Month: March 2019

We took several day trips to explore sights in the Edinburgh region. Scotland has an excellent rail system so it is possible to go almost anywhere by train and the trains are frequent, often several per hour.

We took one day trip to Linlithgow Palace, situated between Edinburgh and Glasgow. This old palace was the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots in 1542. It was a favorite of royalty due to its beautiful setting above a lake and due to its central location between Edinburgh and Stirling Castles. Linlithgow Palace is now an abandoned ruin, not having been restored. Nevertheless, it was interesting to explore the remains of the old building and to imagine what it was like in its day.

On another day we took the train up the coast to Dundee, one of Scotland’s major cities and a major trading port for centuries. Our goal was to visit the new Victoria and Albert Museum, just opened about six months ago. We had hoped to visit the old V&A in London but we didn’t get around to it, so we wanted to be sure to see the new V&A in Dundee. It is housed in a striking new building on the riverfront, and the design of the building mimics the shape of a ship to honor Dundee’s shipping history. The V&A is devoted to design so it was interesting to see how Scottish design has influenced everything from fashion to architecture. We were especially surprised to learn that Dundee has long been a center of video game design, dating back to the early gaming days of the 1980s. An exhibit on video games is due to open in April but we were too early for that.

Another day trip took us to New Lanark, a restored 18th century cotton mill town on the River Clyde, upstream from Glasgow. The mill operated on water power from the Falls of Clyde, a set of waterfalls and cascades at this hilly location. The entire village has been restored as a World Heritage Site and no visible signs of modern conveniences are allowed, such as overhead electrical wires or satellite dishes. We toured all of the parts of the village, including the mill (which now spins wool), the workers’ housing, the company store, and the school for the children. The owner, Robert Owen, was very progressive and he treated his employees well (unusual at that time) so consequently his mill was very productive and it prospered for many years. During our visit, there was an interesting display of tapestries illustrating the stories of the Scottish diaspora. We especially liked those from Canada and the U.S. as we were familiar with many of the places and events displayed. Finally, there was a gift shop at New Lanark so we had to buy some yarn from the mill!

One day during the Edinburgh Yarn Festival Charlie set off on his own to explore Stirling Castle. This castle, dating from the 12th century, is in a strategic location overlooking what was, until the 1890s, the farthest downstream crossing of the River Forth, effectively separating the Highlands from the Lowlands of Scotland. Stirling Castle sits high on a volcanic crag much like Edinburgh Castle, but Stirling has a more bucolic (perhaps more authentic) feel because the area is still largely rural. The restoration of Stirling Castle is interesting in that the Great Hall has been painted its original gold color, used both to protect the stonework and to provide a magnificent tribute to the king and the royal family. Most of the old castles that we see today are now gray and drab, but in fact some buildings, statues, and fountains were brightly painted in their day.

A highlight of our stay in Edinburgh was the Edinburgh Yarn Festival, a four day event featuring some of the best wool in Europe and beyond. The festival has only existed for seven years but it has rapidly become one of the biggest yarn and knitting events in Europe. There were lots of vendors as well as informative displays, plus a huge room with tables for people to sit and knit and to compare fabrics and designs. The festival is held at the Edinburgh Corn Exchange, a century-old building that was actually used as a grain market at one time.

Carrie attended all four days whereas Charlie attended the first and last days. We also attended a “knit night” dinner a couple of nights at the Akva Swedish beer garden near the University of Edinburgh.

We wandered around Edinburgh on some days and explored some of the sights in this wonderful old city. One day we took the bus to the west side of the city and explored Donaldson’s School. Charlie had spied this ornate old building from the trolley and wondered what it was. After some research we discovered that it is the former Donaldson’s School for the Deaf, built in 1851. The school building was closed in 2003 and the school was moved to a newer building. The old building was put up for sale and it is now being renovated into luxury condominiums, ranging from a studio apartment option for £250,000 to a 3 bedroom apartment for £1,695,000. A new adjacent section has also been built, incorporating the crescent style that is common in Edinburgh’s established neighborhoods. These new condos range from £950,000 -​ £1,925,000. We went on a Sunday afternoon when the realtors were holding an open house, so we were able to get a glimpse of the new condos. (Click on the links in the paragraph to view the stunning model home interiors!)

On another day we walked around Princes Street Gardens, the site of the old lake below the castle and for the past two centuries repurposed as an urban public park. The main Edinburgh shopping district is adjacent on Princes Street, and it includes the famous old Jenners Department Store, established in 1838. Nearby we toured the Georgian House in Edinburgh’s New Town, an area that was developed beginning in the mid-18th century as a new residential neighborhood for the city’s wealthy. One of the finest old Georgian homes has been preserved and maintained in the style of that period. It was interesting to see the grandeur of the period and to learn about the strict protocols that governed social interactions among the wealthy. Everything from the style of dress to the food served at dinner parties had to live up to the exacting standards of the wealthy class.

On one nice spring day we visited the Royal Botanic Garden. Edinburgh has maintained this green urban park in its current location since 1820, moving at that time from a location near Holyrood Palace that had been in place since 1670. The garden hosts an impressive array of plant species, many of which were beginning to bloom for the springtime. We also saw a special exhibit of tapestries in one of the garden’s buildings.

We took a day trip north from Edinburgh to get a glimpse of the Scottish Highlands. Scotland’s topography is rather distinctly divided between the Highlands to the north and the Lowlands to the south. Most of the population lies in the Lowlands, with its accessible harbors and relatively flat land for farming. The Highlands region is more rural and features beautiful rugged terrain.

