Edinburgh Castle and surrounds | |
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We drive to the outskirts of Edinburgh and leave our car in a 'Park and ride' getting a bus into the city centre
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On arrival we first have a hot drink and were fortunate to hear a 21 gun salute being fired from the Castle in honor of prince Philip on his birthday and got a spectacular view at just the right angle except for the obtrusive lamp post cover! |
We decide to go to the castle via an unusual route that would take us around the back of the castle so we set off first going past the Saint John's Episcopal church |
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We went inside to have look! |
What a very decorative roof in the magnificent church! | ![]() |
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Time to leave and move on! |
Taking our time we slowly go through the adjacent Saint Cuthbert's church cemetery | ![]() |
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Walking along we get our first glimpse of Edinburgh castle |
and soon another | ![]() |
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The Store house and hospital |
The new Barracks | ![]() |
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Palace |
close up of the Palace | ![]() |
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just before the entrance we come across a piper |
walk past a witchery | ![]() |
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and an illusionist of sorts |
Arrival at the entrance. | ![]() |
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which is well guarded. |
canon all around! | ![]() |
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M king sure the canons can't be fired! |
canon overlooking the city
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We go to the ticket office and I am offered a ride to the top in a courtesy car which I gladly accept. I was truly impressed by the Scottish service and attitude toward the physically challenged |
Going through a tunnel beneath the castle | ![]() |
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So avoiding the crowds! |
Arriving on the upper level we look down to the lower level. You can also see the one o'clock gun standing on the parapet | ![]() |
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and the view over the city of Edinburgh to the East |
and to the west | ![]() |
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Mons Meg medieval cannon |
one of the cannons that stand all around the parapet | ![]() |
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Looking down a barrel of a cannon |
As we leave a quick pose with the guard | ![]() |
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As we leave the castle we look at a mirror and notice that in the past week we really lost a lot of weight! |
But then we look again! | ![]() |
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We walk down Castle Hill and look down Lawnmarket street and the High street |
Looking back we see this church with high spires on the corner of Castle Hill - Lawn street and Johnson Terrace | ![]() |
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St. Giles Cathedral |
My finger on his head! | ![]() |
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a church with another impressive spire on the corner of the High and South Bridge streets |
as the day was drawing to and end and darkness began to fall we realized we were being followed by a 'hoodie' so we had better start heading back to the bus stop | ![]() |
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so we cross the North Bridge and pass a war memorial |
On Carlton hill we see the city Observatory | ![]() |
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Nelson's column (pointed column bit on the left) and St. Andrews house (on the right) |
a quick look back at the North Bridge to se if we are still being followed by the hoodie | ![]() |
Unfortunately all good holidays have to come to an end. The next day it was back to the airport to drop off the hire car and fly home! |