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Edinburgh will always bring fond
memories for me, since I spent six years there studying at University. Although the city
has become more cosmopolitan since those days, there is much that does not change.
Arthur's Seat, set in Holyrood Park, may now be 251 euro-metres high, rather than 823
feet, but the view from the top still makes the ascent well worth the effort. |
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Part of the same volcano,
(fortunately now extinct), that produced Arthur's Seat gave rise to Salisbury Crags, where
one can still find a sheltered spot to sit and read in peace and solitude. It is hard to
believe that the City surrounds such a beautiful park - a kind of equivalent to London's
Hampstead Heath on a grander scale. |
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Just a few miles inland from the
city lie the Pentland Hills, with their magnificent scenery and walks. Arguably the best
time to visit is when the reservoirs are frozen over, there is a foot of snow on the
ground and light is provided by the full moon. Not all that uncommon, considering that
Edinburgh lies nearer to the North Pole than Moscow and is often invaded by cold polar
air. |
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Along the coast to the East, the
Firth of Forth widens and there are some fine empty beaches interspersed with headlands
and cliffs. The ruins of Tantallon Castle overlook the Bass Rock, seen rather dimly here
due to an incipient sea fog, or haar, a frequent phenomenon in these parts due to the
chill of the North Sea acting on warmer moist air coming off the land. |
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To the West of Edinburgh, beyond the
City Bypass, lie two bridges crossing the Forth estuary. The Rail Bridge was opened in
1890, while the Road Bridge was not available until 1964. South Queensferry is now a quiet
village, and a single track road winds along by the coastline to end at Hopetoun House,
built by Sir William Bruce, and open to members of the public. |
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The City of Edinburgh itself is full
of character, with the castle dominating the centre. Modern roads bridge across the nether
regions such as Cowgate and the Grassmarket. Greyfriar's Bobby's Bar, conveniently near to
the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, is named after a Skye terrier who stood watch over his
master's grave for 14 years in the 19th century. |
