Edinburgh, Scotland in Fifty Photos

There have been more blog posts written about Edinburgh, Scotland than I’ve had hot dinners! So, rather than trot out all the usual, over-used travel descriptions I thought I would share my experiences via a good-sized handful of photos.

Lace up your walking shoes as we are going to get our step count right up over the next two and half days.

My recent strolls across England started with a couple of busy days in the Scottish capitol. Jet lag had me well-and-truly in its grip and I find the best way to get with the programme is to get out for a walk.

This started almost as soon as our plane touched down at Edinburgh airport. Our hotel rooms weren’t ready for check-in so it made ‘sense’ to walk up Calton Hill for some good, but grey views of the city.

The next day we headed right into the thick of it, wandering up the Royal Mile

to Edinburgh Castle.

We booked the first opening at the Castle as recommended by Travelling Han, but even then, we were shocked by the crowds. Where had all these people come from?

I’ll share my impressions of the Castle in a separate post as it deserves it. Chockful of history we left the Castle into surging hordes of tourists, making our way to Grassmarket

and back up to Victoria Street made famous by JK Rowling. The story goes that she based Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley on Victoria Street and the businesses here are certainly making the most of that connection.

By now our legs (and everything else) were getting weary so we made our way back towards the Hotel, passing the Sir Walter Scott Monument en route.

Phew! That was enough for Day One.

The next day in an attempt to avoid some of the crowds, we turned our backs on the Old Town and wandered around various circus’ in the New Town and to the Stockbridge Market.

The markets linked nicely to the Water of Leith Walkway which proved to be another nice respite from the crowds

and had the added bonus of revealing the quiet beauty of Dean Village.

Even though we were only a short walk away from the bustle of the Edinburgh CBD, it felt a world away. A nice way to spend a Sunday morning.

There is no avoiding the crowds though as we had a tour booked with the Surgeons Hall Museum back in the Old Town. On our way back we strolled through the Princes Street Gardens which gave us a very different perspective of the Castle as well as the sight of exhausted runners crossing the finish line after a 100-mile run! They make ‘em tough in Scotland!

Our last major site/sight for the day was Grey Friars Kirkyard and Bobby. Unfortunately, by then the rain had settled in in earnest so it was only a whistle stop visit around the cemetery and again, some the names had been borrowed by JK Rowling for use in Harry Potter. Harry Potter tourism is HUGE in Edinburgh.

I have no idea if that was fifty photos. Regardless of the number, I hope you enjoyed our walk through the streets of Edinburgh. It’s a very special place – full of history, literature and tourists!

Have a bonnie day!

Have you been to Edinburgh? What was your must-see?

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