We had three days over a weekend to explore Edinburg before my Pensacola friends returned home. We covered a lot of ground. We had a couple of special meals at posh restaurants booked in celebration of a 60th birthday. On Saturday we ate at The Witchery by The Castle in their secret garden. Located on the Royal Mile near the gates of Edinburg Castle, the Witchery is hidden in a collection of historic buildings dating back to 1595. The restaurant offers a two course menu at lunchtime. I tried the charcuterie plate with Serrano ham, home cured duck bresaola, salchichon, watermelon, prune & warmed rye bread. The second course was barbequed pave of Glenfeshie deer, kale champ, with sauce ‘Robert’. The deer was very rare, almost raw. I sent it back. The replacement dish was perfectly cooked and very tender.
Our second posh meal was high tea at the Balmoral Hotel on Princes Street for THE Birthday Celebration. High Tea is a British institution, an afternoon break meant to provide some nourishment before later dinner. It is definitely a chick thing. The Palm Court where it is held is very luxurious decorated with lighted trees and fancy wallpaper. We had loose leave teas served at the table, then a tray of savory sandwiches followed by scrumptious desserts. Champagne is optional. Glad that I did it once, but not necessary to do it again.
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Edinburgh Castle
The castle sits high above the city of Edinburgh on top of an extinct volcano (Castle Rock). It is on most visitors’ sites to see in this old city. Advance reservations are recommended and I booked my visit for first time slot on Sunday morning starting at 9:30. It was an easy walk from our rental and worth the cost and effort in my opinion. The site has been in use since the 1st century. The castle was first built around the 12th century by King David I. It has been used as a royal residence and as a fortress and military barracks. The castle has been the site of many battles between the Scots and the English. It was even used to house prisoners of the American Revolution in the 18th century. The War Museum inside the castle grounds honours the military traditions of the Scottish including a memorial to Scots who died in battles of 20th and 21st centuries. The yellow and red flag below was displayed in the War Museum. It is the Scottish royal standard flown by the New Zealand infantry during the German invasion of Crete in 1941. They flew the flag to show their Scottish descent. The flag was found by a Greek solider after heavy fighting and was kept by the resistance fighters who later returned it to the British military when Crete was liberated in 1945. There were lots of people at the Castle but it wasn’t overwhelming. The audio guide was very helpful for wandering on my own at my leisure.
Water of Leith Walk
There are so many places to walk in this city. Most of it is hustle and bustle. However there is a green space with peace and quiet in the middle of the city. The Water of Leith is a small river that flows through Edinburg. It has a pathway that connects the villages of Stockbridge to Dean Village. Stockbridge was having a food festival in one of their parks. Many people were getting takeaway food to eat on the path. The trail is down below the road and follows the river through wooded areas, under ancient bridges and ends up in the quiet Dean’s Village. From there I was able to take a cab back to the city. Along the way I got to watch a group of young girls, apparently dancers, posing at Bell’s Well in their dance outfits.
Exploring Old Town Sights
Before my visit to Scotland, I made a list of the highlights of Edinburgh. Surprisingly I was able to see quite a few in just four days in the city.
On the 16th, I wandered through the Old Town before and after our lunch at The Witchery. The National Museum of Scotland is worthy of a visit. Admission is free so you can come and go as you please. It is a huge museum with exhibits of interest to all ages including Scottish antiquities, Scottish history, natural history, and modern culture.
One of our days was spent at the National Galleries. There are multiple art museums in this collection – two modern, a portrait and european classics. All of these galleries have free admission with voluntary donations. A great way to enjoy a rainy morning in Edinburgh.
There is a writers museum, down a small alley (a close) off the Royal Mile. The museum honors the three most famous Scottish authors – Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stephenson. The exhibits were spread out through the many floors of a historic home. It is definitely worth a quick visit and might pique your interest in reading their work.
Other sites I checked out was St. Giles Cathedral, walked the Royal Mile and Grassmarket and Princes Gardens. I popped into Greykirk’s cemetery where a statue of a famous dog sits front and center. Wandered to the town of Leith which was a bit underwhelming. Queensferry would have been a better destination to see a waterside village and views of the three iconic bridges. The sights were a boat ride on River (too cold), walking up to Arthur’s Seat or Calton Hill (too lazy) and a couple of museums (People’s Museum and the Museum of Edinburgh).
I found live music one evening at a ceilidh at Summerhall. A ceilidh is a social gathering with traditional Scottish music and dancing. Prepurchase of tickets was required, especially to dance. The hall was filled with mostly young people and a handful of middle aged men dressed in their kilts. The evening was full of energy, wonderful live music and everyone having lots of fun. I didn’t dance but enjoyed my quick visit.