 The world famous Rosslyn Chapel of Da Vinci Code fame has its own ale, available in the gift shop. It is produced by local brewery Stewarts and makes for a nice souvenir of a visit to the chapel. My first taste was, admittedly, watery but subsequent sips of the beer were nicer. It is not strong tasting at all, so very easy to drink. There are no complex flavours, just a good light, hoppy taste, which is pleasant enough. There are no risky flavours, which you increasingly find with Scottish craft beers. If you just want an unfussy beer and no funky, different tastes this is a good choice. A solid beer. The rear of the bottle label explains the story of the Baron of Rosslyn and hence the name of the ale. It also states that your purchase of this beer will contribute to the conservation of the chapel:  Baron's Ale, produced by Stewart Brewing, sold at Rosslyn Chapel You can have your bottle of ale packaged up in one of the branded Rosslyn Chapel paper bags:  Rosslyn Chapel gift shop bag Stewart Brewing is located just a couple of miles away from the chapel. They have been in business since 2004 and produce a large range of beers, many of which you will find in Edinburgh pubs. 
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The world-famous Rosslyn Chapel, as featured in The Di Vinci Code, is only 7 miles south of Edinburgh. If you are cycling the Edinburgh to Penicuik path you can make a visit to the chapel. There is also an Edinburgh City Council QuietRoutes cycle route. The chapel has one of the most beautiful interiors I have ever seen. Every inch of stone is carved intricately with angels, knights and biblical scenes.
Sir William wanted his chapel to spread God's word and at a time when few people could read this was best achieved by visual messages in the form of stone carvings all over the interior of the chapel.
An army of craftsmen were required to bring this vision to life and the village of Roslin grew to house them. Stonemasons, quarriers, blacksmiths and carpenters were all involved. 
The ceiling of Rosslyn Chapel from rosslynchapel.com
Photography is not permitted inside the chapel in order not to disturb other visitors' enjoyment. This is a good thing as it forces people into a slower pace and to take a greater interest in the carvings instead of rushing around to shoot pictures.
There is an excellent free leaflet that shows you the locations of the most notable carvings in the building. It has a map, photos and a short explanation about what the carvings mean. 
The free Rosslyn Chapel visitor leaflet
The best way to learn about the chapel is by listening to one of the regular talks. You can take a seat on a pew and hear all about the incredible history of this building, including its restoration, and the guide uses a laser pen to point out specific carvings.
One of the most extravagant carvings is the Apprentice Pillar. It is said to have been made by an apprentice mason who saw the design in a dream. His master was extremely jealous and murdered the apprentice. Do take a closer look at this, it is magnificent. There are eight dragons at the base of the pillar who have vines sprouting from their mouths. You might just meet William, the chapel cat. He likes to take a nap on the pews and I sat right next to him, stroking his silky fur whilst he was oblivious to all of the tourists around him. A children's book about the cat, written by the Countess of Rosslyn, can be bought in the shop. 
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown is one of the most popular books of all time and it had a huge impact on Rosslyn Chapel. It featured in the book and the film version brought Holywood to the chapel for a few days. The result was a huge influx of visitors with much needed income that enabled the restoration of the building to be completed.
The modern visitor centre has a shop, interactive exhibitions and a cafe specialising in local produce. During my visit I enjoyed a fruit scone with jam and lashings of clotted cream. 
Fruit scone at Rosslyn Chapel cafe
When the weather is good the cafe's outdoor terrace is a choice spot for views over Roslin Glen. The chapel overlooks this area of forest, river and walking trails.
Autumn view of Roslin Glen from Rosslyn Chapel
Although the carvings inside the chapel are the highlight of a visit the outside of the building is also impressively adorned with fine stonework.
Adjacent to the chapel entrance you will notice a distinctive yellow building with '1660' scrawled above the entrance. This had been Rosslyn Inn and can now be rented as self-catering accommodation. It had an impressive rostrum of guests, including Robert Burns, William Wordsworth and King Edward VII.
The Old Rosslyn Inn building located next to Rosslyn Chapel
There is something tranquil and spiritual about Rosslyn Chapel. Even if you have no interest in religion or The Da Vinci Code it is difficult not to be impressed by the stonework. It can be a busy place, but, somehow, this does not distract from enjoying the special feeling you get when walking around the building. Some touristy places can be disappointing because they are too touristy, but Rosslyn Chapel is not one of those places.
How to get there Read my blog about the Edinburgh to Penicuik cycle path Edinburgh City Council QuietRoutes
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