Parliament House and the Calton Hill NeighborhoodAfter landing we took the Edinburgh tram from the airport to Parliament House Hotel, where the tour group would first meet. The 30 minute ride was £6, less expensive than Uber. We passed the usual suburban mix of buildings on the way into town, as well as many Scottish gardens with colorful sheds placed on them. These, we soon learned, were "allotments," community gardens used to grow food. We left the tram at Princes St. near the Scottish National Gallery, about six blocks from the hotel. The brief walk allowed us to check out the vibrant activities around the museum as well learn how our "pack lightly" strategy would work on the streets of Edinburgh.
**Lesson Learned: Sometimes the closest tram/bus stop to your destination might not be the best if you're in the mood to explore. |
A Tale of Two Castles
Craigmillar Castle
The day before our Best of Scotland in 10 days meetup, we set forth for adventure. Our first stop, Craigmillar Castle sits on a hill three miles from downtown Edinburgh. A double-decker bus ride and a lovely 15 minute walk through a small suburb and hilly fields gets you there. It's one of the best preserved medieval castles in Scotland as well as being quite the spooky place, because unlike Edinburgh Castle (#2), there are no crowds. It's often just you and whatever ghosts happen by. We arrived midmorning and paid the £5 entry fee at a gatehouse, then walked 50 yards to find ourselves alone in the vast edifice. Built in the 1300s, Craigmillar was home to the Preston clan and hosted Mary Queen of Scots several times. Several royal prisoners met untimely fates in the dungeons which you can visit down a very tight circular staircase. It's an absolutely fascinating place to get lost in--lots of nooks and crannies and odd-shaped rooms. Along with diverse rooms inside the castle, there are interesting features outside as well. There's a dovecote, where pigeons and doves were housed and an unusual fishpond was laid out in the shape of the letter P, for Preston. The fishpond was part of a pleasure garden where aristocrats practiced archery and socialized. **Lessons Learned: If you have the time and inclination sometimes faster isn't better. Taking a double-decker bus (on the upper deck of course) with numerous stops offers an unparalleled view into local life and traffic, and is also easy on the wallet. |
Duddingston Village and the Palace of Holyroodhouse
After exploring Craigmillar, we walked about 30 minutes to the lower slope of Holyrood Park where the idyllic village of Duddingston is located. There, we discovered the Sheep's Heid Inn which has been serving customers for over 600 years. The village is comprised of hundreds of small dwellings, and tree-shrouded pathways lined with stone walls dating to the 1200s. Bonnie Prince Charlie held a council of war in the village but we were just looking for a bite to eat and a pint of cider, and Sheep's Heid Inn was a great place for it.
Afterwards we wandered through the village to Holyrood Park on the lower flanks of Arthur's Seat, the massive extinct volcano that looms over Edinburgh. It's about an hour walk from Duddingston to the Palace at Holyroodhouse at the end of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh. The palace is the official residence of the Queen Elizabeth II in Scotland. When she isn't in residence the palace is open for tours, giving a splendid glimpse of the luxuries and protocols of living the royal life. We toured the palace and then moved on to the Queen's Gallery, where a jaw-dropping exhibit of Venetian paintings of Canaletto was on exhibit. Afterward, late afternoon tea at "Cafe at the Palace," which is acclaimed as "one of the ultimate Afternoon Tea destinations" in the UK. **Lessons Learned: Bring a light raincoat or waterproof jacket even if it's sunny out in Scotland. Half an hour after a sun-drenched lunch on Sheep Heid Inn patio, we were pounded with rain and strong winds as we walked through Holyrood Park. Temperatures were in the 50° F range so it was quite chilly! |
***Less than Obvious: Sometimes the quaintest, most historic inns and pubs have a royal connection. Although we lunched at the Sheep Heid Inn before our tour, we told our guide about it afterwards. He told us that a few years ago, the Queen was visiting Edinburgh and requested a meal at Sheep Heid because it was one of her favorite places to dine. He is correct--see the link. It is reported she ordered the sea bass.
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St. Giles and the Royal Mile
In the days we spent in Edinburgh before the tour meetup we ventured several times to the Royal Mile to explore this colorful, historic and always interesting section of Old Town. Doing no shopping (traveling light), we focused on history connected with different locations, helped by our Rick Steves guidebook along with an e-book of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic "Edinburgh, Picturesque Notes." Stevenson's book offers wonderfully witty and concise comments on the city as it was in 1878.
The Tour Begins! Castle #2!On a drizzly Monday afternoon we gathered at our hotel, Parliament House, to meet our tour leader, Brian Hay, and group. After introductions, we walked to the tram and journeyed to New Town, where Brian led a walking tour of the area. An interesting and very different experience than Old Town and the Royal Mile. The route led us to "A Room in the West End" bistro where food, drinks, and convivial surroundings made the first night's dinner and stories memorable. The next morning we headed to the Royal Mile, after Brian handed off guiding duties to Rita, a witty and highly informed Old Town guide. Rita led us to Edinburgh Castle just as it opened. It looked busy but only took 10 minutes or so to get into the vast 12th century medieval complex. What a difference from Craigmillar! Edinburgh has elaborate historical exhibits, plenty of intact rooms complete with armor, weaponry, fine portraiture, and gilded coats of arms. Rita guided us to several of the most important areas of the castle, and then we were free to explore for more than an hour. Afterwards we headed down the Royal Mile and descended into Greyfriars Cemetery, a misty Victorian relic with ancient epitaphs and elaborate headstones. J.K. Rowling planned out her first Harry Potter novels around the corner in a cafe. Lots of names on gravestones at Greyfriars also appear in her books.
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The Cathedral and the PubOne of our outstanding experiences occurred at St. Giles' Cathedral also known as the High Kirk, located between Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace. We explored the vast interior on Saturday then returned for a free concert early Sunday evening. A quartet of French horn players played a number of beautiful adaptations of classical and modern compositions. The church was closed except for concert goers, creating a solemn and quiet atmosphere in the midst of the tourist bustle. Afterwards, a walk down the hill to Guildford Arms Pub for dinner where we lucked into a table on the balcony overlooking the bar after someone cancelled a reservation. We tucked into Scottish fare: Veggie Wellington and Steak and Ale Pie, not to mention a pint of ale.
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