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A solo day trip through to Edinburgh, Scotland's capital city, and one sometimes referred to as the "Athens of the North", mainly due to its cultural achievements, the monument on Calton Hill resembling the Acropolis,, but also because Edinburgh is blessed with a city centre of steep braes topped by plugs and ancient vents with a roller coaster skyline of steep basalt cliffs culminating in an 822 foot much studied volcano.
It's a great city for photography and I've been coming here for 50 years. I love the place.
Calton Hill.
Duddingston Loch.
Decided to go up Arthur's Seat, the ancient volcano that dominates the city around it in practically every view. Not only was the hill busy Edinburgh seemed to be heaving as well. Loads of tourists enjoying a beautiful sunny day.
The summit of Arthur's Seat,. 251 metres, but it seems much higher due to the vertical cliffs around the mountain. In some ways it is similar to Cave Hill near Belfast which is slightly higher but further from the city centre. Two great cities boasting basalt peaks with fantastic views from each summit. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cavehill
A side on view of the summit.
One from the other side looking down to the halfway meadows.
More tourists climbing up from the Gutted Haddie. A lot more wear and tear on the mountain since the last time I was here a couple of years ago but I usually arrive when it's under snow or covered in ice in the depths of winter.
Met this guy on a bike who was rolling it determinedly to the top. A man after my own heart as a few years ago I'd have done the same just for the hell of it. Quite a few posts in here feature me carrying a bike to the summits of rocky hills under 1000 feet.
These two girls also provided me with some scale as I always like to get little figures in my photo's for a bit of perspective. Painting pictures with a camera.
Same girls with Ocean Terminal district.
Edinburgh Castle and church spires.
St James Shopping centre and St Andrew's House. Two massive brutal feeling structures that complement each other nicely from this angle.
A view down one of the gullies on Salisbury Crags, a vertical escarpment boasting steep cliffs falling hundreds of feet to the road below.
The view looking over the edge.
Holyrood Palace, One of the Queen's houses when she is in Scotland although she usually stays at highland Balmoral.
Whinny Hill. A quieter part of Arthur's Seat away from the tourists.
St Margaret's Loch and the yellow carpet of spring flowering gorse bushes.
Easter Road, Home of Hibernian Football Club, one of the two main teams in the city, the other being Hearts.
A guy walking his dog high above the city. Only recommended if your pooch is very well trained. This is not an area to go over the edge into space unless you are teaching it sky diving. One of several Edinburgh posts.... to be continued.....
An appropriate matching video from Kate Bush and the talented MrMarrs reaching equally spectacular heights in the mountains.
It's a cracking city-centre isn't it - no wonder Richard spends so much time there. I haven't really visited much, despite spending a week at Heriot Watt Uni for my Open University Summer School. I did manage to get a trip out into The Pentlands though :-)
Never been up Arthurs Seat yet - I really will have to do it sometime soon. Carol.
Hi Neil, I don't mind tourists in the right places.If I go to a really remote area and get loads of people milling around I'm disappointed slightly but if it's a popular venue like Edinburgh I enjoy it. Always easy to escape the crowds, even in the middle of a city.
Hi Carol, Great city and there is much more to it than Arthur's Seat as the next post might show. Just back from bank holiday weekend jaunt and suitably knackered.
Hello Craig, If you click on link Dumbarton Castle you will see there are over 70 vents in the Kilpatricks and Campsies alone. I just estimated the more obvious ones across the central belt between Dumbarton and Dunbar.
10 comments:
Thanks for the tour! Nice city and very picturesque mountain.
My former haunts. A great wee hill but too many tourists! Still, it has probably started and encouraged many a hill walking career over the years.
Fantastic photos - you know the best spots for the views.
It's a cracking city-centre isn't it - no wonder Richard spends so much time there. I haven't really visited much, despite spending a week at Heriot Watt Uni for my Open University Summer School. I did manage to get a trip out into The Pentlands though :-)
Never been up Arthurs Seat yet - I really will have to do it sometime soon.
Carol.
Always wanted to go up Cave Hill in Belfast. Never quite had the free time when visiting that city.
re your previous post, I am intrigued about the 60 volcanic plugs between Dumbarton and Dunbar - I reckon I could only name about a dozen?
Hi Linda.
Cheers. Edinburgh is a great city for photographers.
Hi Neil,
I don't mind tourists in the right places.If I go to a really remote area and get loads of people milling around I'm disappointed slightly but if it's a popular venue like Edinburgh I enjoy it. Always easy to escape the crowds, even in the middle of a city.
Cheers Anne,
I should do, I've been there enough.
Hi Carol,
Great city and there is much more to it than Arthur's Seat as the next post might show. Just back from bank holiday weekend jaunt and suitably knackered.
Hello Craig,
If you click on link Dumbarton Castle you will see there are over 70 vents in the Kilpatricks and Campsies alone. I just estimated the more obvious ones across the central belt between Dumbarton and Dunbar.
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