tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76696396691808653542024-03-13T11:29:24.229-07:00Badjao B&BUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669639669180865354.post-84202057398953706492018-08-02T04:43:00.000-07:002018-08-02T04:43:02.645-07:00Gallowlee: Martyrs, a Warlock and Executioners Bragging Rights<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
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Punishment was entertainment in Old
Edinburgh not, as the authorities believed, a deterrent. As well as
popup execution sites there were a number of regular sites, mostly
near the castle.
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<br />
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Gallowlee was further from the
centre, on the border of Leith and Edinburgh and was used to hang and
burn the worst criminals and criminals whose execution might cause
civil unrest or were too highly placed, politically connected or too
notorious to be executed in the same place common people were
executed.
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<br />
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Gallowlee was mainly used to execute
the protestant religious dissenters known as covenanters who
considered the Church Of Scotland to be too similar to the Catholic
Church. It was also used to exhibit bodies executed elsewhere and
transported to Gallowlee to be hung in chains, something considered
only for the worst crimes.
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In the 16<sup>th</sup> century
Morton, then Regent Of Scotland on one side of a civil war between
the supporters of Mary Queen Of Scots, who had fled to England and
supporters of her son who would later become James VI of Scotland; In
a major boasting contest Morton hung his prisoners fifty at a time on
a gigantic gibbet at Gallowlee while the other side hung an equal
number on Castle Hill where Morton’s camp could observe the bodies.
This doubtless bolstered the morale of both sides and fostered an
exaggerated esprit de corpse.
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It is not clear when Gallowlee
achieved the honour of having a permanent gibbet, but by the mid 18<sup>th</sup>
century it became impractical to have rotting corpses in the town
centre and Gallowlee became regarded as a more appropriate place for
them.
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Executed bodies did not always hang
around till they rotted: friends, family and sympathisers might cut
them down and rebury them. In 1755 a man who had murdered his wife
was hung in chains at Gallowlee and his body was cut down and carried
off. When discovered the body was rehung. It was abducted a second
time and never found. </div>
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<br /></div>
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The legend arose that the butchers of
Edinburgh removed the corpse as it was an insult to their trade,
since this man, a butcher, had claimed, thirty years earlier, that he
could eat any meat no matter how rotten. He accepted a challenge to
prove it and was presented with a cut of meat from a corpse on a the
same gibbet from which he would later be hanged then ate it.
</div>
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If a hanged body stayed put long
enough it would be cut down and buried on the site, often with the
cage of the gibbet.
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<br /></div>
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In 1682 Edinburgh’s hangman,
Alexander Cockburn, was himself hung in chains at Gallowlee for the
murder, for money, of a licensed beggar called MacKenzie and his wife
was banished. Ironically Cockburn was executed by a man called
Mackenzie, formerly a hangman in Stirling. Cockburn had managed to
get Mackenzie fired from his post in Stirling. Doubtless Mackenzie
regarded it as both business and personal and went home in a good
mood.
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</div>
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Alexander Cockburn seems to have
taken an undue pleasure in his work, torturing prisoners suspected of
treasonable plots by using a device called the boot that slowly
crushed the foot and carelessly beheading prisoners with an axe:
whether alive or dead is not clear.
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Twelve years earlier Gallowlee had
hosted the execution of Major Thomas Weir, who was a famed preacher
until, at a prayer meeting, he confessed to a string of jaw dropping
crimes including witchcraft.
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Weir was convicted of Incest,
Bestiality and Adultery and strangled to death then burned. In
Scotland witches were burned but Weir was burned despite not being
convicted of witchcraft. Equally strangely his sister, who was
convicted only of witchcraft, was hanged, not burned, in Edinburgh’s
Grassmarket.
</div>
<br />
<br />
Of all the people executed at
Gallowlee only Major Weir became a ghost haunting the scenes of his
crimes not his execution. <br />
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Gallowlee was sometimes used for
hanging people in effigy who had offended the people. In 1763 John
Wilkes, founder of Britain’s first non-establishment newspaper,
gave great offence to Scotland by satirizing the Scots people and
Scotland. <br />
<br />
In response to this Bowed Joseph Smith, the
leader of the Edinburgh mob, got a cart fitted with a high gallows
hanging a dummy representing Wilkes with a devil on his shoulder.
The cart made a leisurely passage through the main streets till it
reached Gallowlee when the dummy was hung alongside the bodies of two
criminals. They were unopposed by the authorities who shared the
feelings of the crowd that gathered and felt powerless to oppose the
mob.
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</div>
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Gallowlee was an immense mound of
fine sand, mingles with the bones and ashes of those executed their.
Once the Nor’Loch, the moat of Edinburgh castle, was drained sand
was sold to builders creating Edinburgh’s New Town. The owner of
the property was a big man and seemingly immune to the effect of
alcohol. Every penny he got from the sale of the sand was spent in a
pub nearby. Eventually a pub was erected at the spot especially for
him.
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</div>
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When the sand and the money ran out
the owner still had the land but the mound had been replaced by a
deep hole in the ground. The area was used for a number of things
and nowadays there is no sign of what used to be the field of the
Gallows and its grim harvest.</div>
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</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669639669180865354.post-9604156059900138202017-10-04T13:45:00.000-07:002017-10-04T13:45:55.011-07:00Ten (Fairly) Tourist Free Places To Visit In Edinburgh<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrPPGbYsNe7__hju9Gg-IJgF_fsDSn8Ug1kP8VaaEwfR-V5OEz8sP99uls8G04wOQxYqNLq6nFztmoCMqsyrTR4avJYrnNVkP1WcSMQwp5Z5JXgxeymxsPZjCnrJlIQ9j2AwQnClje-rFp/s1600/DSCF7496.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="454" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrPPGbYsNe7__hju9Gg-IJgF_fsDSn8Ug1kP8VaaEwfR-V5OEz8sP99uls8G04wOQxYqNLq6nFztmoCMqsyrTR4avJYrnNVkP1WcSMQwp5Z5JXgxeymxsPZjCnrJlIQ9j2AwQnClje-rFp/s640/DSCF7496.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Firth of Forth from Cramond Promenade</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<style type="text/css">h3 { margin-top: 0.17in; direction: ltr; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left; }h3.western { font-family: "Liberation Sans", sans-serif; font-weight: normal; }h3.cjk { font-family: "Liberation Serif"; font-weight: normal; }h3.ctl { font-family: "Liberation Serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; }p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; direction: ltr; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 120%; text-align: left; }p.western { font-family: "Liberation Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt; }p.cjk { font-family: "Liberation Serif"; font-size: 12pt; }p.ctl { font-family: "Liberation Serif"; font-size: 12pt; }a.ctl:visited { }a.western:link { }a.cjk:link { }</style>
<br />
<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<ol>
<li>
<div align="center" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<a class="western" href="http://therealbadjao.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/the-mystery-of-edinburghs-gilmerton-cove.html"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Gilmerton
Cove</b></span></span></a></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">Discovered
by chance under a betting shop </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">(
what are the odds of that?) </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">
the forgotten tunnels and chambers of <a class="western" href="http://therealbadjao.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/the-mystery-of-edinburghs-gilmerton-cove.html">Gilmerton
Cove</a> remain a mystery with </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">masonic
marks, </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">
blocked tunnels </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">that</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">
may lead to Roslin Chapel or merely to a near</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">b</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">y
field, </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">theories
that it was used by masons and witches and the belief a Scottish
king </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">is</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">
buried beneath it</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">.
</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
caves themselves date back at least to the 18</span></span><sup><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">th</span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">
century when a local blacksmith, who used them as a drinking den for
the gentry, claimed to have built them in his spare time. </span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="background: transparent; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; page-break-before: auto; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Today
Gilmerton Cove can be entered through a visitor centre </span></span></span></span></span><a class="western" href="http://www.gilmertoncove.org.uk/tour-information"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">but
is open only by appointment</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.
</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">Flooring
is uneven and may be wet: </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">wear
good shoes and</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">
bring your own torch as some areas are dimly lit.</span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="background: transparent; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; page-break-before: auto; widows: 2;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="background: transparent; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
</div>
</li>
<li>
<div align="center" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Cramond
Village and Cramond Island<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6PITryIC6I8ddLHCtNhOVoaSzbJrXc54knvaAyScqGxyoXmJkfSInXsM7CRo6v3KcYCDB-mE3LQjRR6mw4hm7Hr3q6rdsGUw0ghWl6NrmEjkKi7NR5fjo3kPatGInyQbAamFMflCMnlu2/s1600/DSCF7504.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="768" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6PITryIC6I8ddLHCtNhOVoaSzbJrXc54knvaAyScqGxyoXmJkfSInXsM7CRo6v3KcYCDB-mE3LQjRR6mw4hm7Hr3q6rdsGUw0ghWl6NrmEjkKi7NR5fjo3kPatGInyQbAamFMflCMnlu2/s320/DSCF7504.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Twilight at Cramond</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</b></span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<a class="western" href="http://therealbadjao.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/what-to-see-in-old-edinburgh-fishing.html"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cramond</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
has been inhab</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">i</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">ted
for some 10,000 years. </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">It
</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">had</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
a Roman Fort, </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
the </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">layout
preserved as outlines of stones, next to </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">a</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
church claim</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">ing</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
to be on the site of the oldest church in Scotland. </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
church nearly lost its bell when Cromwell removed it and the
congregation successfully appealed </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">(pun
intended) </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">
for its return. </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Walking
up the </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">river
</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Almond</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
you will see the w</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">ei</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">r
that once powered the Iron Mills and a mirror like pool above it. </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">or
</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">get
a ferry across the river: </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">take
a note of</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
when the ferry returns it is a LONG way to get back </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">otherwise</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">. </span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Alternatively</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
proceed along the </span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">p</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">romenade,
</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">which
has benches </span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">and
free gymn equipment</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">,
</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">and</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
may </span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">spot</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
windsurfers. </span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">A</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">t
low tide, </span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">the
Drum Sands </span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">are
exposed and you</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">and</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">can
go</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
beach combing. </span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">T</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">his
walk offers great sunset</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">s
</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">so
take your camera</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">. </span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
third choice is to </span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">use
the causeway next to the submarine defences </span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">and</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
go to Cramond Island bird sanctuary. </span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Note
</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">down</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
the safe cross</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">ing
times </span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">displayed
on a notice board near the jetty </span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">and
wear stout shoes</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">T</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">he
Cramond Inn, </span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">which
has its own car park in addition to the </span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">public
car park behind the Inn, </span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">is
a typical local pub with a good restaurant and range of beers and
wines </span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">and
an atmosphere of antiquity. </span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
</div>
</li>
<li>
<div align="center" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Portobello</b></span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">Edinburgh’s
version of Southend, <a class="western" href="http://therealbadjao.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/portobello-on-forth.html">Portobello</a>,
</span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">who donated their name to the city
of Portobello in New Zealand</span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"> </span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">is</span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">
where the classic ice cream cone is said to have been invented.
</span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">Unlike <a class="western" href="http://therealbadjao.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/what-to-see-in-old-edinburgh-fishing.html">Cramond</a>
it </span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">has a</span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">
a sandy beach where adults and children can safely swim, use the
amusements or just relax. </span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"> </span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">A</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
sailor present when the English captured Porto Bello in Panama built
Porto Bello Hut </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">on
the expanse of moorland known as Figgate Muir, </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">and
the house gave a name to the village that grew round it. </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Portobello</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">
became a fashionable bathing resort and industrial town </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">then</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">
a burgh </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">and
finally</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">
part of Edinburgh. It </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">then
</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">started
welcoming visitors as a holiday town </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">T</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">he
public baths that opened in 1901, </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">are
now a <a class="western" href="https://www.edinburghleisure.co.uk/venues/portobello-swim-centre/">swim
centre</a>, with much of the antique décor remaining, </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">and</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">still
house one of only three turkish baths left in Scotland. </span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">For
photographers the sea, the beach and the remaining fairground
attractions offer opportunities as do details of the older
buildings. For families with children and a sunny day the beach is a
must and with cafes nearby there is no risk of crunchy tomato
sandwiches. </span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
</div>
</li>
<li>
<div align="center" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Newhaven</b></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQQPEAU-v0psPfQ5T57A7RoCXiFsl0lR8G6POqywEZhSOguSm84dl5uYIr8rmcKlwvvZVCvM3WfwtSP_6CijrNe1pMq8DjAZ7RUjEanZJlU4cHcRUuTzyeZHZOV0VDYzF9JsijhoSJqe0R/s1600/DSCF1233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="785" height="467" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQQPEAU-v0psPfQ5T57A7RoCXiFsl0lR8G6POqywEZhSOguSm84dl5uYIr8rmcKlwvvZVCvM3WfwtSP_6CijrNe1pMq8DjAZ7RUjEanZJlU4cHcRUuTzyeZHZOV0VDYzF9JsijhoSJqe0R/s640/DSCF1233.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Newhaven village and lighthouse</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><a class="western" href="https://www.blogger.com/null">Newhaven</a>
a short walk from Ocean Terminal and </span><a class="western" href="http://therealbadjao.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-royal-yacht-britannia.html"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">T</span></a><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><a class="western" href="http://therealbadjao.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-royal-yacht-britannia.html">he
Royal Yacht Britannia</a> </span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">is a
quiet conservation area </span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">that
</span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">follo</span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">ws</span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">
the line of a raised prehistoric beach. </span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">NewHaven</span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">
quay has several places to eat including a good seafood restaurant
in the old </span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">red </span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">fish
market building which </span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">became a</span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">
listed building </span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">in 1990 thus
preserving it from demolition</span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">. The
sunsets can be impressive and together with the landmark lighthouse
offer good prospects for photographers. A great place for a
relaxing meal after a day the city centre. </span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">Park
the car behind the fishmarket and take a gentle stroll to look at
the lighthouse and see the Forth Rail Bridge in the background. </span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"> </span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
</div>
</li>
<li>
<div align="center" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Calton
Hill</b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJWBI5Byr6y2lumSxOFxY-I5jKw0tvo7Qo-iX1hagEX4r1DobyMXKue-qf5SM0ZkcGeO8Evstl0r8fAJNJAnHSCxrUnGM_kFSQBiDLCEZywnRCT_I9oLBj5SVnBZN-5XPa4M8X9q4KdAwT/s1600/DSCF6978+Posted+Facebook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="768" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJWBI5Byr6y2lumSxOFxY-I5jKw0tvo7Qo-iX1hagEX4r1DobyMXKue-qf5SM0ZkcGeO8Evstl0r8fAJNJAnHSCxrUnGM_kFSQBiDLCEZywnRCT_I9oLBj5SVnBZN-5XPa4M8X9q4KdAwT/s640/DSCF6978+Posted+Facebook.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Forth road Bridge and Fife from Calton Hill</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</b></span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><a class="western" href="http://therealbadjao.blogspot.com/2013/06/calton-hill-edinburghs-faerie-hill-and.html">Calton
Hill</a> </span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">the second of
Edinburgh’s seven hills feels separate from the rest of the world.
