contained in an easily-walkable distance.

David Hicks, Communications Manager for Edinburgh World Heritage said: "I hope that this trail will encourage families to explore the world class heritage on their doorstep, and discover some of the stories behind the buildings.

The historic character of the Old Town with tall tenements and narrow closes has developed over hundreds of years, and represents one of the greatest assets of the city. The idea is that this will be the first in a series of family trails covering the whole of the World Heritage Site."

Frank Little, Museums Manager of City of Edinburgh Council said: "Whether families want to take in the whole trail at one time or come back and do it bit by bit, The Old Town Adventure will really help keep children entertained with things to do and see.

It ties together a lot of very popular family attractions on the Royal Mile, such as the Museum of Childhood or the Museum of Edinburgh, and should make their visit even more enjoyable."