|
Bookmark ¦
¦
Back ¦
Click Here if you
like this site
|
Scotland |
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and, after the industrial city of Glasgow, its second largest urban area with a population approaching half a million people. A lot has been written about Edinburgh and for many people it is a favourite city for a short-break.
Visit www.edinburgh.org
Famous for it's Military Tattoo, Edinburgh Castle is the must-see on every tourist's travel itinerary of Edinburgh. Set on a volcanic rock overlooking the city, Edinburgh Castle is famed for its views overlooking the North Sea. Come rain or shine, any visit to the Castle is likely to be windy and cool, if not blustery and ice cold. Entrance to the Castle allows you into its grounds and to some buildings. Being battlements, the grounds are quite Spartan and save for the views of the city they afford little of interest other than to those with a glint for military architecture. Of the buildings you can enter, you can see the Scottish Crown Jewels (a tiny collection compared with that offered by the Tower of London) and the culturally as well as historically important Stone of Destiny, also known as the Stone of Scone. This "Stone of Destiny" was the stone on which Scottish Kings were crowned and it is only fitting and right that it has been returned to Scotland (returned in 1996) having been forcibly removed to London in 1296. A potent though plain symbol of Scotland's unique identity.
Try to time your visit so that you are in the Castle at 1pm to witness the firing of the 1pm gun - a daily signal by which the city sets its watches. If you have any ear problems, cover them and stand well back - it's deafening.
See also www.historic-scotland.gov.uk .
The Camera Obscura is a real hoot. Set just outside the entrance to the Castle, it offers a wonderful world of imagery and illusion. A small collection of image related exhibits with lots of hands-on activities for adults and kids alike to play with, laugh at, and enjoy. There are cameras over the city that visitors can direct to snoop on unsuspecting people below, lots of image based trickery that will have you going "corrrr, look at this", and from the roof some really great views over the city. As the name suggests, the building is topped by a camera obscura - as you sit in a darkened room the light refracted from the mirrors above brings "live" images onto the simple white table that acts as a screen below you. The guide gives a short and informative speech about the city's landmarks and then plays games with the obscura by "picking people up" on pieces of white card, or by building cardboard bridges which the busses below appear to cross.
Lots of steps, but kids aged between five and one hundred will love it.
People always speak about two main streets in Edinburgh - Princes Street and the Royal Mile. Princes Street is a large street in the "new" part of the city looked over by the Castle. Virtually all the views from the Castle take Princes Street in its sweep.
The Royal Mile leads down from Edinburgh Castle to the city's other Royal building (hence the name the Royal Mile - a road that links the city's two Royal buildings) of the Palace of Holyroodhouse. The Royal Mile has far more charm than Princes Street and, at the time of the Edinburgh Festival is partially closed making pedestrian access all the more enjoyable. A lively and bustling area (reminiscent in parts of London's Old Covent Garden) this is definitely the street to wander along in Edinburgh if you are pushed for time and can only fit in one of the city's two "great roads".
The Palace of Holyroodhouse is the Queen's official residence in Scotland (and is next door to the home of the new Scottish Parliament). Situated at the end of the Royal Mile, in the shadow of Arthur's Seat, the palace is a beautiful building around which the people of Edinburgh live and play. The palace is open to visitors - http://www.royal.gov.uk/palaces/holyrood.htm or http://www.royalresidences.com/frHHouse.htm .
Whilst lots of tourists see Arthur's Seat (a volcanic outcrop bordering the city) from Edinburgh Castle, very few take the time to wander down the Royal Mile to actually go and see it close up, let alone walk up it to view the city, as it were, "from the other end". That's a great shame, as they miss out on one of Edinburgh's best views and most natural places. A beautiful setting, overshadowing the Royal Palace, the walk up Arthur's Seat is well worth the effort. Some paths are gentle and easy going. Others offer muscle trembling hikes that kids will love and their parents will worry about. The top of Arthur's Seat offers the best views of the entire city (much better than those offered by the Castle) but it also comes with a frightening sheer drop sans any warnings. Take care!
Looking for somewhere to stay in the Scottish Borders and fancy a spot of luxury in a 19th century country mansion set in 28 acres, with a walled garden and simply beautiful views? Do you like good food, a friendly atmosphere, and staff who actually know their guests and speak with a proper Scottish brogue? Then if you're in the area of Peebles (just 20 miles from Edinburgh) you might find that the Cringletie House Hotel has everything to meet your needs. With just 13 rooms (numbered 1 to 14 with no number 13, of course) this is luxury on a private scale the like of which few hotels in the world can actually match. If you want a perfect slice of Scotland, this could be the place for you. To find out more about the hotel, visit their website at http://www.cringletie.com.
For additional information about Scotland visit the Scottish Tourist Board official site at http://www.visitscotland.com.