Edinburgh

13 to 17 July 2024

Anthony with Arthur’s Seat in the background.

Saturday Morning (13 July) Anthony walked over to Holyrood Park for the Holyrood Park Run. Holyrood Park is 650 acres and contains Arthur’s Seat. one of Edinburgh’s most famous landmarks. The first mile is a heartbreaking 290 ft climb along the road that circumnavigates the park. Once you are at the top the views are worth the work.

St Anthony’s Castle with Arthur’s Seat in the background.

Saturday was a bit wet and rainy, so Julie and Anthony stayed at the Air B&B and worked on the Blog. Our hosts, David and Andre had two adorable beagles who kept us company.

Sunday saw Julie and Anthony back at Holyrood park, this time to conquer Arthur’s Peak. Julie was totally intimidated, but she made it!!

On the way down from the summit, we heard a piper from across the valley. Anthony attempted to get a photo.

The bag piper, the small dot behind the rock.

After our hike we walked up the Royal Mile, from Holyrood Palace to Edinburgh Castle, stopping off for lunch along the way at the Tollhouse Restaurant.

Views from the Royal Mile

Julie found the Greyfriar’s Church, home of Greyfriars Bobby, the dog who sat at his master’s grave.

Julie with Greyfriar’s Bobby, as you can see, you rub his nose for luck.

Monday we took the tram down to Leith, where the Royal Yacht Britannia is birthed. Once we found it, we decided touring the Britannia wasn’t worth the bang for our buck.

We took the Riverwalk back toward the city center, and caught a bus the rest of the way to the National Gallery.

Dodged bears on the way to the Grassmarket

We walked over to the Grassmarket area for lunch. Lots of tourists there.

There we found the Vennel steps and the best views of the castle and got a little damp.

We had some time to kill before the ghost tour, so we took a Scotch Whisky experience tour. Anthony was impressed with the selection of Scotch in the tasting room.

Monday evening we had an interesting Ghost Tour in Edinburgh. Lena was our tour guide, she was Polish as had the cutest, creepiest accent.

The tour started at the Mercat Monument, with a story about how Edinburgers used to treat tourists. Anthony and another tour member were recruited to re-enact the tale.

Anthony and fellow tourist being whipped for saying “God save the King” in a pub, the Scots were supporting Queen Mary. Note the Male Pattern Baldness that has apparently been around for hundreds of years.

I had my ear nailed to the Mercat monument, my partner in crime had his mouth cut from ear to ear.

We ended up in the caverns underneath the bridge between the Royal Mile and the University. Julie got nauseus as soon as we started out (which had never happened before) in the vaults. Another lady got physically sick, once the tour was over. The guide said that there was a ghost in the first chamber that liked to make people sick. This ghost tour was different in that the guide was more dramatic than narrative, using set script and affecting a creepy voice. It was fun, but different. The vaults were creepy as hell. Alas, Julie’s phone had died so know GhostTube videos, but we bet we would have gotten some really good ones.

Tuesday found Julie and Anthony back at Holyrood Palace. The more modern British regents (starting with James II in 1501) decided that Edinburgh Castle was too cold and drafty, and built Holyrood Palace. In the 1670s, Charles II modernized the palace. Similar to the other royal residences we have visited on our trip, there is an amazing collection of portraits of royalty and peers. Charles II commissioned Jacob de Wet to paint portraits of 95 Scottish Kings (and one Queen) and they are all hung in one room, the great gallery. No one knew what these fellows looked like, so they all ended up with Charles II’s nose, which linked him back to King Fergus I in the 330 BC. As with most of the other royal residences, there was no photography in the building. Photographs would not have done the place justice, you really have to see the elegance of these rooms to believe them.

Below, details around Holyroodhouse palace.

After Holyrood Palace, we had a leisurely stroll up the Royal Mile to Edinburgh Castle.

More scenes from the Royal Mile. We ran into a busker playing Red Clay Halo, by Gillian Welch. I said that was one my favorite songs. When I asked, he played the first verse of Wagon Wheel, and said he would learn the rest of it.

This guy was so cool

Where Holyroodhouse Palace is an elegant palace adjacent to a large nature reserve. In contrast, Edinburgh Castle is a huge gothic edifice that looms over the city. Edinburgh Castle was first mentioned in 1030 as a residence of King Malcolm III.

The castle celebrates it’s military history, with the Scottish Grenadiers museum, and it’s history of protecting the City.

Pet Cemetary

Also, Mary Queen of Scots gave birth to James I, while she was incarcerated here. More details from the castle….

In 1441 the Black Dinner was held in a chamber in David’s Tower. Scottish King James II invited the 6th Earl of Douglas (16 years old) (known as the Black Douglas) and his brother (even younger) to dinner. After a sumptuous feast James’s (who was also just a boy) “people” charged the two with treason and took them out into the courtyard and had them beheaded. Apparently this was one of George R.R. Martin’s inspiration for the Red Wedding in the A Storm of Swords novel and Game of Thrones TV Show.

More photos from around the castle.

Some art around the corner from our Air B&B. Giraffes and Sherlock Holmes.

Wednesday we packed up for our journey to Glasgow. Our first start along the way was the amazing Forth of Firth bridge. Our host David told us the best spot for viewing the bridge.

Edinburgh Maps: 1) Holyrood Parkrun 2) Arthur’s Seat and Royal Mile 3) Leith, Grassmarket and Ghost Tour 4) Holyrood Palace and Edinburgh Castle

13 to 17 July 2024

Glasgow

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