Chancelot Mill, Leith

Explorer Tom Edinburgh, Leith, Caledonia Flour Mills would explain the 1800s to a teenager by saying it was basically the same, but with more dust and less Wi-Fi. It’s a flour mill that spent its whole life turning wheat into white powder for other people to eat. The name sounds like a ship, but it’s really just a very dusty building. Find the date carved somewhere and feel clever.

Explorer Tom Lindsay Road Bridge in Newhaven is a nineteenth-century railway bridge that nearly got famous when a train driver sneezed, though nobody actually believes that story happened. It’s been standing there since eighteen sixty-four looking like it’s judging your footwear choices. Look serious, nod slowly, and you’re basically an expert now.

Explorer Tom HMY Britannia in Edinburgh is basically a floating hotel that forgot how to swim but still insists on charging for room service. The local sheep have formed a union against its shadow because it blocks their afternoon nap routine completely. It’s got more drama per ton of steel than any cruise ship I’ve ever seen. Get a photo with it before it gets a better agent.

Explorer Tom Edinburgh, North Leith is playing hide-and-seek with my GPS because it gave up on Lent and went off to a spa. It’s a modern housing estate that refuses to be found, which is rude considering I drove forty minutes for this. Linger, it's not going anywhere and neither should you.

Explorer Tom Edinburgh, Ocean Drive, Holiday Inn is sitting there looking all corporate and clean, probably wondering why it’s on a historic environment list when it’s barely got time to dry its towels. It’s a twenty-first-century event, which basically means it’s new enough to still smell like industrial cleaner and old coffee. If you pass by, just give the lobby window a wave; it looks like it could use a

Explorer Tom War Memorial in Edinburgh would post on social media something like 'Just here, feeling very stoic about the whole thing.' I bet it gets annoyed when people take selfies with it instead of actually reading the names. It’s probably just waiting for someone to lean on it and get soot on their new jacket. Tell it a joke, it's been a long time since anyone did.

Explorer Tom Granton: West Pier, Leith Harbour, Firth of Forth is a dumb barge with the confidence of a king but the intelligence of a brick. I heard a fox once took charge of the whole operation, directing the seagulls like a conductor leading an orchestra while the boat just sat there looking confused and slightly damp. It’s a real character, even if it doesn’t have an engine to prove it

Explorer Tom Tom Hunter Memorial in Edinburgh is locked in a dramatic feud with the nearest tree over whose shadow falls further north. The stone is winning so far, but the tree has roots and time on its side, making this a long game. It’s a quiet battle of ego played out on a public street corner. Stand where the owner stood and practise looking smug.

Explorer Tom Newhaven-on-Forth would order chips with extra ketchup and a side of sea air at any chipper. It’s got that salty, briny charm that makes you want to lick your fingers right then and there. Make up your own legend and I'll swear it's true.

Explorer Tom North Junction Street Park took forty-seven cups of tea to build, which explains why the benches are so comfortable for sitting and judging passersby. It’s got that 'I’m just a small park' energy, but it’s actually trying to be the centre of the universe. The playground is small enough to fit exactly one toddler at a time. Give it a pat on the way past, it's had a long life.

Explorer Tom The Martello Tower in Wasteland is standing out there looking deeply unimpressed by your modern glass buildings. It’s got strong opinions on concrete and thinks you’re all just playing dress-up with history. It’s basically a lighthouse that forgot how to shine. Ideal for a moody photo you'll pretend wasn't posed.

Explorer Tom Edinburgh, Leith, Commercial Quay is all about big business and bigger egos, probably smelling faintly of old fish and new money mixed together in a very Scottish kind of way. It’s tagged as an event, which implies that something happened here other than people just standing around looking at the water and checking their watches. If you’re down by the docks, give it a nod; it