The View from Edinburgh Castle
In Edinburgh we stayed in city center, just off of the legendary Royal Mile at the Hotel Ibis. Our room was small, but clean and adequate and cost 1/3 more than our previous B&B accommodations. We easily walked there from the train station.
We arrived in Edinburgh at Noon and after ducking down a narrow stone “close” for a ham and cheese toastie (grilled sandwich) at the Deacon’s House Cafe, we headed up the Royal Mile to Edinburgh Castle.
We arrived just in time to see the official Piper in full military kilt regalia perform before the traditional daily 1 PM cannon shot.
Official Piper at Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is built into the living rock of an extinct volcano. It’s earliest structure, dates to the Norman times, with many additions over the succeeding centuries. We spent several hours enjoying spectacular views of Edinburgh and touring the Castle’s many exhibits, war memorials and museums including a small graveyard reserved for soldier’s dogs.
Edinburgh Castle seen from the Elephant Coffeehouse
The Harry Potter, LOR connection
Lovers of Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings should look no further than Edinburgh for evocative stone architecture. JK Rowling wrote the first Harry Potter books in the Elephant Cafe with a commanding view on Edinburgh Castle.
The Elephant Coffeehouse, Edinburgh
14th Cent. Cross from Eilean Mor, Argyl
The National Museum of Scotland is housed in a striking, modern stone building. We could have easily spent a full day touring its exhibits chronicling Scottish history from prehistoric to modern times.
- Pictish Stone
There was a special exhibit devoted to the Lewis Chessmen, a fascinating and historically unique set of artifacts.
Lewis Chessman Knight
Holyrood House, The Queen's Scottish Residence
Edinburgh is a great walking city.
Most of the major landmarks are within easy walking distance. Holyrood House anchors the other end of the Royal Mile, and easy walk from Edinburgh Castle. We had a glorious afternoon with clear skies and sunshine. On the way, we stopped at one of many Royal Mile kilt shops and bought a flat wool cap for Jim.
House in Deans Village, Edinburgh
The National Museum of Scotland is located across from the train station at the foot of Edinburgh Castle. The museum contains paintings and sculpture from the renaissance through post-impressionism.
On our way to the Edinburgh Gallery of Modern Art, we walked down into Dean Village, an enclave of stone houses in a former milling town.
Edinburgh is a city of stone, with centuries of masonry adapted to modern use. The city is classified into two areas, the old town with medieval structures and the narrow covered alleys known locally as “Closes” that provide an atmosphere reminiscent of Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter.
The new city was built at the end of the 18th Century and features wide streets and large parks in the Georgian style. Here we visited a house returned to the way it was in the time of Jane Austen. Called the Georgian House it provides a fascinating visit into life two hundred years ago.
The last museum we visited in Edinburgh brought us back to the present day.
The Museum of Modern Art. Located in the a large stone structure in the north of town, the galleries are filled with modern art with an emphasis on Scottish and Scottish influenced artists. One of my favorites was the largest Lichtenstein I have had the pleasure to view.
Of interest was a sculpture carved into the lawn in the front of the gallery, called the Landform, visitors are invited to use the sculpture to rest, to walk and to enjoy. This is an excellent example of the innovative spirit of contemporary Scottish art.
Landform by Charles Jencks, 2002
Edinburgh is a city of museums to rival London, many attractions like the School of Art The Dean’s Gallery and the National Photography Museum will need to wait until our next visit to this fascinating city.
