Edinburgh - Off the Beaten Track


by Karen Bryan - Date: 2007-04-25 - Word Count: 716 Share This!

Edinburgh really is a beautiful city. I'd like to introduce you to a bit more of Edinburgh than just the usual places to visit such as Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile. Edinburgh is wonderful for all the views down to sea at the Firth of Forth. All my suggestions are free, so you can have a great day without paying any admission charges. I always think that walking around is the great way to see a city but it would be bit much to walk around all these places. Lothian Buses run an excellent service with a £1 flat ticket for any journey, you can also buy a one day pass for £2.50. Parking around central Edinburgh costs between 70 pence and one pound per hour. There are different zones each with their own hours, days and charges.

Calton Hill

Calton Hill, at the eastern end of Princes Street is the most centrally located attraction in this guide. The views from Calton Hill are outstanding over the city and across the Forth Estuary towards Fife and over the Edinburgh skyline. Calton Hill is home to the National Monument an Athenian style acropolis built in 1822 to commemorate the defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo. Some say the monument was not finished due to lack of funds, other say it was intended as a folly. The old Observatory and the City Observatory are also at Calton Hill.

Holyrood Park

Holyrood Park is an amazing haven, so close to the city centre. The park was originally used by royal hunting parties The park covers 650 acres. if you are feeling energetic you can climb Arthur's Seat for great panoramic views. There are several footpaths you can follow around the park, without too much of a climb. There is a road which circumvents the park with several free car parks. However the roads are usually closed on Sundays.

Water of Leith Walkway

Poetically know as the "silver thread in a ribbon of green", the Water of Leith Walkway, is a 12 mile path from Balerno to Leith. It is a unique walk, you can hardly believe that you are so close to the hustle and bustle of a city. I've never done all the walk in one stretch but have walked on most parts on different occasions. I like the walkway between Canon Mills and Dean village, You can try the Dean Village Walk to find our about the history of the village. The Dean Gallery of Modern Art is a few minutes from the walkway. There are public toilets at Cannon Mills and Stockbridge. There is also a wide selection of cafes and restaurants around these areas.

Botanic Gardens

The Royal Botanical Gardens were established in 1670 and contain 6% of all known plants. It's free to enter the gardens but there is an admission charge of £3.50 for the greenhouses. There are various areas including the Chinese Hillside, the Rock Garden and Woodland Garden. The gardens are only a few minutes walk from the Canonmills exit of the Water of Leith Walkway.

Craigentinny Marbles

I came across the so called Craigentinny Marbles by accident on my way to Portobello. It was so weird to see this grand classical style mausoleum in the middle of streets of 1930s bungalows. William Henry Miller, who owned the then Craigentiny estate wanted to be buried in the open fields rather than in a churchyard. In 1848 that may have been the case, maybe now he may be reconsidering, thinking that a graveyard might now be a more appropriate setting than a housing estate. The Miller Mausoleum has bas relief sculptures of biblical scenes on 2 sides. Miller requested that he was buried at a depth of 40 feet, prompting rumours about his gender due to a slim build, weak voice and lack of facial hair. If he was buried so deeply there would be little opportunity for grave robbers to strike.

Portobello Beach

Portobello Beach is three miles east of the city centre. On a clear day you can see over the Firth of Forth to the county of Fife and the three Lomond Hills. A walk along the promenade is usually pretty refreshing.

Sean Connery worked as lifeguard at now demolished outdoor Portobello Swimming Pool in the 1950s. There's an indoor 25 metre swimming pool with a Turkish bath situated on the prom.


Related Tags: scotland, edinburgh, portobello, water of lieith walkway, calton hill, holyrood park, arthurs seat

You can read the guide with photos and links to more information at: http://www.europealacarte.co.uk/Scotland/edinburghoffthebeatentrack.html Karen Bryan is a UK based independent travel consultant and writer. Her website Europe a la Carte, http://www.europealacarte.co.uk, features less well known destinations in Europe. Karen believes that if you venture even slightly off the beaten tourist track that you will see more of the real Europe.

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