Less challenging than a walk up to Arthur’s seat it </span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">has</span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">
a panoramic view of North Edinburgh and Fife, </span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">the
telescope shaped </span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">Nelson’s Tower,
from the top of which the 1pm time ball drops each day, the
National Monument, an unfinished replica of the Parthenon, and the
Governors House, all that is left of the Old Calton Jail. The hill
can be climbed from London Road in the North, from the steps near
the top of the street called Calton Hill or via along gentle walk
via a gate some hundred yards further on.</span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">On
a good day you can see people flying kites, children can play on the
cannon near the National Monument and you can stroll round the
walkway created by Philosopher David Hume.</span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
Beltane Fire Festival takes place on the hill every 30</span></span></span><sup><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">th</span></span></span></sup><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
April and the </span></span></span>The Dussehra Hindu Festival takes
place on Calton Hill near the beginning of October each year. </span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">Other
than on the festivals mentioned above the hill is best avoided after
dark </span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
</div>
</li>
<li>
<div align="center" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Holyrood
Park</b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfwqwz_QR2pkoYcy69zLAETLxbeNx5oHYtaspQrJ2S_T0417lnxepv9AJPIWJltbhAho7UB-DjZFRO2fDkJRv3byNPTKTOzv8EURQd7NIsN6VKqopsvJCbWZLbCxL1A7QLyk5fryejvBtA/s1600/DSCF4447.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="768" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfwqwz_QR2pkoYcy69zLAETLxbeNx5oHYtaspQrJ2S_T0417lnxepv9AJPIWJltbhAho7UB-DjZFRO2fDkJRv3byNPTKTOzv8EURQd7NIsN6VKqopsvJCbWZLbCxL1A7QLyk5fryejvBtA/s320/DSCF4447.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dunsapie Loch at Dusk</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">Six
hundred and fifty acres of semi curated wilderness in the middle of
Edinburgh, Holyrood park offers a bracing walk with fine views of
Edinburgh as well as three car parks, one near the Scottish
Parliament, one near St Margaret’s Loch and one near Dunsapie Loch
from where one can walk, or if exceptionally fit, run, up a grassy
slop and clamber up some rocks to, the highest point in Edinburgh
Arthur’s Seat, the summit of a dead volcano to enjoy a panoramic
view of Edinburgh including Calton Hill and the Castle. Coming down
is more challenging than going up and stout walking shoes are
essential. </span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">Starting
at St Margarets Well next to the artificial loch with its real swans
and ducks a narrow path with steep drops at the side leads up to the
ruined St Anthony’s Chapel on the nearby hill. Alternatively the
one way road winds upwards towards Dunsapie Loch, where it levels
off, then with Duddingston Loch and Village, far below on the left
curves round amd starts going downhill. This stretch offers some
great sunset photos, weather permitting. From here to St Margaret’s
loch there are few places to sit and rest but interesting paths up
the Salisbury Crags and onto the Radical Road. </span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">Look
out for the rock formation known as The Lion’s Haunch, St
Margaret”s Well and the basalt Columns of Samson’s Ribs. To
climb the rocks you need a free permit from the Ranger Service who
will show where you are allowed to climb: The park is curated for
safety but still needs treating with respect as it is wild land and
has killed careless and disrespectful visitors. </span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
</div>
</li>
<li>
<div align="center" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Craigmillar
Castle</b></span></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOfhSZWVbQJ7ACqcnyAaQAwT6hj-b2KW6uR1nnAv4L34eDMntIPCaieI7l3JR08LNow_xDeqznB-FEK2F-FSNdKPKTSESwHQrBQZuI4hA9P3K-cFOdhY97bQJPXYOv29uqmaPmpR58i00z/s1600/DSCF4483.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="768" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOfhSZWVbQJ7ACqcnyAaQAwT6hj-b2KW6uR1nnAv4L34eDMntIPCaieI7l3JR08LNow_xDeqznB-FEK2F-FSNdKPKTSESwHQrBQZuI4hA9P3K-cFOdhY97bQJPXYOv29uqmaPmpR58i00z/s320/DSCF4483.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Medieval kitchen in Craigmillar Castle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div align="center" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Edinburgh’s
other remaining castle, </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a class="western" href="http://therealbadjao.blogspot.com/2016/04/craigmillar-castle-overlooked-treat.html">Craigmillar
Castle</a>, </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">a
short distance from the </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">new
Royal Infirmary at Petty France </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">an
area that got its name from the prevalence of Queen M</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">a</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">ry’s
</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">F</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">rench
</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">c</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">ourtiers
</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">there
</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">is
one of the best preserved medieval castles in Scotland and </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">show</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">s</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
the skeleton that underlay the luxurious décor of medieval times.
</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Built
in the 15</span></span></span></span></span><sup><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">th</span></span></span></span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
century </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">it
was allowed to fall into ruin in the Eighteenth Century </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">then</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
became a popular tourist attraction. </span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">T</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">he
Laird’s bedroom is one of the earliest en-suite rooms in Scotland
with an <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmM3TsF1w0gbzanmIV5eLamLnTqeYdlwyofmEZKiE47iSqJYbUtRf9Mkk643ZvWdLzLd_Mj-KIwyPBDtJEWaP5M00TnazEpz7Nz38eymy_Yijf01jlFOaXetaYdREnhIZjk5ymHLJx9o8P/s1600/DSCF4516.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="768" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmM3TsF1w0gbzanmIV5eLamLnTqeYdlwyofmEZKiE47iSqJYbUtRf9Mkk643ZvWdLzLd_Mj-KIwyPBDtJEWaP5M00TnazEpz7Nz38eymy_Yijf01jlFOaXetaYdREnhIZjk5ymHLJx9o8P/s320/DSCF4516.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An imperious face</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
earth closet in the corner. The </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">castle
</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">roofgives
views over South Edinburgh and the castle grounds </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">including
the P shaped fishpond.</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
The basement included a prison where rebuilding revealed a walled up
upright skeleton. </span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
</div>
</li>
<li>
<div align="center" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Hermitage
of Braid</b></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-6192_RBd5Ez7KdsjjKM4C0zy_nFKF3OpfgJ4tcAG25bd2bGxvs_JymhiChPc7sVryeCpAkeZEtTMR53lawFNlEK_xHYMpdaGQ2SQeER78tzlhXqoZ0pj9GXmd7NIDCC3yUyzBqnD-9N4/s1600/DSCF6746+copy+HI_RES.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-6192_RBd5Ez7KdsjjKM4C0zy_nFKF3OpfgJ4tcAG25bd2bGxvs_JymhiChPc7sVryeCpAkeZEtTMR53lawFNlEK_xHYMpdaGQ2SQeER78tzlhXqoZ0pj9GXmd7NIDCC3yUyzBqnD-9N4/s640/DSCF6746+copy+HI_RES.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">Originally
owned by the De Brad family of Belgium </span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">the
<a class="western" href="http://therealbadjao.blogspot.com/2017/07/the-hermitage-of-braid-edinburghs.html">Hermitage</a>,
which may have housed a Hermit or an informal religious community,
had a castle now lost and still has a doocot (dovecote) </span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">that</span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">
provided food for the family in Hermitage House, now a visitor
centre. A walled garden has been recreated </span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">near
the doocot</span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"> and the ice house </span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">is
</span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">accessible from the main path
which flanks the Braidburn. There is an abundance of wildlife most
of which successfully hides from humans and a hitching post for
horses, </span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">who cannot hide</span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">. </span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"> </span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">The
lost c</span><span style="text-decoration: none;">astle, probably
located between the Doocot and the house, stood here till the 18</span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><sup>th</sup></span><span style="text-decoration: none;">
century when, during</span><span style="text-decoration: none;"> what
seems to have been </span><span style="text-decoration: none;">a</span><span style="text-decoration: none;">
golden age for lawyers, </span><span style="text-decoration: none;">
a lawyer purchased the estate </span><span style="text-decoration: none;">and</span><span style="text-decoration: none;">
commissioned </span><span style="text-decoration: none;">the</span><span style="text-decoration: none;">
building that</span><span style="text-decoration: none;"> is now the
visitor centre. A sundial near the house commemorates the donation
of the house to the city for use as a public park in 1937. </span></span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
coffee house at the Braid Road entrance used to be an Edinburgh
Tolbooth and there is an open grass space nearby suitable for
picnics. </span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">On
your way to the Hermitage going up Braid Road look for two brick
plaques in the road. They mark the site of two gallows erected for a
public execution in 1815.</span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
</div>
</li>
<li>
<div align="center" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The
Botanical Gardens</b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRURGtyS7toW_f0aBinD8S0LAI9PV64d6Hs4Hvb4fW14K80XdxAcpK7P9IlO9NvkL_kGimYDoqYPdiL6NHKRZ3XsC0PKW5dj6GfhG2F_q4G5s3p8vKJIUS5Fd8PMnIoQg63TBQsIytMJsw/s1600/P1040660+copy+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1133" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRURGtyS7toW_f0aBinD8S0LAI9PV64d6Hs4Hvb4fW14K80XdxAcpK7P9IlO9NvkL_kGimYDoqYPdiL6NHKRZ3XsC0PKW5dj6GfhG2F_q4G5s3p8vKJIUS5Fd8PMnIoQg63TBQsIytMJsw/s320/P1040660+copy+2.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
Botanics, as they are called locally, occupy four sites with the
headquarters in the Edinburgh site. On a sunny day it is an urban
oasis with tranquil ponds, a rock garden and a Chinese garden. </span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">On a
rainy day for a small entrance fee there are the glass houses which
cover the worlds climate zones and include fossils, ferns,
carnivorous plants which you are not recommended to feed,
and the biggest flower in the world.</span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">For bookworms the reference
Library is open to the public, though garden staff, students and
researchers are the main users. </span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">Founded
in 1670 from a private collection the Botanics started life in
Holyrood Abbey as a garden for growing medicinal plants, apidly
outgrew its home and moved near to the high street: a plaque on
Platform 11 of Waverley Station commemorates the site of this “Old
Physic Garden”. About a hundred years later pollution forced the
garden to take refuge in Leith Walk and in the early 1820s the
garden moved to its present home opening to the public in 1881. </span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
Botanics are a great place to walk on a sunny day especially with
children but don’t let them get too close to the carnivorous
plants. Look out for the petrified tree near the glasshouses and try
not to get lost in the Rock Garden. </span></span>
</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<br />
</div>
<ol start="10">
<li>
<div align="center" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The
Museum on the Mound</b></span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
Bank of Scotland Building had a one room entry by appointment museum
in its bowels since 1987 but only opened the seven room museum at
the top of The Mound to the public in 2006, just before the
financial crisis. Entry, including special exhibitions, is free,
and it is open Tuesday to Friday 10am to 5pm.</span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
museum tells the story of physical money: coins and banknotes and
recounts some of the history of the financial services industry in
Scotland. </span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">Children will enjoy scanning the exhibits for the clues
needed to crack the plastic safe, adults and children may enjoy
squashing a penny into a souvenir of their visit using a hand
operated press or putting their face on a 20 pound note while the
million pounds in used £20 notes and the million pound banknote
will fascinate adults. </span></span>
</div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">
</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div align="center" class="western" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
</div>
<div align="center" class="western" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<br />
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669639669180865354.post-20437353373910108202017-07-03T04:05:00.002-07:002017-10-01T07:28:48.453-07:00The Hermitage of Braid: Edinburgh’s hidden Glen<style type="text/css">p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120%; }a:link { }</style>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEislIQOEFOKk_oGtgSGAIxFBeL8ovuQ3QmB78U67e-JisVh-vTzl8D3I18fKeUBbE7-ePw6xUdIO6YGJIAZsBmbj1yeyW-wPD9cedHzGLpYFD1LQ7aVBohBUXIHCIxCa8aaRWA0HLs9F2aJ/s1600/DSCF6746+copy+HI_RES.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEislIQOEFOKk_oGtgSGAIxFBeL8ovuQ3QmB78U67e-JisVh-vTzl8D3I18fKeUBbE7-ePw6xUdIO6YGJIAZsBmbj1yeyW-wPD9cedHzGLpYFD1LQ7aVBohBUXIHCIxCa8aaRWA0HLs9F2aJ/s640/DSCF6746+copy+HI_RES.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A quiet walk on a summer day after sightseeing ( picture by the author)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdiOlshR3_HBtSYHgxqRVlHbTWZpoI-gPP0cahC6LPaBrxVt6cI9kqqWTm2_V-Yf765Ng4duGBmbtXGThWNW5QkpskIYYjQXFlfftVmy-xXhbrypDX_7kamkxNakoTQhoZP-NSa6LDDl_-/s1600/MA%25281829%2529_p.176_-_Hermitage_of_Braid%252C_near_Edinburgh_-_Thomas_Hosmer_Shepherd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="517" data-original-width="800" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdiOlshR3_HBtSYHgxqRVlHbTWZpoI-gPP0cahC6LPaBrxVt6cI9kqqWTm2_V-Yf765Ng4duGBmbtXGThWNW5QkpskIYYjQXFlfftVmy-xXhbrypDX_7kamkxNakoTQhoZP-NSa6LDDl_-/s320/MA%25281829%2529_p.176_-_Hermitage_of_Braid%252C_near_Edinburgh_-_Thomas_Hosmer_Shepherd.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hermitage House 1829</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<blockquote>
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>This beautiful
spot is to the southward of the Borough-muir, about two miles from
the city of Edinburgh, and it is the delightful residence of Mr.