We began with a stop at Dunkeld, a small town at the gateway to the Highlands with a beautiful old cathedral. Nearby we stopped at The Hermitage, a National Forest park featuring spectacular Black Linn Falls on the River Braan. We had lunch in Pitlochry, the northernmost spot in our day. After lunch we stopped at Loch Tummel and Loch Tay, two of many beautiful lakes in the Highlands.

Our final stop of the day was the Dewar’s whisky distillery in Aberfeldy. We don’t know much about whisky so we thought it would be fun to take a distillery tour and learn a bit. The visit began with a taste of Scotch whisky, followed by a tour of the distillery. It was interesting to see this old facility and to get a glimpse into the history of whisky in Scotland and its importance to the Scottish culture.

Everyone who visits Edinburgh wants to see Edinburgh Castle and so did we. The castle sits high upon a volcanic crag overlooking the city. It has been there for hundreds of years and its elevated location at the top of steep cliffs provided a superb defensive position against attack. We spent several hours taking an audio tour of the castle.

The old city spread downhill from the castle. Today the road down from the castle is called the Royal Mile and it provides a number of interesting historic sites, including small alleyways that lead to secluded courtyards. The contemporary Royal Mile is also cluttered with schlocky tourist shops, so if you want to buy a knockoff kilt, a tartan scarf, or a box of fudge it’s the place to go. We strolled down the Royal Mile and had lunch at one of the pubs, The World’s End.

At the foot of the Royal Mile sits the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the principal residence of the Kings and Queens of Scots since the 16th century. The royal family often preferred spending time at bucolic Holyrood rather than at windy, crowded, and smelly Edinburgh Castle. Today, Holyrood serves as the home of Queen Elizabeth II when she visits Edinburgh, typically for a week in early summer each year. We toured this magnificent palace as well as the adjacent ruins of the old abbey.

Scotland has two major cities – Edinburgh and Glasgow. They are only about 45 miles apart, about an hour by train. The trains run several times an hour so it’s almost like catching the subway. We took a day trip to Glasgow to see what it’s like. Once we arrived we took a hop on/hop off bus tour so we could get an overview of the city in a couple of hours. Some of the photos below were taken through the rain-splattered bus window. Once our tour was complete the rain had stopped so we walked around downtown and had lunch in an Italian restaurant.

Edinburgh has a reputation as the political and cultural center of Scotland whereas Glasgow is considered the industrial hub. For many years Glasgow was considered gritty and dirty, the center for shipbuilding and other heavy industry. A century ago Glasgow had over a million people, twice the size of today. But in the mid-20th century much of the industry dried up. Today the riverfront is undergoing modern revitalization and many of the grand old buildings remain. Many of the older sections of the city have beautiful architecture.

The Glasgow accent is considered one of the most difficult Scottish accents to understand, and we experienced it first hand. While walking downtown we passed some British communists handing out literature. A nearby older Scottish woman waved her hand in disgust and began telling us that she wishes British politics would just go away. We could barely understand her. It was almost as though she was speaking a language other than English.

Glasgow and Edinburgh have a strong civic rivalry. It is said in Glasgow that the only good thing to ever come out of Edinburgh is the train to Glasgow.

The Royal Yacht Britannia was the personal yacht of Queen Elizabeth II and the Royal Family. Built in Scotland, it was christened in 1953 and decommissioned in 1997. It sailed all over the world and served as the queen’s lodgings in ports of call. The yacht also served as the vessel for several honeymoons in the Royal Family, and it was a favorite locale for Royal Family gatherings. They especially enjoyed summer holidays among the islands off Scotland’s west coast.

Britannia is now permanently docked in Edinburgh and is open for public tours. We enjoyed seeing this large and lavish yacht and getting a glimpse into how the Royal Family lives. Britannia had a staff of over two hundred, including a Royal Marine Band who served double duty as divers to check the hull for explosives in foreign ports. Everything had to be perfect for the Royal Family. For example, the dining silver was polished every day, fresh flowers were always on display throughout the ship, and cleaning and repairs were completed before 8 AM each day so as not to disturb the Royal Family.

The tour is comprehensive so we got to see all parts of the ship, including the royal residences, the kitchen, the staff quarters, and the engine room. The yacht even had its own rather large laundry so that every piece of fabric and clothing would be clean and pressed each day. Part of the ship has been converted into a restaurant so we had our lunch onboard.

On one of our first days in the city we took a walk around New Town, the heart of contemporary Edinburgh. New Town was a planned community designed to accommodate Edinburgh’s increasing population. It was built in stages between about 1770 and 1850, and the streets generally follow a grid, unlike Old Town which meanders down the hill from the old castle. The streets of New Town were laid out to provide sweeping views of the magnificent buildings on the hill in Old Town. New Town retains much of its original Georgian period architecture.

New Town is filled with shops and pubs so we enjoyed strolling and window shopping. We stopped outside the Queens Arms Pub to peruse the posted menu and an older Scottish lady stopped and asked if we were looking for a good pub. She recommended a couple of her favorites and we chatted for awhile. The Scottish people seem very warm and friendly. On several occasions people have stopped to chat or to ask where we’re from.

We ate at the pubs that the lady recommended and we went back to the Queens Arms for their Sunday roast, which includes roasted meat (usually beef) plus all the trimmings, including Yorkshire pudding. Sunday roast is an afternoon pub tradition throughout the UK. One of the pubs we tried on the lady’s recommendation was the Bailie Bar in Stockbridge, a neighborhood just to the northwest of New Town. It turned out to be a wonderful crowded neighborhood pub, and the food was good. The waitresses had very thick Scottish accents and we could barely understand what they were telling us. We somehow ordered some beers but we’re not sure what they were.