MISS ELAINEOUS VISITS EDINBURGH CASTLE...

Although our base was Glasgow, we just had to visit Edinburgh for the day during our trip to Scotland.  We took the train from Glasgow Queen Street- which was right near our hotel- to Edinburgh Waverley station.

This bar was the first thing we saw when we alighted- isn't the fascia impressive? 

We had to walk steeply uphill to get to the next level of streets.  Here's another great bar sign, but we didn't have the time to linger in pubs!

Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland, home to over half a million people, and the seat of the Scottish Government and Scottish Parliament.

Here is the Scotsman Hotel; this street was very much geared towards tourism.  Edinburgh is, after all, the most visited city in the UK after London.

We had a quick explore on our way to find the Royal Mile...

We headed down here, following the signs which took us up yet more steps.  Edinburgh is very hilly, and 47m above sea level.

Up on the Royal Mile, and this is St Giles Cathedral; probably founded in the 12th century. 

This beautiful place of worship is where Queen Elizabeth II lay in state following her death in 2022.

The statue in front is of Walter Francis Montagu Douglas Scott, 5th Duke of Buccleuch and 7th Duke of Queensbury (1806-1884).  He was a politician and responsible for creating significant employment throughout the country.  He was held in high regard by his people.

Further uphill is Tolbooth Kirk.  The Royal Mile is actually made up of five streets.

David Hume (1711-1776) was a Scottish philosopher.

Of course, tradition had to be embraced!  We were serenaded by a bagpiper...

Our first glimpse of Edinburgh Castle, and the Royal Mile is VERY touristy.  The castle is the second most visited site in Great Britain after the Tower of London.

Peering over the edge...

It's refreshing to see traditional red telephone boxes (I didn't check to see if they were working...)

Ambling up through the entrance...

More views down onto Edinburgh...

It was a tad overcast and the visibility wasn't great but still, the collection of spires are impressive...

Edinburgh Castle stands on Castle Rock, which has been inhabited by humans since the late Bronze Age/ early Iron Age.

The Govenor's House dates from 1742, and there has been a castle here since the 11th century.

The castle- despite having formidable defences- has been defeated 26 times over history!  This resulted in repairing or rebuilding, so only traces of the medieval castle survive.

Firstly, we made our way up to Crown Square, which was created in the later 1400s, and originally known as the Palace Yard.  

This building dates from post 1754 and contains the Scottish National War Memorial.  Photography was not allowed inside.

Also in Crown Square; and the Honours of Scotland reside in here.  

I'm glad we did this early on in the day, when we were still lively, as the Scottish Crown Jewels were a must-see for me.

Photography wasn't allowed, so here's a PDF of the Crown, Sceptre and Sword of State.  The Honours have an interesting history after being buried to hide them from Oliver Cromwell.  They were then locked in a room and forgotten until 1818.  The crown was recently placed on the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II as she lay in state in St Giles Cathedral.

  

The Stone of Destiny (also known as the Stone of Scone) is not here.  It was removed by Edward I in 1296 and placed in Westminster Abbey, and only returned to Scotland in 1996.  It now sits in Perth Museum, and only ever returns to Westminster Abbey when a monach is being crowned, as it did for King Charles III's recent coronation.

Here is a PDF of it.

Note that the building is said to be haunted by Queen Mary of Guise, as her body had to remain at the castle for nine months before permission was given for it to be returned to her native France for burial!

The Palace was once the heart of the Royal Castle.  The room next door is devoted to displaying portraits of the Stuart monarchs.

This is Charles II.

 James VI and I's mother was Mary Queen of Scots.

The "Old Pretender" and the "Young Pretender" (also known as Bonnie Prince Charlie) to the British throne.  I always find these two characters- legitimate sons of deposed James II- very interesting.

 James VI (of Scotland) and I (of England and Ireland).  (1567-1625).

This is the room where James VI and I was born...

On to the Laich Hall, which was transformed into a presence chamber for James VI.

These embroideries are true copies of those created by Mary Queen of Scots.

Another view, and Edinburgh's main river is the Water of Leith (the name refers to the walkway beside it).  It flows past Port Leith into the Firth of Forth.