gordon. It stands concealed in a narrow vale, between two ranges of
hills of a low and irregular figure, and is surrounded with wood. The
small rivulet which has the name of Braid burn glides gently through
the middle of the vale in a meandering direction. This pleasant
dwelling is surrounded by a stone wall, with a variety of trees and
an intermixture of underwood. Plantations also ornament the eminences
which rise on each side of it; while the naked rocks, which peep in
different places through the trees, certainly add considerably to the
romantic nature of the scenery. These works of nature far transcend
those of art; the artificial plots and little niceties of botanical
ingenuity dwindle into nothing and insignificance before them. The
human mind is chiefly delighted with the contemplation of such
objects as are sublime or beautiful. The walk along the burn of Braid
is romantic in the highest degree.</i></span></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>The admirer of
nature's work will find many things justly worthy of his
contemplation. Blackford hill rises near it on one side. Pentland
heights overhang it at a small distance on the other. On the south
west are Braid-crags, and a tract of open pasture grounds.</i></span></blockquote>
<blockquote>
– <i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">From </span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">an</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">
item in Archibald Craig scrapbooks (4/57/2):</span> </i></blockquote>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Getting off the bus
from Princes Street as near as possible to Morningside Clock Tower look for
the Hermitage Bar.
Running uphill along the left side of the bar is Braid Road. Walk up Braid road noting the interesting
spire on the Cluny Centre and, just before reaching Comiston Terrace
look at the two small rectangles of stones in the road; They have an interesting story behind them
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjndW0UXqbitt3TNA-3ioi9yzTA6DI70WkbDRgG3E7y34lolw-UhNvwdypnGb48wnIPMWol-17ucMN3xZ5Od-ZIIBzpoiBS1CJL0p96pSJ_bUpYZHIQrtLb6IdjpufVQjzWhK1Crq8zyeZ/s1600/DSCF6736_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="768" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjndW0UXqbitt3TNA-3ioi9yzTA6DI70WkbDRgG3E7y34lolw-UhNvwdypnGb48wnIPMWol-17ucMN3xZ5Od-ZIIBzpoiBS1CJL0p96pSJ_bUpYZHIQrtLb6IdjpufVQjzWhK1Crq8zyeZ/s320/DSCF6736_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Hanging Stanes Braid Road ( picture by the author)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Thomas Kelly and Henry O’Neill, two tramps, described as
‘highwaymen’ in 1815, robbed David Loch, a passing carrier on his
way into Edinburgh on the Dumfries Road. The policy of the time was
that criminals should be hanged at the site of their crime so on 25<sup>th</sup>
January 1815 gallows were erected and a good number of citizens
struggled through the snow to what is now Braid Road where they met
a great procession of police, High Constables, City Officers and
clergy from the high Street, and witnessed one of the last highwayman
hangings in Scotland. The stones that provided sockets for the
gibbets, known as the Hanging Stanes, are preserved in the roadway
today. on the pavement nearby is a plaque describing the Stanes, paid
for by public subscription.<br />
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<br />
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">What
happened immediately after the execution is not recorded but in the
early 19<sup>th</sup> century there was a folk tradition in large
parts of Europe and the UK that the body of a hanged man, parts of
the scaffold and the rope that hanged him had magical properties,
including the power to heal various ailments. In many parts of
Europe the hangman controlled what happened to the body, the rope and
parts of the scaffold and supplemented their income by selling access
to the body for healing and cutting the rope into portions and
selling it. </span></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Some
criminals would purchase a section of the rope to bring them luck in
their enterprises and a lucky person might be said to have the
hangman’s rope in his pocket. </span></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It
is likely therefore that the executioner did a roaring trade that day
and the crowd did not come purely in order to see two murderers
executed. Today no one claims the remaining sockets have any magical
powers. </span></span>
<br />
<br />
Further on, at the top of the hill is a small roundabout. Going
straight on, down hill now the Hermitage is on the left. At the
entrance is a small coffee house and a bridge over the Braid Burn and
a number of choices of path. Walking along the left bank of the Burn
will take you to the Doocot, an18<sup>th</sup> century dovecote with 2000 nesting boxes
that provided food for the family that owned the Hermitage.<br />
<br />
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<br />
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In
front of the Doocot is a walled garden that has been restored by the
Friends Of The Hermitage Of Braid. Nothing is known about the
historical garden that preceded it. It is likely that the walled
garden was a kitchen garden that supplied nearby Hermitage House with
food.Today it contains a wildlife friendly garden and a mixture of medical and food plants. </span></span>
<br />
<br />
The
simplest and least tiring walk is the left along the right hand bank
of the Burn. There is a third choice of a route along the top of the
crags. Twenty years ago it was a rough unmarked route but today, like
the rest of the Hermitage, it has become gentrified and more refined.
No more pagan rituals at midnight.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2JOPKceOD2K9c15iLwYg2VyKeY7bKiPAYUsM5n0xRHU145sldi8XmKGqjlSh0iesHskKGJd_qqLtaIUzjuUPMhypqYguSjQRRMmaVTh5liEY4zLSA8xd_q-0sqmRFbz_1ZhYaGWUSj7vs/s1600/DSCF6744.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="432" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2JOPKceOD2K9c15iLwYg2VyKeY7bKiPAYUsM5n0xRHU145sldi8XmKGqjlSh0iesHskKGJd_qqLtaIUzjuUPMhypqYguSjQRRMmaVTh5liEY4zLSA8xd_q-0sqmRFbz_1ZhYaGWUSj7vs/s320/DSCF6744.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A dragon in a tree stump ( picture by the author)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="text-decoration: none;">The middle route occupied by
young couples, parents with small children, </span><span style="text-decoration: none;">the
occasional horse rider – </span><span style="text-decoration: none;">there
is a parking place for horses at one point –</span><span style="text-decoration: none;">
and middle aged dog walkers leads past trees disfigured by </span><span style="text-decoration: none;">galls
but thriving. Th</span><span style="text-decoration: none;">e
Hermitage is Designated Ancient Woodland</span><span style="text-decoration: none;">
which means that woodland has covered the site for at least 300
years. Most of the large, mature t</span><span style="text-decoration: none;">r</span><span style="text-decoration: none;">ees
probably date from the early 19th century </span><span style="text-decoration: none;">with</span><span style="text-decoration: none;">
many very old and large specimens scattered throughout the </span><span style="text-decoration: none;">wood</span><span style="text-decoration: none;">
woodland. Many exceed 40m in height, especially those growing in the
valley bottom, which </span><span style="text-decoration: none;">may</span><span style="text-decoration: none;">
make them the tallest trees in Edinburgh. As on Corstorphine Hill
there seem to be a lot of trees and rocks that look like
faces, and occasionally look like something neither tree nor human. Unlike
Corstorphine Hill there are no tales of a ghost in the Hermitage
though at one time an artist donated a long gone wooden sculpture of
a woman </span><span style="text-decoration: none;">with enormous
hands </span><span style="text-decoration: none;">that </span><span style="text-decoration: none;">sat
near the visitor centre and</span><span style="text-decoration: none;">
set the dogs who saw it barking. </span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoeugkPdGJqemNh6fCobWBGoQOIMNXWb3zH4jSCwU-MS2F_TphCBKkqSKXCr7GbQyUeZ_2UdMG7n310J4lhB-ItgGkEmgVDAvEmo_IF3jDeDkaONJSqZc49re7B54GQnRQYUVjY2Wukmn9/s1600/DSCF6770.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="768" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoeugkPdGJqemNh6fCobWBGoQOIMNXWb3zH4jSCwU-MS2F_TphCBKkqSKXCr7GbQyUeZ_2UdMG7n310J4lhB-ItgGkEmgVDAvEmo_IF3jDeDkaONJSqZc49re7B54GQnRQYUVjY2Wukmn9/s320/DSCF6770.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hermitage House today ( picture by the author)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span>
<br />
<span style="text-decoration: none;">Following the middle route one
passes the old stables on the left, which now house the toilets, open
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgxW8XUVP3oUr-05MitMUqnYLbovykOZ4zoeI-NxSWtLgOHxfTMN7bLEuBy0RDEAwS36twYHkrhwRUR1uVjdml5lH0bCjJ9aIhJ-X3ayFEl528ak9WN8yzQhb80sxzDmrq3bXuUJ-a98ep/s1600/DSCF6778.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="768" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgxW8XUVP3oUr-05MitMUqnYLbovykOZ4zoeI-NxSWtLgOHxfTMN7bLEuBy0RDEAwS36twYHkrhwRUR1uVjdml5lH0bCjJ9aIhJ-X3ayFEl528ak9WN8yzQhb80sxzDmrq3bXuUJ-a98ep/s320/DSCF6778.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Ice House ( picture by the author)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
till 4pm and the icehouse on the right. Ice houses were underground
chambers part filled with show, between layers of hay that were used
to preserve food and chill wine for the inhabitants of Hermitage
house, which is now the visitor centre, also open till 4pm. </span><span style="text-decoration: none;">Going
past the house a few hundred yards the trees end and the Braid Hills
appear on the right. There are sets of steps leading to Blackford
Pond and Blackford Hill with its Observatory. On the day I visited I
heard drumming here and </span><span style="text-decoration: none;">found</span><span style="text-decoration: none;">
a group of drummers practicing, </span><span style="text-decoration: none;">perhaps
for the Edinburgh Festival,</span><span style="text-decoration: none;">
just far enough off the path to be invisible to casual observers.
</span><span style="text-decoration: none;">Resting here I saw a
weasel flash across the path.</span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: none;">An alternative is to take the
route to Blackford Pond, which will mean walking back to Morningside
along the road, if you do not want to retrace your footsteps. The
pond has an assortment of </span><span style="text-decoration: none;">birdlife
though much of it tends to avoid people. If lucky you may see a
heron. </span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span>
<br />
<span style="text-decoration: none;">T</span><span style="text-decoration: none;">he
earliest recorded owner of the land, in the 12</span><sup><span style="text-decoration: none;">th</span></sup><span style="text-decoration: none;">
century, was a knight from Flanders named De Brad whose son Henri
became Sheriff of Edinburgh. </span><span style="text-decoration: none;">A
castle now lost but probably located between the Doocot and the
house, stood here till the 18</span><sup><span style="text-decoration: none;">th</span></sup><span style="text-decoration: none;">
century when a lawyer </span><span style="text-decoration: none;">purchased</span><span style="text-decoration: none;">
the </span><span style="text-decoration: none;">estate</span><span style="text-decoration: none;">.
</span><span style="text-decoration: none;">The lawyer commissioned
what is now the visitor centre. A sundial near the house commemorates
the donation of the house to the city for use as a public park in
1937. </span>
<br />
<div style="text-decoration: none;">
<br />
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<br />
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">T</span><span style="text-decoration: none;">here
is no record of a hermit living in or near the Hermitage but in the
middle ages a hermitage was also a term for an informal religious
community and such a community could have given the ermitage its name
(information supplied by The Friends Of The Hermitage Of Braid)</span></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>
</b></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center; text-decoration: none;">
<b>Further reading</b></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<a href="http://www.edinphoto.org.uk/0_STREET/0_street_views_-_braid_road_hanging_stanes.htm">http://www.edinphoto.org.uk/0_STREET/0_street_views_-_braid_road_hanging_stanes.htm</a><span style="text-decoration: none;">
The Hanging Stanes</span></div>
<a href="http://www.stravaiging.com/blog/hermitage-of-braid-and-blackford-hill/">http://www.stravaiging.com/blog/hermitage-of-braid-and-blackford-hill/</a><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
Stravaiging around Scotland: </span></span>Hermitage of Braid and
Blackford Hill<br />
<br />
<div class="page" title="Page 5">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
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<br />
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Executing
Magic in the Modern Era: Criminal Bodies and the Gallows in Popular
Medicine, Owen Davies · Francesca Matteoni, Palgrave Historical
Studies in the Criminal Corpse and its Afterlife, 2017 ISBN
978-3-319-59518-4 ISBN 978-3-319-59519-1 (eBook) </span></span>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669639669180865354.post-775131932732409102016-04-10T12:43:00.000-07:002017-10-01T06:57:50.861-07:00Craigmillar Castle: An overlooked treat. <style type="text/css">P { margin-bottom: 0.21cm; }</style>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM_OIZP1h3ybNpNFs1ng2DsSRTd1r97RkTyjZmwzLP8BXZV3QaVVhKBdcbstNXjflukAg0xJvAJoLExl8cwe8w4OiQC2Sz4kKrLM5sndqxcEtbJyYBU3jBVWDkIVOtTJFi7gqIxVNiQpu0/s1600/0_engraving_-_ma_080_and_b_craigmillar_castle_col.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM_OIZP1h3ybNpNFs1ng2DsSRTd1r97RkTyjZmwzLP8BXZV3QaVVhKBdcbstNXjflukAg0xJvAJoLExl8cwe8w4OiQC2Sz4kKrLM5sndqxcEtbJyYBU3jBVWDkIVOtTJFi7gqIxVNiQpu0/s320/0_engraving_-_ma_080_and_b_craigmillar_castle_col.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Craigmillar Castle as it used to be</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Imagine your home stripped down to bare
brickwork with the floors and roof gone. If you are lucky there may
be a room left with a ceiling. When you visit an old castle this is
basically what you see. Craigmillar Castle, to the South of
Edinburgh, is one of the best preserved late medieval castles in
Scotland which makes it slightly easier to imagine it in its heyday
when the walls would be covered in rugs or boards and the floor
similarly hidden.<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The land on which it stands was given
to monks by a king then taken away by a later king and given to the
Preston family who eventually sold it to the Gilmour family who, when
castles stopped being fashionable, put it out to rent, let it become
a romantic ruin and eventually entrusted it to the care of the state.
