Day Fifteen - Edinburgh - the Castle & Holyrood House

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On Monday our breakfast at the Star & Garter was great, as expected. Soon after, we walked uphill for 30 seconds to the ScotRail station, bought ScotRail tickets to center city (from a live person), and then climbed a flight of stairs to the train platform. 

In the first photo you can see how close the Star & Garter Hotel is. The two windows at top left are where our room was, and you can just see a trace of the Kirk & Palace at upper left. 

Star & Garter from ScotRail platform

Linlithgow station

Waverly Station, in the center of Edinburgh, was 25 minutes away. Once there we rode multi-story escalators up to Princes Street. A short distance north is the immense Scott Monument, Victorian architecture to the max, for this National hero. Today it is often referred to as a "gothic rocket ship."

Then we migrated uphill on foot with the general flow of tourists, ascending The Mound & aspiring to see the Castle. 

Edinburgh

On the map look for the Castle, High Street, Palace of Holyrood, and Greyfriar's Kirk. High Street = the Royal Mile.

note - you can enlarge any part of a picture by left-clicking in and then out again.

	Scott monument, near Waverly Station		Sir Walter Scott & his favorite dog		a key person in  Scottish history
		Princes Street Gardens		The Mound
	expensive hotel close to the Castle		on the Royal Mile		the Athens of the north
		impressive Edinburgh Castle		the Castle
	looking south from Castle entry		the four of us		Portcullis
		wide view of the City (looking east)		view of Calton Hill & beyond
	only patch of green in the Castle		Docent for a 30 minute walking tour		oldest part of the Castle
				Castle view looking north-east
					autumn light
		Arthur's Seat from Castle

We were in Edinburgh Castle only for about 90 minutes, and after a coffee break, were back on the Royal Mile, heading downhill, taking a side trip to St. Giles Cathedral.  You could read books about the importance in Scottish history of firebrand preacher & Church of Scotland reformer John Knox (1514-72), Minister of St Giles, who lead the Protestant Reformation in Scotland. In 1560 St. Giles converted from being a Catholic Cathedral to a Presbyterian one.

Preaching fire & brimstone, Knox put the fear of hell into everyone, of high and low status, and he predicted that the odds were not good for anyone. "you are such sinners that God will never forgive you".       

Locals relished the irony when later in his life, there was a sudden drop-off of righteous proselytizing, due to his having married a much younger & very attractive woman, thus vanishing from the public arena !       

	the Royal Mile is always crowded near the Castle		St. Giles Cathedral		great interiors
				John Knox, a larger-than-life character
	statue of Adam Smith		top of St. Giles		Royal Mile mid-afternoon, see note

note - In Edinburgh, at nearly 60 degrees north, afternoon light (about 2 pm) looks almost like evening light.   

HOLYROOD PALACE & ABBEY

Once at the lower end of the Royal Mile, we toured Holyrood Palace & Abbey & gardens. I was here before and it's a stuffy old Palace, where photos are not allowed. On the other hand, if you wish to learn about the history of British Royalty, you could easily spend hours here reading the displays. Also, anyone into period clothing (for Royals) would find a lot to like here.  

I walked quickly through the Palace, and took the first exit. Once outside, it was a sunny mid-October afternoon and I walked through the old Abbey grounds.    

	Scotland's Parliament buildings				above is the main trail to Arthur's Seat
		people at Arthur's Seat
					old Abbey atmosphere
				a door with character
	celestial light		palm tree in the shadow
		beautiful park

Once we escaped the Royal spell of Holyrood, we hopped into a cab for a 10 minute ride to the Greyfriar's Bobby Pub & Nicholson Pie House, with one of the best menus in the City, where we had an enjoyable & uncrowded 4 pm dinner, with great service. 

Next to the restaurant is the atmospheric Greyfriar's Kirkyard, which we strolled through, around sunset.   

			the Kirk yard
		fall light		Castle at upper left
	someplace in Edinburgh near dusk

Late afternoon light may last for hours, but in time it rapidly becomes dark. We found our way back to the top of the Mound, and then took a familiar cobbled road downhill, past the National Gallery, and on to Waverly Station. 

Once on the right track, we saw the conductors waving to us to run to the next train, and soon we were back at Linlithgow & two minutes later in our Star & Garter rooms. It seemed charming in an old-fashioned way, to stay in a Hotel next door to the train station. 

go to next page - Edinburgh - Dean Village, Water of Leith & Royal Botanic Garden

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