Mons Meg weighs six tonnes, and is probably the largest gun fired in anger in Britain!

Her bore is 19" (48cm) across, and she was considered cutting-edge technology in 1449.

Behind the gun sits St Margaret's Chapel, which is the oldest building in the castle.  It was built as a private royal chapel around 1130 by King David I, and dedicted to his mother, Queen Margaret; later St Margaret.

I wish I'd bothered to look down whilst traversing this area- apparently there is a dog cemetary nearby, where ceremonial and pet dogs have been buried since the 1840s.  But silly me missed it!  

They also have a One O'Clock Gun, which is fired every day- I would have been here, but don't recall hearing it!

The Great Hall was completed in 1512...

It served as a place of royal ceremony...

The medieaval hammerbeam roof is considered to be one of the most important in Britain.  The oak timbers used come from Norway.

The hall has had various uses over the centuries; from soldiers' barracks to a military hospital.  In 1886 work began to restore it to its former glory.

Taking the time to gawp through a slit in the wall, and the castle was used as a royal resistance until 1633.

I would definitely come back here, but do bear in mind that it makes for quite a tiring day out- there is a lot of walking and the dark nature of museums tends to make me feel drowsy...

There are two regimental museums on the castle's grounds: The Regimental Museum of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards and the Museum of the Royal Scots and the Royal Regiment of Scotland.

The museums display uniforms...

 

Realistic historical battle scenes...

....And medals, trophies and other aspects of modern military life.

There is a Prisons of War section, and here's the secure prison door.

Fireplace...

The HMS St George, launched in 1785, captured many prisoners. 

Timeline of wars...

Sleeping quarters...

Closer view of the hammocks...

There is also a Military Prison...

It consists of 16 cells...

Soldiers from the garrison were locked up for offences such as "drunk on guard."

The prisoners were held in solitary confinement...

They had to do four hours of hard labour punishment a day...

This is the ablution block, which was created when the prison was extended from 12 cells to 16 during the 1880s.

Looking down before making my way out...

An archway and the hand of the SuperDean...

Looking down the barrel of a gun from the Half-Moon Battery...

Fore Well, in front of David's Tower.  Water, of course, was a valuable commodity in a castle- it ensured the survival of its occupants.

Heading out, and do pace yourself if you come here, as there is a lot to see...

There is a cafe/ restaurant but we didn't linger.  There is also a whisky shop, where you can try a sample- I did do that...😉

Out on the lower level...

There is also a National War Museum.  We didn't take our time when walking through here, as we were all museum'd out!

It opened in 1933 as the Scottish Naval and Military Museum; the first of its kind in Britain.

It contains items of memorabilia detailing more than 300 years of warfare...

This dress is made from escape and evade maps from the Second World War.

Leaving the castle and looking downhill, and it was a bit of a drizzly day.

Would I return to Edinburgh?  Yes, but I'd probably do it as a day trip whilst staying in Glasgow for a few days, simply because I prefer that city.

Walking back down the Royal Mile, and this is the Mercat Cross (it has a unicorn sculpture on top of it) and City Chambers.

I had to have another gawp at St Giles Cathedral.  I really adore its gothic architecture.

This is a drinking fountain (although it didn't appear to be working).  My macabre eye fell onto the gargoyle feature...

I took this photo as I'm a big fan of the fairytale turrets!

This hanging sign was very appealing- The People's Story is a museum that, unfortunately, we didn't have time to visit. 

This is the Scottish Parliament building, and the first debate was heard here in 2004.

Arthur's Seat, which is part of a group of hills known as the Salisbury Crags.

The King's Gallery- previously known as the Queen's gallery- at Holyroodhouse.  Unfortunately, the house and gallery were closed the day we were there (to be fair, by this time we would have been too knackered to enjoy it properly.)

The Palace of Holyroodhouse is the official residence of the British monach in Scotland.

Edinburgh, I will return.  But next time I'll make sure that Holyroodhouse is open and make the day about that, as well as nipping into the New Town area.

Until then,

TTFN

Miss Elaineous

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