Which is why you can now visit it and explore the labyrinth of
remaining rooms and spiral staircases.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>History</b></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwSiI9F3O8ie5paHdaVVaR9YrE-aEANKAeBRuHTN0rU-qjaBOHN0kFlClD6IDrxZaBgvA6kr4TkYkfnVpIazNyopz3cI3hWCbl_UT4d5C8ZHTyA83xb7R4pLRPMFg0Iv34vR8ThdKSkzCI/s1600/DSCF4507.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwSiI9F3O8ie5paHdaVVaR9YrE-aEANKAeBRuHTN0rU-qjaBOHN0kFlClD6IDrxZaBgvA6kr4TkYkfnVpIazNyopz3cI3hWCbl_UT4d5C8ZHTyA83xb7R4pLRPMFg0Iv34vR8ThdKSkzCI/s320/DSCF4507.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Lairds Hall</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
In the 12<sup>th</sup> century, around
the time of the Norman Conquest of England King David I gave the
future site of Craigmillar Castle to the Monks of Dunfermline Abbey.
In 1342 King David II gave two thirds of the lands to the Preston
family, sheriffs or provosts of Edinburgh. In 1374 King Robert II
gave the Prestons the rest of the Land. They then sat on it for a
generation or two before building a tower house on the site. This
takes the story to around 1425 when a charter notes the existence of
the castle ( life was slower those days ). It was the first tower
house castle to be built in Scotland and we can assume the Prestons
were showing off as much as building a secure residence close to the
seat of royal power.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Sir William Preston was a traveler as
well as Laird of Gilmerton and Craigmillar. He returned from France
around 1442 and, possibly inspired by what he had seen in France,
enlarged the castle with a curtain wall. He also brought back the arm
bone of St Giles which he presented to the High Kirk in Edinburgh.
The family kept improving the castle, doubtless at the suggestion of
the current Laird's wife with a chapel dedicated to St Thomas A
Becket appearing around 1523. A fishpond shaped like the letter P (
the Prestons do not seem to have been noted for modesty and humility)
appeared and is now considered a nationally significant
archaeological garden feature. I suspect you did not know gardens
could be archeological features.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The castle was burned down by the
English in 1544 when Henry VIII tried to force a marriage between his
son and Mary Queen of Scots, and was repaired with the domestic
ranges in the courtyard remodelled.
</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiRhb9eKjFCEd2i5dmI-y8cT3tmSHNm9FwugU_4myg8ZwJxsAsKtnYZfMXzdYUeMrUmQsQOBzxTRRUIysEdKiWeSju3S7h4vZzGKQ2NH-yioU74bHUqTfQLOHr9psKdsDn3pXFQQTf2ex6/s1600/0_engraving_-_billings_-_craigmillar_castle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiRhb9eKjFCEd2i5dmI-y8cT3tmSHNm9FwugU_4myg8ZwJxsAsKtnYZfMXzdYUeMrUmQsQOBzxTRRUIysEdKiWeSju3S7h4vZzGKQ2NH-yioU74bHUqTfQLOHr9psKdsDn3pXFQQTf2ex6/s320/0_engraving_-_billings_-_craigmillar_castle.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Lairds Hall in slightly better days</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
In 1660 the Prestons sold the castle to
Sir John Gilmour who rebuilt the range in the west as modern
accommodation when he became a Judge, this being considered more
suitable to his status than an old castle. The Gilmours do not seem
to have been noted for modesty either and doubtless had wives with an
eye for the latest fashion. I had all the modern conveniences:
Drawing room, kitchen, fireplace and a wine cellar. A mere hundred
years later the Gilmours moved to a nearby house at the Inch and the
castle became a romantic ruin by 1775 and a tourist attraction by the
end of the century. Whether there were any souvenir shops or
enterprising locals selling genuine stones from the castle, as
happened with the Berlin Wall, is unclear. In 1880 they spent a lot
of money restoring the castle which queen Victoria visited in 1886.
By this time the castle was open to the public every legally possible
day. In 1946 they entrusted it to state care and it is now
maintained by Historic Scotland.
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiacv1Ak3smUmTJP_CtuOpKImrlynh1iZELBqgwzZe0Jm-7VhJUTjCHDEO9DGqyTjhO7fTpddUBFfZbgDyYtbCYYCUmqG5jK2wAyYivUU4KB9qQa5TaJjP58KKejNSAxHchEKfC8uVPtay6/s1600/DSCF4504.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiacv1Ak3smUmTJP_CtuOpKImrlynh1iZELBqgwzZe0Jm-7VhJUTjCHDEO9DGqyTjhO7fTpddUBFfZbgDyYtbCYYCUmqG5jK2wAyYivUU4KB9qQa5TaJjP58KKejNSAxHchEKfC8uVPtay6/s320/DSCF4504.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Staircase down from the roof</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Mary Queen of Scots</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The Prestons were loyal supporters of
Queen Mary and stayed in the castle on at least two occasions,
probably having here own accommodation in the East Range, not as
tradition would have it, in a room on the second floor. This seems
likely as there does not seem to have been a toilet in that room and
a queen could be expected, like the Laird, to have an en-suite room.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Mary's visits to the castle led to the
area around it being called Little France, because most of her court
were French, a name that persists to this day.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Queen Mary never forgave her husband
Lord Darnley for colluding in the murder of her secretary in March
1556.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
She gave birth to a son, James, a few
months later and was seriously ill in October.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
She came to the castle late November to
recover and plan for James' christening at which time her unhappy
marriage was discussed and Darnley's future was discussed with plans
including annulment or divorce.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Annulment or divorce would have risked
her son being considered illegitimate and she wanted nothing that
would damage her reputation</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The lords allegedly made and signed the
“Craigmillar Bond” a pact stating their intent to kill Darnley.
No copy of this exists and nobody knows if Mary knew of the plot and
pact. Perhaps it was deliberately kept from her.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
In February of 1567, Darnley was ill,
most likely with syphilis. The plan was to bring him to Craigmillar
where Mary would nurse him. But he refused to go and chose to
convalesce in a moderate sized house in a quadrangle attached to the
church called Kirk o’Field within the walls of Edinburgh but on the
outskirts of town.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
On the morning of February 10 his
strangled body and that of his servant was discovered outside the
house which had been blown to bits with gunpowder.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
This act ultimately led to the
abdication of Mary’s Scottish throne and her imprisonment and
execution in England nearly twenty years later. In 1567 she was
abducted, allegedly raped and made to abdicate as Queen of Scotland
in favour of her son. This led to a civil war which she lost.
Eventually she fled to England hoping her cousin Elizabeth would
protect her. In the end Elizabeth had her executed for treason.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Murder and Mysteries</b></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: #ffffff;">In
the early 19th century a secret compartment was found in the basement
prison. Inside, walled up and forgotten, was an upright skeleton.
Who it was remains unclear. Perhaps a nun who had become pregnant or
an inconvenient relative of the Laird, maybe insane. We may never
know. </span></span></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: #ffffff;">Earlier,
in the 15<sup>th</sup> Century James III was constantly challenged by
his brothers John and Alexander. Having been persuaded by an
unscrupulous courtier that they were plotting against him he had
Alexander imprisoned in Edinburgh Castle and John in Craigmillar. </span></span></span>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: #ffffff;">Both
brothers were imprisoned for some time but, the tales go, this did
not satisfy James. He dragged John out of prison and brought him to a
house in Canon gate, and told a physician to 'bleed' him (as was
Medieval practice) to cure some (imaginary) illness. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: #ffffff;"> </span></span></span>
<br />
The 'bleeding' ended in murder. Burly men held down John as the
physician cut John's veins, until he bled to death - dying, quite
literally, in cold blood.
<br />
The murder was designed to look like an accident - but word got
out. To try and quell the rumours, James III set up an inquisition
and burned a number of women as 'witches', for conspiring with poor
John.<br />
<br />
By modern standards, families then, especially royal ones were
dysfunctional even allowing for the requirements of power in a brutal
age.
<br />
<br />
<div align="CENTER">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="background: #ffffff;">Keeping
intruders out </span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="background: #ffffff;"> </span></b></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: #ffffff;">Today
laying mantraps in your house is illegal. When the castle was built
it was essential, if the owner wanted to stay alive. </span></span></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: #ffffff;">The
entrance was at the back of the building which meant intruders had to
walk on the edge of a cliff to get to it. If they made it that far
they would see a raised drawbridge preventing them from leaping in.
If they got past that the defenders had hollowed out a three foot
trench above which was a guard room with “murder holes” that let
defenders pour molten oil or boiling water on the attackers or shoot
arrows at them. </span></span></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: #ffffff;">Basically,
before cannon became common this was about as safe as you could get.
However eventually the English managed to burn it. </span></span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ4ebIGXoD0VkVNXnkYviHNXticYmwm7Pvr-sVBK5zMUDumTntOXb9MSyKbLNN3vug84AgDZpRHOrjzumvF5z6-E7zH2Pl5mqlRerIicJj485G5_-d36K2MiyKsIxoDB75dEChuCa9zkTw/s1600/DSCF4499.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ4ebIGXoD0VkVNXnkYviHNXticYmwm7Pvr-sVBK5zMUDumTntOXb9MSyKbLNN3vug84AgDZpRHOrjzumvF5z6-E7zH2Pl5mqlRerIicJj485G5_-d36K2MiyKsIxoDB75dEChuCa9zkTw/s640/DSCF4499.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from the roof of Craigmillar Castle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: #ffffff;"> </span></span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Getting there and what
to expect</b></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
From Princes St take a bus down the
Dalkeith Road: Look for a bus going to the Royal Infirmary Little
France. At the Royal Infirmary walk back a bit to Craigmillar Castle
Road and walk along that road till you see the castle on the left.
There is a small car park and the Ticket Office is just inside the
gate. You should allow at least 90 minutes to explore the castle.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Signposting inside the castle could be
improved (major understatement alert) even with a guide book to help
and the toilets are often locked. The tower house is a maze of rooms
in which you can easily lose your children or companions. Or
yourself. On a windy day the draught on the roof is likely to blow
you around if you weigh less than 15 stone or have a high centre of
gravity. The view is worth the effort.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
If you have seen all the major
attractions in Edinburgh and want to see more Craigmillar Castle will
form an interesting afternoon excursion. Wear walking shoes.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Recommended.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669639669180865354.post-2014508555407565582015-10-11T15:25:00.002-07:002015-10-11T15:25:33.018-07:00Halloween in Scotland
<style type="text/css">P { margin-bottom: 0.21cm; }</style>
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6QBMp7TKqmgKpVHRDW0B25Kxp9n1WH_Y2SinVO8yvXjWxbZ_gIDjI21VpNvzHpPAwNmivs4-lLYrJNw9gg0FipBsVLxItcLXpgx6iogns4IY-J9vxywqm92ArNAWAvXyurORi3cC4SOxq/s1600/HalloweenWitch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6QBMp7TKqmgKpVHRDW0B25Kxp9n1WH_Y2SinVO8yvXjWxbZ_gIDjI21VpNvzHpPAwNmivs4-lLYrJNw9gg0FipBsVLxItcLXpgx6iogns4IY-J9vxywqm92ArNAWAvXyurORi3cC4SOxq/s1600/HalloweenWitch.jpg" /></a>Halloween the
shortening of All Hallows Eve, is the night where the barrier
between the spirit world and this one becomes extremely thin. It is
a turning point in the year when the spirit of winter begins to
overcome the spirit of summer. If you are lucky Edinburgh's multiple
parks and green spaces are a blaze of defiant colour with a late
summer, called, in less politically correct times, an Indian summer
and one can roam Arthur's Seat and Calton Hill enjoying the warmth
before retreating to a quiet bar and enjoying a whiskey – make it
two. If you are unlucky the trees are bare and the leaves are a wet
mass huddled on the ground. In which case you can spend longer at
the bar and enjoy some of the local beers.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Of course you don't
need to come that late. September, after the festival is a good time,
transport is back to normal and prices have slid back a bit. Everyone
is more relaxed and cheerful. But if you come at Halloween you can
catch the ghost tours, maybe encountering the Greyfriars Poltergeist.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="CENTER" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>History</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
There is debate whether
Halloween is related to the celtic festival of Samhain but to the
dismay of the sort of Christian who believes smiling is a sign of the
presence of Satan, it involves a lot of fun, normally ritually
denounced by such people every year. Ignore them. The first mention
of All Hallows is found in <span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Old
English (</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>ealra
hālgena mæssedæg</i></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">,
mass-day of all saints) but </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>All-Hallows-Even
</i></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">is
itself not seen until 1556, though by old tradition a day starts at
sunset the day before: This is why Orthodox Jews have to be home by
sunset to observe the Sabbath. </span></span></span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Halloween
is typically linked to Samhain (“summers end”) and was the most
important of the quarter days of the medieval calendar. Being the
last day of Autumn (though nature is never that precise at following
human rules) it was a time to prepare for winter. It was also the
time of year when the physical and supernatural worlds were closest
and magical </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">things
could happen. Since the spirits were not friendly at that time of
year (something Mussorgyky used as a theme for </span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Night
on the Bare Mountain</i></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">)
the Gaels protected themselves with huge bonfires and sacrifices. In
the Western Isles of Scotland the Sluagh, or fairy host was regarded
as composed of the souls of the dead flying through the air (like the
Wild Hunt of the Northern Tradition), and the feast of the dead at
Hallowe'en was likewise the festival of the fairies, who, needless to
say, were NOT regarded as sweet six inch tall ballet dancers. </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
Christian Holy days All Saints Day (November 1) and All Souls day
come close enough to Halloween to make it likely these days were
chosen to “Christianise” the festival. Also Guy Fawkes day in
the UK is 5</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><sup><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">th</span></span></sup></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
November, celebrated with Bonfires and could also be times to
coincide with Halloween and mede Halloween less important in England,
but not in Scotland, though research is needed here. It was
traditionally believed that the souls of the dead roamed the world
till until All Saints' Day, and All Hallows' Eve provided one last
chance for the dead to gain vengeance on their enemies before moving
onto the next. As a result Christians would disguise themselves in
masks and costumes, and this has survived as </span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>guising</i></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">.
