Jen and Dave: Adventuring

One full day to get a feel for a city? We took on the challenge. First, we walked to Old Town from our hotel at Haymarket, picking up breakfast at a cafe along the way. We started by looking around the top half of High Street, part of the Royal Mile (which is actually a Scottish mile, 320 falls or 1807 meters).

We then met up with our first tour of the day, a skip-the-line tour of the Edinburgh Castle. It was fantastic, telling of some of the twenty-six sieges on the castle, which is elevated from the city on a dead volcano. We also got free time in the castle after the tour to see inside some of the buildings.

After our castle visit we went further down High Street to meet with our second tour of the day, which gave vignettes of the city’s history both above and below ground. The highlight was a trip into a rediscovered underground, and learning the stories of what it was built for, what it was used for, the fire, and them being walled off for hundreds of years.

After the second tour we found a hole-in-the-wall for a quick dinner before following the Royal Mile to Holyroodhouse Palace, which was closed as the King and Queen are currently in residence.

Our destination, however, was Holyrood Park, another old volcanic rock jutting out of the landscape. A trail goes to the summit, Arthur’s Seat. The view was fantastic from the top Thanks to Dave’s colleague Steve for the tip!

Then it was time to grab a bus back to the hotel, pack our bags, and get ready to leave for the airport at three in the morning.

Loved land of my kindred, farewell – and forever!
Oh! what can relief to the bosom impart;
When fated with each fond endearment to sever,
And hope its sweet sunshine withholds from the heart!
Farewell, thou fair land! which, till life’s pulse shall perish,
Though doom’d to forego, I shall never forget;
Wherever I wander, for thee will I cherish
The dearest regard and the deepest regret.

John Imlach (1799-1846)