Scotland…
Bagpipes and kilts; green hills dissolving into the sea; William Wallace, Robert the Bruce, and Bonnie Prince Charlie; kings and queens and castles; heroes and legends — we saw and heard them or their echoes during our two-week explore of Scotland. We sampled fish and chips, Sunday special roast beef, and even tasted haggis and tatties!
I had wanted to visit Scotland for many years. My father was a Baxter, and while I had no information about his father’s history, I felt drawn there just as some people are drawn to Ireland or Italy or other exotic places.
And I wasn’t disappointed. We ignored the cool, rainy weather that dampened our activities especially during our week in Edinburgh and visited almost all the sites on our list. We never hiked to Arthur’s Seat in Holyrood Park (the highest point in Edinburgh) because it was a long way up in the rain to have your view spoiled by clouds! But of course the Edinburgh Castle is a place of great views, too.
For our second week we rented a car and explored some of the central, north and west of Scotland as well as Glasgow. Even to Mark, for whom Scotland wasn’t a longtime wish, the countryside, glens, lochs, munros, towns and vistas were impressive.
When we told someone we were going to spend two weeks in Scotland, the response was “two weeks — are you sure?” We are happy we did in spite of the fact that it wasn’t necessarily cheap and we lost money with the dollar to pound values, and here are the visuals to prove it.
This is the photo essay for Edinburgh; then central and northwest Scotland and Glasgow will follow in separate posts. (All photos Mark and Betsy Blondin ©2012)
No better place to start than with Edinburgh Castle. Because the castle sits on a hill in the midst of the city, you can appreciate views from many places. The castle has evolved with a fascinating history over the years, with the oldest building dating to the 12th century.
And here’s a view from the castle — the Walter Scott Monument (dark spires) is visible to the left, Waverley Train Station in the center with the Scottish National Gallery in front of it, and Calton Hill in the distant center with the Firth of Forth (river) visible behind it.
The streets of Edinburgh are full of grand architecture, history and photo opportunities – this is the Royal Mile in Old Town looking toward the castle. To give you an idea how old Old Town is, construction of the New Town began in 1767.
From Calton Hill, you can enjoy various views of the city — here we were looking down on the Queen’s Palace, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, with Holyrood Park beyond.
A cemetery and church as seen from Calton Hill — churches and cemeteries are not only prominent and beautiful in Scotland but also full of history. A famous church and burial ground in Edinburgh is Greyfriars Kirk where the renowned Greyfriars Bobby is buried.
Did we say we had lots of rain? Here I am under the umbrella in East Princes Street Gardens near the Scottish National Gallery with part of the Walter Scott Monument on the left.
The Scottish National Gallery, home to the national collection of fine art from the early 16th century to the late 19th century.
The Writers’ Museum in Lady Stair’s Close is a celebration of the lives of Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott, and Robert Louis Stevenson, three beloved Scottish writers — and it’s a very cool house, originally built in 1622!
Inside the Writers’ Museum
In the UK places we visited, we saw tributes and enthusiasm for the 2012 Olympics. The Rings in Edinburgh were usually shrouded in mist or rain while we were there.
We took a side trip for a day to Linlithgow Palace – easy to see why, besides for defensive reasons, nobility built castles and palaces in scenic places. The Palace is essentially a ruin, but you can explore everywhere inside and out.
We visited Linlithgow on a day of a jousting tournament re-enactment – full of color and fun.
Things like this fountain at Linlithgow Palace that were built centuries ago are truly awe-inspiring.
Beside Linlithgow Palace sits the 15th-century St. Michael’s Kirk, and this glorious stained glass window is full of symbolism.
The National Museum of Scotland, with seven levels of wonders, including Scottish history, science and technology, nature and animals, industry, art and much more, was so impressive, we tried to stay past closing time! From dinosaurs to Dolly the Sheep, the National Museum is definitely on the must-do list. And best of all, most of Scotland’s museums are free, always with donations welcome, which is the way museums should be so they are accessible to everyone.
The Scottish National Portrait Gallery is another impressive and informative Edinburgh destination. We spent a lot of time reading and learning about the clans , the kings and queens, and the interlocking history of British and Scottish royalty, and we never really got it straight. We were sympathizing with UK students trying to learn their history when eventually we were told that it’s not taught in great depth – no wonder.
There were no tours available on the day we visited The Scottish Parliament, so make reservations if you want a tour, but the building, Debating Chamber, and photography exhibit were still worth seeing. Scotland will have an election in 2014 whether to become independent from Britain, and that issue inspired great conversations with many people we met. We heard everything from ‘definitely yes’ to ‘definitely no’ to ‘well, we just don’t know enough about the details and how it would all work’.
Along the Firth of Forth the waterfront of Edinburgh around Leith and Granton is in great transition. A shopping center, modern homes and apartments, and the Royal Yacht surround scenes such as this, of boats in a small harbor, and a colorful history. We had a fun dinner here on the waterfront at the Old Chain Pier. Eating out is not inexpensive in the UK, so we chose restaurants carefully and started to split our dinners which worked out well.
One of our goals in Edinburgh was to deliver a copy of Migraine Expressions to Moira, a poetry contributor who since 2008 had become an unmet friend. At long last our friendship was confirmed in person, and we thank Moira and Jim for their hospitality and warmth – and lunch and dinner! That book traveled many miles and took a very long time to reach Moira.
Near Calton Hill – the color of tiny flowers and the ever-present green of Scotland.
WOW ! What an adventure to see your pictures and your stories!
Thank you for that small vacation in my own home!
Wow, ditto to what Linda said.
K
ditto, ditto!!! My fave so far!