</span></span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Protestants,
denounced Halloween as papist and contrary to their foul doctrine of
predestination, but the Scottish Kirk was more tolerant and it
survived. By the end of the 19</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><sup><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">th</span></span></sup></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
century however Halloween had become a children's festival. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="CENTER" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Some
traditions</b></span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEvxoRLYBUqDWtFXRWKugP2O0dD7ZgODre4tbNrBPBBhQy_r0FrgMUNlA1n228ywNnL1HgpiKbRo0gTw713AHqgwY-_SSqAaJSVdJ0ZY_y0xnhg4K8G0iykAuTJmZf_uQdBa93iM2QTiMg/s1600/halloween-1350406594OP4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEvxoRLYBUqDWtFXRWKugP2O0dD7ZgODre4tbNrBPBBhQy_r0FrgMUNlA1n228ywNnL1HgpiKbRo0gTw713AHqgwY-_SSqAaJSVdJ0ZY_y0xnhg4K8G0iykAuTJmZf_uQdBa93iM2QTiMg/s320/halloween-1350406594OP4.jpg" width="226" /></a><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
guisers would dress up to avoid recognition by evil spirits, or
perhaps to avoid being seen by them, or simply as a way of letting
themselves go wild hoping they would not be recognised. A tradition
of giving guisers small gifts as sacrifices to placate evil spirits
grew up and perhaps became trick or treat. Long before "trick or
treat" though, children went round the houses and had to
perform a poem or a song or tell jokes before receiving nuts, apples
or sweets (candies). In recent years, concern about child safety has
reduced the amount of "guising" and the children who do go
out seem to think they should get something without having to do a
"party piece".</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Candles
and Lanterns were used to keep the dead away from the living, and in
Scotland Turnip lanterns were used (well it was a poor country and
you could eat the insides) but later pumpkins (squash to American
readers ) became more popular. Placing lanterns, whether made from
Turnips or pumpkins round the house continues a tradition of putting
skulls outside an encampment to scare evil spirits. Dressing up is
more acceptable now it is largely children who dress up, though last
year we recall adults in Vampire and other costumes walking (not
crawling) from bar to bar. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwnZtbdBPn0ej4EBRTSFy-NKFrFdusni-WKKBjuc8gizKmOt6Bt-_ZjQhyphenhyphen4YXD4vCQrKnKILXRVzSU9-Lxzxx6rpAY7DEBcJ5FKrL4aXetMcq4fNqKZViUFQpTSk-NWwTjILg9dwHPCKPi/s1600/Halloween04_Lanterns.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwnZtbdBPn0ej4EBRTSFy-NKFrFdusni-WKKBjuc8gizKmOt6Bt-_ZjQhyphenhyphen4YXD4vCQrKnKILXRVzSU9-Lxzxx6rpAY7DEBcJ5FKrL4aXetMcq4fNqKZViUFQpTSk-NWwTjILg9dwHPCKPi/s1600/Halloween04_Lanterns.jpeg" /></a><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ducking
for Apples, apples being sacred to the druids, being the fruit that
kept the Norse gods from ageing and being commonly considered the
fruit of the tree of knowledge, involves removing an apple from a
bowl of water without using your hands. Much could be made of the
symbology of the Apple, but that is a story for another day and
place.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;">We st<span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;">ill hav<span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;">e some accommodat<span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;">ion for Halloween<a href="http://www.badjao.co.uk/" target="_blank"> but better book <span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;">fast</span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"> </span></span></span></span> </span></span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669639669180865354.post-79596160217063681882015-08-02T14:21:00.000-07:002015-08-02T14:25:03.490-07:00Tanfield Hall and the Great Disruption<style type="text/css">P { margin-bottom: 0.21cm; }A:link { }</style>
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
One bus or a gentle 30
minute walk from Princes St along Hanover Street and down Dundas
street will, by virtue of a right bend followed by a left bend at the
bottom take you to Edinburgh's Botanical Gardens. On the way you
cross the Water of Leith at Brandon Terrace. Just behind the Water of
Leith here is the unjustly architecturally acclaimed office
complex of Tanfield, a mass of glass and steel surrounded by a garden
and bordered by the Water of Leith.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Should you decide to
shed your inhibitions about entering the grounds and walk round the
garden you may notice the contrast between the modern building and
the obviously old stone walls surrounding it and wonder what was
there before. You would not guess that Tanfield is the site of about
the only thing of interest that ever happened in the area.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Tanfield and its
surrounds in Canonmills are, like Cramond, and Newhaven, a place
where nothing happens and tends to keep on happening for a long time.
Indeed only one thing of note seems to have happened around there and
that was the schism of 1843 known as the Great Disruption, when many
ministers resigned their livings and and left their parishioners in
order to found the Free Church of Scotland.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Background
to the Great Disruption of 1843</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The background to this
is as simple as these things can be.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Church and state have
had a mixed relationship since the Middle Ages, if not earlier.
Seneca the younger is alleged to have said of Religion
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
“<i>The ignorant
consider it true, the educated consider it false and the rulers
consider it useful” </i>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
and the rulers have always tried to keep control of such a useful
tool. Thomas A Beckett was, for example, killed when he began to
criticise the monarchy, though most rulers, in Britain at least,
preferred to seduce religion and make it part of the Establishment.
Henry VIII was the last English ruler to use force to bring the
Church under state control after which spiritual leaders rapidly
became part of the Establishment and are in Westminster as the Lords
Spiritual.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The Church of Scotland
had always claimed the right to manage its own affairs and
parliamentary and royal interference had been abolished since the
1707 Act of Union. However wealthy patrons could still install a
minister into a parish against the wishes of the congregation. The
Church regarded this as unacceptable interference, while others
regarded is as a matter of property under the jurisdiction of the
state. This Right of Patronage had briefly been abolished but
restored in 1712. Efforts to abolish it were blocked by the moderate
members of the church till they lost control in 1834. The Church then
passed an act allowing parishes to refuse a patron's nomination. And
later in 1834, as was inevitable, one did and, as was inevitable, the
minister concerned went to court.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Not only did the court
rule that the Church had exceeded its powers but also that the Church
was creation of the state and derived its legitimacy from an act of
parliament. You can imagine how the Church liked THAT. The conflict
rumbled on till 1843 when Parliament rejected a compromise proposed
by the Church.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>The
Disruption</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
On 18<sup>th</sup> May
1843 the Church Split and nearly 200 of the assembly declared UDI and
walked out then down to Tanfield Hall in Canonmills where,
inevitably, they held a meeting. This was the start of the Free
Church of Scotland. The ministers who walked out sacrificed their
livings and income. They had to build a church from Scratch. There
were tearful partings and in some parishes most of the congregation
followed the minster into the new church.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
After that the
politics got complicated with the Free Church splintering into
subgroups and a union with others. It is not clear whether it was
like Monty Python's Life of Brian where the main enemy of the Judean
Peoples front was not the Romans but the People's front of Judea. By
1900 the situation had more or less settled down and by 1929
Parliament had conceded enough to allow the Free Church and the
Church of Scotland to reunite.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Apart from that little
or nothing seems to have happened to Tanfield, or if it did it is
still to be dug up by local historians. All that is left of Tanfield
Hall is the walls round the present glass and steel structure. Even
pictures of it are rare, though this one
(<a href="http://www.edinphoto.org.uk/0_eng_one_3/0_engraving_-_one_3_089_tanfield_hall.htm">http://www.edinphoto.org.uk/0_eng_one_3/0_engraving_-_one_3_089_tanfield_hall.htm</a>
) shows it as rather more interesting than the present structure.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669639669180865354.post-51712158872809277572013-09-14T10:24:00.000-07:002013-09-14T10:24:05.331-07:00The Ghost of 25 Regent Terrace<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Regent Terrace is a Georgian block of buildings in the New Town,
not far from Edinburgh's Faerie Hill,<a href="http://therealbadjao.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/calton-hill-edinburghs-faerie-hill-and.html" target="_blank"> Calton Hill</a> and between London
Road and Holyrood Park. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> In 1979 No 25a was subject to a fairly
classical poltergeist infestation which, unlike the Mackenzie
Poltergeist, does not seem to have persisted.
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<div align="CENTER" style="widows: 4;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">The Haunting</span></b></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">In June 1979, the same year the late and unlamented (except by
her family ) Margaret Thatcher came to power in England 25a Regent
Terrace caught a poltergeist infection, described in Fortean Times 55
(Autumn 1990) by Bill Gibbons, who was also a member of the 1996
expedition to the Congo in search of a rumoured dinosaur survival
known as Mokele Mbembe. Coincidentally I moved into Edinburgh the
year his article appeared.
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">In June 1979 Bill had been discharged from the Army on medical
grounds and was sharing 25a Regent Terrace with three friends. At
that time the streets were not very different from what they were in
the 19<sup>th</sup> Century and earlier. The flat was in reasonable
condition for Edinburgh student accommodation at that time, a dingy
basement flat with bars on all the windows, rising damp on the walls
and creaky floorboards: many had worse. It wold have been
comfortable with two people living there but not four.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Bill immediately noted the cold atmosphere and an atmosphere of
gloom in the place and, when left alone in the flat, he had the sense
of another presence. In the kitchen he started to fill a kettle to
make tea when a voice close to his right ear barked “yes?”. After
jumping and finding no one was there he searched the flat for
practical jokers and found only the cat under the sink with claws
drawn and hackles raised. The voice could have been an auditory
hallucination, but the feline reaction suggests a genuine presence.
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">A week later he told a flatmate about the voice, The flatmate
called down to the kitchen to ask his girlfriend to put the kettle
on for tea and a voice, not that of the girlfriend, answered “Yes?”.
When they reached the kitchen they found it empty. Soon after the
front door opened and the girlfriend walked in. The students had
moved in in March 1979 and been kept awake by strange noises, most
commonly the sound of a baby crying that would reverberate through
the flat getting louder and louder and suddenly stop. Sometimes there
would be the sound of heavy breathing and objects would vanish an
reappear in odd places (some people attribute this sort of vanishing
to pixies and recommend asking them politely to give the missing
items back). In one case a watch vanished from a bedside table and
reappeared two days later in a biscuit tin kept in the pantry.
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">After a while all three beds in the house were moved into a one
room the three young men were nervously sharing. One night a warm
furry animal jumped onto one bed and the student began stroking it
and talking to it. When asked to stop talking to himself he said he
was talking to the cat, at which point the others each claimed the
cat was on THEIR bed, as did a friend staying the night. When the
friend switched the light on the room was catless. The same entity
visited Bill one night prompting a check for rats, and a week later
one of the others woke about 5am and found themselves unable to
move, at which point the bed began to vibrate alarmingly and
something heavy and furry leaped onto the bed and crept up towards
the man. Suddenly the vibration stopped and the thing vanished: as
much as anything evident to other senses but not seen CAN vanish.
The cat, incidentally was on the outside of the living room window
with teeth bared and claws drawn. It refused to enter the flat for
days.
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The next night before sleeping they locked the door to the room
and put a stout chair against it. Then they heard heavy footsteps
approach the door. They stopped, the hendle began to turn and the
door bent inwards as if pushed by something very strong. This
happened three times. The footsteps then retreated and they heard the
kitchen door open and shut with a slam. One of the men had decided
to sleep in the kitchen and one night he and his girlfriend saw the
kitchen door glide open, despite the fact the kitchen door was hard
to open because of a thick carpet. It then closed and opened again.
