About time I visited bonny Scotland! So after a long, but comfy 7 hour train ride, I arrived in Edinburgh and found myself at the wrong Ibis hotel. Oops, rookie mistake. Finally checked in to the correct one and set off for a walk down to the Christmas markets. Usual stuff on offer and all very pretty. I skipped the overpriced sausage.
The following morning, I met my guide for a walking tour and learnt a little about this fabulous city, that became Scotland's capital in 1436. The tour ended up at Greyfriars Kirkyard - so another tick off the list, but I'll write about that one separately. After the walking tour, it was time to head up to the castle. Bonus points, my underused English Heritage membership meant that I could get in free.
Edinburgh Castle, the only place in the world where you can stand on an ancient volcanic rock, stare down at the entire city like a medieval monarch, and still have to dodge tourists wielding selfie sticks like they’re reenacting a battle. Yep, the castle sits on top of an extinct volcano - Castle Rock. There has been a royal castle on the rock since the 11th century, and the castle continued to be a royal residence until 1633. The castle’s been besieged 26 times, which proves that even in the Middle Ages, everyone wanted a good view of the Fringe.
Arriving just in time for the 1pm gun (every day at 1pm, except Sundays, Christmas, and when the gunner oversleeps), I joined the masses to await the firing of the giant cannon to remind the city:
-
What time it is - lunchtime
-
That loud noises are fun
-
That pigeons should never get too comfortable
After that, it was a wander around the place and admiring the views from up above of the city. Some of the highlights included:
-
The Crown Jewels of Scotland – Sparkly, ancient, and heavily guarded. No trying on allowed.
-
The Stone of Destiny – A sacred coronation stone that has seen more royal butts than any chair in the UK.
-
St. Margaret’s Chapel – The oldest building in Edinburgh and the only place in the castle where you can’t buy a fridge magnet.
- The National War Museum - Old war stuff
- The Dungeons and Prisons – Glad to say the Ibis is a better accommodation option.
After all that history, I made my way back down the Royal Mile, which runs from Edinburgh Castle to the Palace of Holyrood house. The Royal Mile measures about 1.81 km - one Scots mile is 1.13 of an English mile. To add to the confusion, the Royal Mile isn’t one straight street but actually a chain of streets with different names (Castlehill, Lawnmarket, High Street, Canongate, Abbey Strand).
Add comment
Comments