When the man got out of bed to lock the door it slammed shut.
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Eventually they held a séance where they contacted a French
Trader and later time traveller from the future who wanted release
from the 20<sup>th</sup> century. When one of the group made a joking
remark the glass shot across the table and fell over. After that the
lights went out, two of them men found themselves wrestling on the
floor while the other three found the kitchen door would not open.
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">About 2am that morning there was a tremendous crash from the
kitchen and the sound of the kitchen table being dragged across the
room and objects being thrown around. After ten minutes the sound
stopped. The following morning they found nothing was out of place in
the kitchen
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Three of the flatmates moved out but Bill, being curious, arranged
to share a room with a young chef at the top of the house. One night
something cold and furry grabbed his wrist as he was about to put the
light on. He ran up the stairs and, looking over the banister, saw
two slitted yellow eyes staring at him out of the darkness.
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">A couple of weeks later he left the flat.
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<div align="CENTER" style="widows: 4;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Speculations</span></b></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">On the face of it this is more or less a standard poltergeist
case, with no mystery fires or pools of water involved. The voice is
unusual and contacting a time traveller from the future suggests
someone's unconscious was playing tricks. The infestation seems to
have started gnetly, as these things do and become more and more
extreme, again typical of poltergeists.
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">But thinking of <a href="http://mysteryandmagickplus.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/ritual-reenactment-morphic-resonance.html" target="_blank">Sabot's experiments recreating an American CivilWar soundscape</a> and hearing anomalous voices at a roll call perhaps
this was a case of creating a poltergeist by playing out standard
culturally defined roles expected when a poltergeist occurs. But in
that case, the cat would have been likely to remain unimpressed
unless a real entity had been created.
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Another unusual element is the two slitted eyes seen on the
stairwell. Hennessy believes Edinburgh to be built on a system of
caverns inhabited by an alien race and cites tales of reptilian
creatures being encountered in underground cellars. But this
creature was cold and furry not scaly and green, so the notion that
Regent Terrace harboured or harbours an entrance to this underground
world does not quite fit the facts either.
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">As a teenager my parents home suffered the vibrating bed syndrome
and my parents had a phantom cat would walk up the bed, the real cats
moving aside for it. I cannot dismiss this case with a mundane
explanation</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<div align="CENTER" style="widows: 4;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">The Wrap</span></b></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Like the <a href="http://therealbadjao.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/the-mackenzie-poltergeist.html" target="_blank">Mackenzie Poltergeist</a> this case defies easy explanation.
After all this time no explanation is likely to be found, but the
events may shed light on other cases. In the spirit (!) of
speculation, perhaps a member of a tribe of extraterrestrial
werewolves (vegetarian since Bill survived) decided to play pranks on
the group and projected the voices. I suspect the truth, if it is
ever found, to be stranger than that.</span><br />
<div>
<span style="background-color: #fb5e53; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 12px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<br />
<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669639669180865354.post-38923886973901269792013-09-06T13:13:00.000-07:002013-09-06T13:13:11.325-07:00Rosslyn Chappel. Not your grandad's Holy Grail<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Just seven miles
and a long bus ride from the centre of Edinburgh Rosslyn Chapel has
been associated with the Templars and Freemasons, part of Dan Brown's
<i>Da Vinci Code</i> was set there and it pops up in Ian Rankin's
Rebus novel <i>Set in Darkness</i>. The temple is said to house
secrets and <span style="color: black;">There is on record a letter from
Mary Queen of Scots sent to the Edinburgh City hierarchy that
promises never to reveal the secret that she was shown at Rosslyn
[1].</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div align="CENTER" style="widows: 4;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Rosslyn
Chapel Timeline</b></span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In 1446 William
Sinclair, the first Earl of Caithness, got Papal Permission to found
a chapel here and an endowment was set up to pay for the upkeep of
the staff for ever. He had cottages for the workmen built and
started building the chapel 10 years later following standard
medieval plans. It was intended to be cruciform but after the
founder died in 1484 work ceased after the choir was built. In
1571 as part of the reformation the Endowments were seized and the
altars destroyed in 1592. in 1650 Cromwell took the castle and used
the chapel as a stable. In 1726 James Sinclair made an effort to
repair the chapel. By the late 18<sup>th</sup> century the chapel
became a magnet for poets and artists. In 1830 Dorothy Wordsworth
declared the chapel was beautiful and in 1842 Queen Victoria said she
wanted it preserved for the country. In 1862 it was reconsecrated as
a protestant church and conservation work began in the 1950s. In 2003
Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code sparked an interest in the chapel and the
mysteries or “mysteries” associated with it. </span></span>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div align="CENTER" style="widows: 4;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The
Apprentice Pillar</b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">There are three
pillars in the chapel originally called the Earl's Pillar, the
Shekinah ( meaning the dwelling of god [2] ) and the Princes Pillar.
Since the late Georgian Period they have been known as the Master
Pillar, the Journeyman Pillar and the Apprentice pillar, allegedly so
called because, in an 18<sup>th</sup> century legend it was carved by
an apprentice who surpassed his master and was killed by the master
in a fit of rage. It is also called the Princes Pillar in <i>An
Account of the Chapel of Rosslyn</i> published in 1778. Its general
form was described by one architect as that of a bunch of sausages. </span></span>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Henning Klovekorn
suggested the pillar represents the Norse World Tree Yggdrasil,
citing the carved foliage at the top of the tree, the dragons at the
base, similar to the dragon Nidhogg who gnaws at the root of the
world tree and other references to Celtic and Norse mythology. It
may also be a symbolic representation of a generic world tree that
appears in mythology other than that of the Scandinavian countries,
but these are speculative theories, possibly untestable, and do not
explain why the Apprentice pillar rather then one of the two other
pillars was chosen for this role: if it was. </span></span>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div align="CENTER" style="widows: 4;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The
Green Man</b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Green Man is
a type of sculpture found in various places in Europe, of a human
head with greenery all over it , sometimes growing out of its mouth.
They are believed to be a pre-christian symbol of fertility and
renewal. The one shown in Wikipedia's Rosslyn Chapel page differs
from most in having an appearance of malevolence and being more like
a demon with a gag in its mouth. There are over 110 Green Man
carvings in the Chapel so at the very least, it was a popular theme
with the masons who carved it.</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Another possible
explanation for the Green Man in the Chapel is related to the Celtic
cult of the head, with the head being a guardian of the building,
just as the head of the god Bran is allegedly buried under the Tower
of London protecting the country from invasion. </span></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<div align="CENTER" style="widows: 4;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The
Beehive</b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jackdaws nesting
in the rooftop pinnacles made them unstable (I think I don't want to
know) and the pinnacles had to be dismantled brick by brick for
renovation. During this work in 2010 an abandoned chamber made
especially to harbour bees was discovered and sent to local
beekeepers to identify.</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bees play a role
in many mythologies and in folklore. In Ancient Greece Apollo gave
Hermes the Bee maidens, who sometimes prophesied true and sometimes
false. In British Folklore it was a custom to tell the bees when the
master of the house died, and in Finland a bee plays a role in the
Kalevala [3] and the Bible tells the tale of Samson killing a lion
then finding bees breeding in the carcase. </span></span>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The appearance of
the bees in ancient myths suggests the chamber may have been carved
for mystical or magical reasons and its very existence may have been
deliberately hidden from those paying for the building of the Chapel.
It seems not to have been intended as a source of honey and the bees
entered through a hole in a carved flower. The reason for building it
may never be known, bit it ins interesting that, according to
Henessy.</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
“<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: black;">There
is a strong cultural link between secret societies such as the
Templars and Masons and the ancient insectoid ET's.</span></i></span></span><br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>For
example one of the symbols of the Merovingian bloodline, of the
secret Templar families is the golden bee. The Order of the Golden
Bee was patronised by both Napoleon and the Earl of Rosslyn. It's
also true that little ET's such as Kobolds can be found on Templar
tapestries.</i></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><i>The
beehive is also featured in many Masonic illustrations.</i></span><i>”</i></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-style: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">While
Hennesy's work refers to a lot of interesting facts and anecdotes
and must be treated with caution, the snippet on the Order of the
Golden Bee is..... interesting. </span></span>
</div>
<br />
<br />
<div align="CENTER" style="widows: 4;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Modern
Mythology </b></span></span>
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="widows: 4;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hennessy [1]
notes that Rosslyn Castle and Chapel are only a mile from Hawthornden
Castle, now owned by Heinz Foods and linked to the chapel by a
tunnel. He notes the Hawthorn is, in Celtic lands, symbolic of the
Fairy folk, who often live underground. There is a 19<sup>th</sup>
Century legend of a Piper who was sent down a tunnel at Rosslyn
Castle and played his pipes as he walked. The pipes suddenly fell
silent and he was never seen again. This sort of legend is not
uncommon and in most cases, when investigated, the tunnels in
question were found to go only a few yards.</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Chapel is
popularly linked to the Templars, who were dissolved about 100 years
before the Chapel was built and the Masons, who did not exist till
about 200 years later. There is no proven link between the Chapel and
the Masons, though the Sinclairs later became the Grandmasters of
Scottish Masonry</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Moving to the
present day Hennessy catalogues a lot of data to bolster his theory
that the area is a hive (bees again) of activity for insectoid aliens
living in the caverns under the Lothians. What you make of his
theory is up to you but the stories he recounts are interesting
though open to other interpretations. </span></span>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div align="CENTER" style="widows: 4;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The
Wrap</b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Even if you
discount the mythical aura that has built up round the Chapel the
architecture and symbolism of the carvings is fascinating and the
building is well worth a visit. It is a fairly long bus ride from the
city centre and the last bus back is around 8pm on a week day and
earlier at Weekends: it may not run at all on a Sunday by the time
you read this. Check the times of the last buses back when planning
your visit. It is easer to reach by car from Badjao Bed and
Breakfast. </span></span>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">[1] <i>Turning
the tide</i>: Andrew Hennesey.</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">[2]
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shekhinah">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shekhinah</a>
The Shekhinah</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">[3]
<a href="http://alexk2009.hubpages.com/_aayawa/hub/Bees-in-myths-and-legends">http://alexk2009.hubpages.com/_aayawa/hub/Bees-in-myths-and-legends</a>
Bee Myth and Legend</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669639669180865354.post-21262687267867890472013-08-29T08:36:00.004-07:002013-08-29T08:36:26.853-07:00Some mysteries in and around Edinburgh. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">According to
Andrew Hennessy [1] <span style="color: black;">Edinburgh has the historic
provenance to be a place where magical ideas and strange beings
create strange works. </span>Apart from the famous hauntings on the
Edinburgh Tourist Trail: <a href="http://therealbadjao.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/the-mackenzie-poltergeist.html" target="_blank">The Mackenzie Poltergeis</a>t, t<a href="http://therealbadjao.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/the-niddry-street-vaults-perhaps.html" target="_blank">he ghosts ofthe Vaults</a> and<a href="http://therealbadjao.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/mary-kings-close-religious-mania-and.html" target="_blank"> Mary Kings Clos</a>e Edinburgh and the Lothians have an
undercurrent of the strange including a history of strange beings
from the Sidhe to ET. While some of the sightings of UFOs, and other
creatures, may have been due to Marsh Gas or industrial air
pollution alcohol is not a likely cause, for not only are Scots hardy
drinkers, but when drunk you happily spend hours talking to a pink
elephant or a walking skeleton and notice nothing amiss, though
having said that I recall an English friend long ago who, after 17
vodkas, insisted a tree branch waving in the wind was a horse. </span></span>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The strangeness
in and around Edinburgh may be a result of its location or the
caverns that lie under much of the Lothians. Either way it is there
if you look. </span></span>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div align="CENTER" style="widows: 4;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>A
Female Scottish Rip Van Winkel </b></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sometime in the
18<sup>th</sup> century two lovers once went into the hills at
Innerleithen, south of Edinburgh, to paly hide and seek. The girl hid
in a case were she found a door that led into a strange land fill of
people who drove around in horseless carriages and had cities with
domes and spires. She had a great time there and then remembered her
lover and returned to our world. But in our world 50 years had
passed. Her lover had given up waiting and returned without her: he
had been accused of her murder and hanged. </span></span>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This story could
perhaps have been inspired by the Dutch tale of Rip Van Winkel but
has the element common to tales of encounters with fairies that a
short time there is a long time here, and, without the time dilation
element, is reminiscent of the tale of the Fairy Boy of Leith, from
around the same period. </span></span>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The notion of
underground civilisations is widespread, to the extent of being an
archetypal image, perhaps most famously in Bulwer-Lytton's book <i>The
Coming Race</i> and Shavers tales of Deros and Teros. Jung records
visions of descending into the basement of his house and finding a
trapdoor in the basement that led to deeper levels. </span></span>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div align="CENTER" style="widows: 4;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The
Fairy Boy of Leith</b></span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; page-break-inside: avoid;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Calton
Hill is a strange place, the highest points having an air of
isolation from the world. I recall reading it was used for the Lord
of Misrule ceremonies in Edinburgh and it is now the site of the
annual Beltane Festival.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; page-break-inside: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; page-break-inside: avoid;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Around
1648 a captain Burton, met an unusually intelligent ten year old boy
who claimed that every Thursday night he would go to a hill, presumed
to be Calton Hill, and, enter underground rooms through a pair of
gates invisible to all without fairy sight where he would play the
drum for a large assembly of people. His account is more like the
accounts of a medieval Witches Sabbat without the diabolic element:
and lacks the time lapse element of Faerie encounters, where a night
in Faerie can be decades in this world. However it is possible there
are caverns under the hill, for there are caverns, now sealed off,
under Arthur's seat, and an entire Lothian cavern system. I recall
reading that the last sighting of the fairies in Edinburgh was on
Calton Hill in 1930, the year the Calton Jail, formerly on the hill,
was demolished. Perhaps they did not like the noise.</span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="CENTER" style="widows: 4;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Crichton
Castle</b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">At the head of
the River Tyne near the village of the same name and two mile east
of Gorebridge, which is accessible by bus from the centre of
Edinburgh, stands the ruined Crichton Castle, parts of which date
from the 15<sup>th</sup> century. In 1568 the castle was given to the
Earl of Bothwell who was later accused of witchcraft and fled the
country. Crichton Castle stands on the edge of a vast cavern system
that stretches as far as the Pentland Hills. <span style="color: black;">Around
the Lothian cavern system edges are place names and villages such as
'Elvingstone' and 'Elphinstone' and 'Goblin Halls' in an area about
1000 square miles.</span> </span></span>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">To the south of
the castle is a building said to be haunted by the ghost of William
Crichton, who died in 1453.</span></span><br />
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">One
midsummer's night around 1970, two people from Gorebridge decided to
carry out a Wiccan ritual in the Churchyard next to Crichton Castle,
daring the wrath of the Blue Lady, allegedly the ghost of a
distressed Nun.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Under
a full moon on the stroke of midnight they looked up from what they
were doing towards the path that led all the way down to Crichton
Castle. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">They
saw a silent procession of fine ladies and gentlemen all in black
evening gowns and dinner suits filing past the Churchyard gate on its
way down the castle road. The two sat there totally struck dumb. When
the parade reached the castle, they started quickly walking away back
to the road, noticing with increasing alarm that there were no cars
or coaches parked by the roadside.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">There
is a tradition in Scotland of the midsummer 'Faerie parade' usually
told in terms of medieval symbols, such as Knights and Dames e.g. as
in 'the Ballad of Tam Linn.' and this seems to have been a version
in more modern clothing. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">In
the 19</span><span style="color: black;"><sup>th</sup></span><span style="color: black;">
century theosophist CW Leadbeater wrote in his book 'The Hidden Side
of Things' of Faerie tribes in the Pentland Hills to the west of
Edinburgh at Flotterstone. It is hard to believe a large tribe of
any sort of being could hide in these caverns, but the existence of
an entire subterranean city in Edinurgh's Niddrie Street Vaults for
decades means the possibility cannot be ruled out. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="widows: 4;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black;">The
Wrap</span></b></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-weight: normal; widows: 8;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">Edinburgh
is a bustling city built on seven hills and a cavern system that
holds many mysteries. The tales here only scratch the surface and
there is much more to tell. The Lothian Cavern system may or may
not hold a community of strange beings but, as I hope to show later,
they hold interest for the student of anomalies, whether Ufologist,
psychic researcher, conspiracy buff, sociologist or anthropologist. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
<br /></div>
This post was sponsored by the <a href="http://www.badjao.co.uk/" target="_blank">Badjao Bed and Breakfast,</a> who now have an online booking system accessible from their website using the Book Now button which also allows guests to check for availability. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">[1]
<span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.whale.to/b/hennessey1.html" target="_blank">Andrew Hennessy on Haunted Edinburgh and the Lothians</a></span></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669639669180865354.post-73705594576677386272013-08-17T05:30:00.001-07:002013-08-17T05:31:56.484-07:00More about Edinburgh's Giant Pandas<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_4D-05ahyphenhyphencfHJjn0nF7gcKt2tBoMSnjs2gVyM_jyk733b2bN_-Q_toytjWee4ZjbMSpGC5ScYrQOADgl1SskU765K4a0HWbR_ZonEgomE1Wg-yn0W8grVwxBa79R_w6OHACftTA76XfeM/s1600/Panda+Eating+02.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_4D-05ahyphenhyphencfHJjn0nF7gcKt2tBoMSnjs2gVyM_jyk733b2bN_-Q_toytjWee4ZjbMSpGC5ScYrQOADgl1SskU765K4a0HWbR_ZonEgomE1Wg-yn0W8grVwxBa79R_w6OHACftTA76XfeM/s320/Panda+Eating+02.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I saw someone looked like him <br />
eating a baguette in a pub </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Humans seem to find pandas attractive because of their habit of
sitting upright, with their hind legs in front of them, eating
bamboo which they hold in their paws with the help of a modified
bone that acts like a thumb. The round face and warm fur coat also
help raise their attractiveness.<br />
<br />
<br />
The news that one of the Giant Pandas rented to Edinburgh Zoo
might be pregnant raised a flurry of interest recently. They are
big, cute and endangered. Unfortunately for the romantics who assign
human motives to animals, if Tian Tian is pregnant it will be the
result of artificial insemination (the pandas have separate
bedrooms... err enclosures and Tian Tian “showed signs that were
not conducive to mating- yes they get headaches too!).
<br />
<br />
<br />
The zoo already strictly regulates <a href="http://www.edinburghzoo.org.uk/visiting/panda.html" target="_blank">panda viewing</a> while trying to avoid the Kit-Kat panda syndrome. If a cub arrives the resulting boost in visitors might make it
necessary to register your child at conception to ensure they can
see a giant panda. However September when the Festival is over and
visitor numbers drop would be a good time to visit.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div align="CENTER" style="widows: 4;">
<b>Where did the panda get its
name?</b></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="widows: 4;">
<b><br /></b></div>
Nobody is sure why they are called Pandas, though in the UK they
gave their name to a type of pedestrian crossing and the old
fashioned black and white police car. One possibility is the
Nepalese word <i>Ponya</i> which may refer to their “thumb”.
Chinese records generally refer to the panda as a some form of bear.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div align="CENTER" style="widows: 4;">
<b>Panda Facts</b></div>
<br />
<br />
The Giant Panda is sometimes considered to be a living Fossil,
like the Coelocanth and its status as an endangered species reliant
on conservation to survive strengthens that impression. The panda
is a bear and its nearest relative is the South American spectacles
bear. The commonest species of Giant Panda is black and white (ebony
and ivory) though on subspecies is brown and white, which may be
good camouflage in its native environment, which consists of snow and
rocks.<br />
<br />
<br />
The panda largely eats bamboo which it holds using is “thumb”
and since each species of bamboo dies off for the winter at different
times it needs to be able to access at least two of the 25 species it
eats. It eats 20-30 pounds of bamboo a day, needing to eat this
much because it still has the digestive system of a carnivore and
gets little value from the bamboo it eats. As result it produces
vast amounts of fertiliser ( allowing more bamboo to grow), though it
seems Edinburgh Zoo does not yet bag and sell it to souvenir hunters
or gardeners. Since its food does not give it a lot of energy the
panda avoids unenecessary activity and tends to be a solitary animal.
It also avoids areas with steep slopes. It is large because a large
body means a low surface area to volume ratio and that in turn allows
it to have a less active metabolism that allows it to survive on
bamboo, and its round face is the result of its powerful jaws needed
to crush the bamboo. It will also eat meat, fish and eggs when these
are available.
<br />
<br />
<br />
Pandas are solitary and adults have their own terittory while
females, like human females, do not tolerate other females on their
territory. After mating the male leaves the female to raise the cubs
alone. This is another trait shared with humans. Although generally
docile the panda has been known to attack humans though this may be a
result of irritation not aggression.
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div align="CENTER" style="widows: 4;">
<b>Pandas and humans.</b></div>
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs28XlsUKwexE_1ZOHKYysaAqhm-MCg3FqpQHjuGJdFwr98ihw5S25ShN-BuDn_HT14Q4DrLF3zfy3rzZiwWenYOMLIaEHBlsVLDWSXeWtsOQY6QryRnjb16FKJ_no8mCT9oXS_0AMcnJh/s1600/Panda+Engraving.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs28XlsUKwexE_1ZOHKYysaAqhm-MCg3FqpQHjuGJdFwr98ihw5S25ShN-BuDn_HT14Q4DrLF3zfy3rzZiwWenYOMLIaEHBlsVLDWSXeWtsOQY6QryRnjb16FKJ_no8mCT9oXS_0AMcnJh/s1600/Panda+Engraving.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They are slimmer in the wild</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Pandas used to be considered rare and noble creatures but were
rarely considered to have medical uses (unlike the rhinoceros) though
its urine was recommended for dissolving accidentally swallowed
needles and tea fertilised by panda dung, as well as being the most
expensive in the West has been touted as healthy, if only by those
selling it. There are tantalising accounts in Chinese records of
animals that might be pandas but no pictures of pandas before the
20<sup>th</sup> century.
<br />
<br />
<br />
The first live Panda was seen in the West in 1916 and Theodore
Roosevelt Jr was the first Westerner to shoot one in the 1920s with
the first live Panda reaching London in 1938.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div align="CENTER" style="widows: 4;">
<b>The Wrap</b></div>
<br />
<br />
The Panda is an interesting animal and its thumb and habit of
sitting upright while eating endear it to humans. Its range has
shrunk from a large part of SE Asia to a few mountain regions in
China, a lot of this being the result of human destruction of its
hbitat for farming, forestry and other purposes. As would humans
they lose a lot of interest in mating once in captivity, though they
seem to breed well in the wild. Estimates of the wild panda
population have risen recently and it seems that while still
endangered they are less in danger than before.
<br />
<br />
<br />
Edinburgh Zoo is celebrating its centenary year in 2013 and a
Panda cub would be a nice addition to the year. It is only a short
drive from the Bed and Breakfast, and as I said above, it is perhaps
best visited in the off-season. Remember there are more than Pandas
there and try to stay for the Penguin Parade.
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669639669180865354.post-74749365630561161042013-08-02T17:19:00.002-07:002013-08-02T17:19:35.687-07:00Golf: from China to Edinburgh via Amsterdam<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXB-ohLZ6FjJEedVsX2WmKJVf9PqcF-GXXcVoNyRRsQxRngnZMFgh7ma3WPFvnUCAW8p30i0tgFZ-W5hoWnGmpOzsa9I7eAhgmb77gEJ93zH4FZc9ka0VS-AZX8lXsYAC5cHCmx-xBUc2X/s1600/puttinggreengolf.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXB-ohLZ6FjJEedVsX2WmKJVf9PqcF-GXXcVoNyRRsQxRngnZMFgh7ma3WPFvnUCAW8p30i0tgFZ-W5hoWnGmpOzsa9I7eAhgmb77gEJ93zH4FZc9ka0VS-AZX8lXsYAC5cHCmx-xBUc2X/s1600/puttinggreengolf.jpeg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Golf is
fascinating even for non players like myself, and the history of Golf
in Edinburgh is linked to royalty and the professions but was originally played by rich and poor alike. Despite its
long history in Scotland, the game only started evolving towards its modern form in the middle of the 18<sup>th</sup> century, the
development of golf being driven partly by its increasing popularity
and increasing expense. </span></span>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you come to
Edinburgh to play golf (September onward, after the distractions of
the Edinburgh festival are over and visitor fees may be cheaper and accommodation is definitely cheaper) you
will find a range of courses to suit all levels of interest and
ability. Knowing something of the history of the sport, if not the
actual course you are playing should lend a bit of spice to your
game. And if you come from Japan you may find a week's golf in
Edinburgh costs less than a day on your local course.</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div align="CENTER" style="widows: 4;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Golf
Came from China</b></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioqr6eXnZ1hl1ogbSKs1u_Zoourvbe3WFMLvZoa583PqdYD0VR4x6mft-gPfjr5qUfMg2OA7Mh_f0q7nkQfH7DHG4OLZK1Jnt3A4yJu6V8l8qQbxfWx2Psf55p-J_J1qXzaG3IPy_eF5yF/s1600/GolfingPanda.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioqr6eXnZ1hl1ogbSKs1u_Zoourvbe3WFMLvZoa583PqdYD0VR4x6mft-gPfjr5qUfMg2OA7Mh_f0q7nkQfH7DHG4OLZK1Jnt3A4yJu6V8l8qQbxfWx2Psf55p-J_J1qXzaG3IPy_eF5yF/s1600/GolfingPanda.jpeg" /></a></b></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">There seems to be
a consensus that Golf developed in Scotland in the Middle Ages, but
mentions of the game, some apocryphal, record a golf like game
played in the Netherlands around 1261. Golf dies not seem to have
been popular with the authorities in the low countries, and in 1360
the council of Brussels banned Golf imposing a fine on anyone who
played the game. However in 1387 Golf, played outside the city walls,
was the only game exempt from a ban on playing games for money and in
1389 the residents of Haarlem, now a suburb of Amsterdam, were given
a field to play games, especially “colf” because these games were
too dangerous if played in the city. </span></span>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Diving into
history tends to prove no one really invented anything and in 2005
evidence emerged that a game very like Golf was played in China by
rich people around 943AD and it may have been exported to Europe then
Scotland by Mongolian travellers in the late Middle Ages: Presumably
along with the Black Death. Golf came free. The Giant Pandas in Edinburgh Zoo are rented. It is not clear if the rent is subsidised by Kit.Kat. </span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div align="CENTER" style="widows: 4;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The
Development of Golf In Edinburgh</b></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="widows: 4;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: start; widows: auto;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In 1457 King
James II banned Golf and Football since these distracted people from
practicing Archery and a bit later in 1471 and 1491 similar acts
described Golf as an “unprofitable sport”. Parliament banned it
in the reign of James IV but Golf clubs and balls were purchased for
him on at least two occasions. This is a bit ironic since Archery has
since invented Archery Golf, and a bit if ingenuity and lateral
thinking might have avoided a ban. </span></span>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In 1522 there was
a dispute between the cobblers of Canongate and the golf ball makers
of North Leith while in 1575 some golfers in Leith were attacked and
successfully fought back. </span></span>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">There is a tale
that Mary Queen of Scots played Golf on Musselburgh links in 1567 but
the earliest definite mention of Golf in Musselburgh is dated to 2<sup>nd</sup>
March 1672, supporting a claim that Musselburgh Golf Course is the
oldest course in the world though the same person also recorded
playing at Leith Links in 1672. Golfers regarded Leith Links much
more highly than the more accessible Bruntsfield Links (where Golf is
still played today on a 9 hole course). Incidentally the Golf Tavern
on Bruntsfield Links claims to have been founded in 1456 and so to
be the oldest golf pub in the world.</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Leith Links and
Bruntsfield Links eventually became so crowded that the clubs founded
there moved to Musselburgh, to the golf course inside the race track,
and eventually that got so crowded the clubs moved further out and
the original Bruntsfield Club ended in Barnton. </span></span>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The first
“official” Golf rules and competitions were created in 1744, at
a time when it was becoming a rich man's game (even now some clubs do
not allow women players ) and the responsibility for developing the
rules eventually went to St Andrews. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Golf became very popular in the
19<sup>th</sup> Century and eventually developed into the
multimillion pound sport it is today</span></span><br />
<br />
<div align="CENTER" style="widows: 4;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Playing
Today</b></span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A
lot of detail, which would have doubled the length of this note has
been left out but it would be incomplete without notes on some of
the better known courses in Edinburgh </span></span>
</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<br />
</div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Muirfield
claims to be the oldest and seems to be one of the most expensive, at
least for visitors. It has two concentric rings of nine holes one of
which is covered clockwise and the other anticlockwise so whatever
the day is like some shots get played into the wind. You can find a
technical description of the course<a href="http://www.top100golfcourses.co.uk/htmlsite/productdetails.asp?id=6" target="_blank"> here</a> </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
Braids course is considered challenging and the gorse lined fairways
are an incentive to shoot straight. You have a great view of
Edinburgh Castle and Arthur's Seat</span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Mussleburgh
Links is considered to be the oldest known golf course and is
surrounded by a racetrack. Visitors can hire hickory clubs to
experience the game as it used to be played.</span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<div align="CENTER" style="widows: 4;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Where
to stay</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="widows: 4;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">There
are over twenty courses within the city limits and 100 courses within
easy reach, so Edinburgh is an obvious place for a golfing holiday
in Scotland. </span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you want to experience the true Scottish
welcome, then you should stay in <a href="http://www.badjao.co.uk/" target="_blank">our Bed & Breakfast</a>, less than
ten minutes from the city centre with free on street parking and a
direct bus to Musselburgh with its golf course inside a race track.
There are no records of a ball hitting a horse and changing the
outcome of a race. </span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Golf
Course Websites<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAFNHS96Pd2Gg2a8kwryab8-Q1372d_nzxwlIxNXvHzIYcwoASRbrWYGBBqdUCiZeznjXGlmuPNyKE6673elFLwPttjKLl4HTSzoJpGFHoSjHVygmKyL9ky6ByfiLqVHlB1PWxrnr59riW/s1600/armouredcar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAFNHS96Pd2Gg2a8kwryab8-Q1372d_nzxwlIxNXvHzIYcwoASRbrWYGBBqdUCiZeznjXGlmuPNyKE6673elFLwPttjKLl4HTSzoJpGFHoSjHVygmKyL9ky6ByfiLqVHlB1PWxrnr59riW/s1600/armouredcar.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some clubs strictly<br />enforce rules :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</b></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">These
sites may save you research time when planning your golfing holiday
in Edinburgh. </span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.musselburgholdlinks.co.uk/" target="_blank">Musselburgh Old course</a>. <span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Golf
World said "Musselburgh is to golf what Mecca is to religion -
the very roots of the game are founded on this hallowed turf. As the
oldest playing links course in the world it captures a wonderful
sense of nostalgia." <a href="http://www.top100golfcourses.co.uk/htmlsite/productdetails.asp?id=354" target="_blank">People who played it</a> say it is a must for
any golfer visiting Edinburgh. </span></span></span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.mortonhallgc.co.uk/pages.php/index.html" target="_blank">Mortonhall</a> is </span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">four
miles south of the castle. With mature trees and whin-covered
outcrops, the course is an excellent championship test of 6,530
yards, and beautiful views across Edinburgh, the Firth of Forth and
the Pentland hills. The Balm Well is a family pub in the area with an ancient Balm Well in its grounds, that brings natural oil to the surface which helps with skin problems</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 1;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.turnhousegolfclub.com/" target="_blank">Turnhouse </a>Dates from the 19th century. It’s a par 69 for gents (71 for
ladies), measuring 6,060 yards from the medal tees with splendid
views (on a clear day) of the mountains of the Highlands to the
north, the River Forth to the east, the Pentlands to the south and
the old coal bings of Broxburn to the west. </span></span></span></span></span>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669639669180865354.post-28688651386976479782013-07-28T09:01:00.000-07:002013-07-28T09:01:58.231-07:00 A quick look at Corstorphine Hill<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWdOIVj93NqjfsLJ3ys000OZC-ccMC4Vgre64Pza3rEKUAFWJDl1WBodsGfRYJjLfpnArKvfPDWkseONMmlJHEA_HkaOqCoDpAMqIeNPXdYvD9KhsKy4WMUt1gp1SlXokgw5Q6HSRY5XxZ/s1600/DSCF7129.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="481" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWdOIVj93NqjfsLJ3ys000OZC-ccMC4Vgre64Pza3rEKUAFWJDl1WBodsGfRYJjLfpnArKvfPDWkseONMmlJHEA_HkaOqCoDpAMqIeNPXdYvD9KhsKy4WMUt1gp1SlXokgw5Q6HSRY5XxZ/s640/DSCF7129.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Edinburgh and the Pentland hills from Corstorphine Hill</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Corstorphine
Hill is one of the seven hills on which Edinburgh is allegedly built.
It fosters Edinburgh Zoo to the south and is mostly forested with
broad leave trees. Stones quarried from the hill were used to build a
lot of houses in Edinburgh, </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiayRthnPw-0pCu9b2BXsgt2B3J9SUEiAikShE9UslCSiNLuPUkaPwTirgCgGLVfNbF3F1Z7uzFiCApUJB3PACJEjupVsrwKt3OHAtTgU52L170B_7bDgYjzaQ3teCOWqxwd85lbOAHL4f4/s1600/DSCF7126.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiayRthnPw-0pCu9b2BXsgt2B3J9SUEiAikShE9UslCSiNLuPUkaPwTirgCgGLVfNbF3F1Z7uzFiCApUJB3PACJEjupVsrwKt3OHAtTgU52L170B_7bDgYjzaQ3teCOWqxwd85lbOAHL4f4/s320/DSCF7126.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From one angle this was a fish</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">If
anyone asks how long the hill has been around say 340 million years
36 days and four hours. Seriously though the hill was formed about
340 million years ago and is now a long L-shaped ridge 531 metres
high with interesting landforms which make it a regionally important
geological site, and a colony of badgers, which means it is a local
Nature reserve. There are a number of places one can get a great view
of Edinburgh as far as the Pentland Hills, and the best time is the
hour before and after sunset. Remember your camera. If you don't
want to be coming off the hill at sunset and back into town just as
bars and restaurants are closing September would probably be a good
time to come: the trees should be turning red and it is not too
cold.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
hill also includes a permanent set of orienteering courses with a
range of difficulties. You can get more details from the Friends of
Corstorphine Hill Website. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">When
I walked the hill recently I found more fallen trees that resembled
animals than I have previously seen in any one place. </span></span>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Geology:
the bones of the Giant</b></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In
Norse mythology the world was formed from the bones of a dead giant,
and on Corstorphine hill the bones are a little easier to see poking
through thin layers of vegetation. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDcV0Na528DsgeCkUYgGp1gihFi722xSLa5R-1zlny6KEO74E0f3_bAnVvNstPjcRUbcN8uGr5QCRKb876NRUdn5dyhqKnbwciBATBMo3T0RYQiubikWcnYnQ1lfWga2uDdQlW17xZkaJP/s1600/DSCF7130.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDcV0Na528DsgeCkUYgGp1gihFi722xSLa5R-1zlny6KEO74E0f3_bAnVvNstPjcRUbcN8uGr5QCRKb876NRUdn5dyhqKnbwciBATBMo3T0RYQiubikWcnYnQ1lfWga2uDdQlW17xZkaJP/s640/DSCF7130.jpg" width="481" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Wind blasts trees into striking shapes</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">More
prosaically the hill is a volcanic intrusion formed when magma pushed
its way into softer rocks but solidified before it reached the
surface. With time the softer rocks eroded much faster than the
volcanic rock which was left standing proud and unbowed. The
glaciers that failed to level the hill polished it and you can see
smooth outcrops of rock towards the top of the hill. If you want to
explore off the beaten track note that the nature of the rock and the
quarrying in former times has produced cliffs hidden by the trees, so
expect to see the upper branches of a large tree suggesting tactfully
this is a good time to turn back</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">There
is a walled garden on the hill, the wall being made from the stones
of the hill, which, for those who know what to look for, shows the
geology of the hill in miniature, including plant fossils and trace
fossils of ancient worms. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Archaeology:
A blast from the past</b></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE2v4fGMLBVFPrEdEH5zp5Y8NwHarEOvxgQ0Kvp7S_DGNAm44dqZbfJ2LcltjQozH0EdfDfjCqsKWdF9Wcm0E78kbXqwlez2iZdiIj-QqWE8p9UCtH9sS9L_o1TQmLpn9keqUcVm5nI4JK/s1600/DSCF7133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE2v4fGMLBVFPrEdEH5zp5Y8NwHarEOvxgQ0Kvp7S_DGNAm44dqZbfJ2LcltjQozH0EdfDfjCqsKWdF9Wcm0E78kbXqwlez2iZdiIj-QqWE8p9UCtH9sS9L_o1TQmLpn9keqUcVm5nI4JK/s320/DSCF7133.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A prancing deer in wood</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cup-markings
on the glaciated dolerite surfaces on the west slopes of the Hill
were found 1991. There are eleven cup-marks on the dolerite surface;
nine in the shape of a pentagon with two in the centre. Their
location offers wide views to the west. They were probably part of a
sacred landscape of Neolithic or Bronze Age (c3600-1500 BC), but
their precise purpose remains unknown. My personal feeling is they
may have been used for some form of board game involving moving pegs
or other markers from one hole to another</span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Artefacts
have also been found: A collection, made before 1894, from a kitchen
midden on Corstorphine Hill, included shells, bone implements, hammer
stones, cup-marked stones, part of a quern and pottery fragments.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hills
are always good places to defend in troubled times and is is likely
the hill once boasted a hillfort. </span></span></span>
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuG5jmxR5Y-Wu5tRMHrn8KH75xwRLb7ZxrbchZMjo4YTrGBQXftViLo44usbYoV9tfmiDX5kXhT2_XLFpEI7Uy_m1nVgHI6iMvFnUaBVDkVZGJl8VBITRFweP0BG3O8SP_yfKX_n4QYzbw/s1600/DSCF7121.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuG5jmxR5Y-Wu5tRMHrn8KH75xwRLb7ZxrbchZMjo4YTrGBQXftViLo44usbYoV9tfmiDX5kXhT2_XLFpEI7Uy_m1nVgHI6iMvFnUaBVDkVZGJl8VBITRFweP0BG3O8SP_yfKX_n4QYzbw/s320/DSCF7121.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flowers on the Hill</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="font-style: normal;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>In
Brief</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Corstorphine
Hill is a nature reserve and regionally important geological site. It
is an excellent place for a relaxing afternoon away from the crowds
in the centre and the Zoo and nearby Corstorphine Village provide
livelier entertainment including Giant Pandas while Corstorphine
Village has good places to eat and frequent bus links to town. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It
is not hard to get to the hill from the Badjao Bed and Breakfast or
the city centre. Just don't expect to see too many badgers during the
day. They are shy creatures. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.corstorphinehill.org.uk/index.htm">http://www.corstorphinehill.org.uk/index.htm</a>
Friends of Corstorphine Hill. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.corstorphinehill.org.uk/pdfs/wall_story_geological.pdf">http://www.corstorphinehill.org.uk/pdfs/wall_story_geological.pdf</a>
The story behind the wall</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669639669180865354.post-57985221650012183482013-07-27T10:26:00.002-07:002013-07-27T10:26:34.715-07:00Mary King's close: religious mania and ghosts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgLySLv0chyIVR2RD53QKA80HtecJViuamv26sBq_u6xCWuTNH-OsQmYMMqpLR35gGHsg-UWjNik-rZU__iiunknCypxQGNdYNvJkudkYMT3oFwPExdOi9FIUUH0HmnIU-ksv5VlUqJoq2/s1600/024-engraving-ghost-apparition-in-stone-bell-tower-pulls-rope-ringing-bell-bats-take-flight+(1).png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgLySLv0chyIVR2RD53QKA80HtecJViuamv26sBq_u6xCWuTNH-OsQmYMMqpLR35gGHsg-UWjNik-rZU__iiunknCypxQGNdYNvJkudkYMT3oFwPExdOi9FIUUH0HmnIU-ksv5VlUqJoq2/s200/024-engraving-ghost-apparition-in-stone-bell-tower-pulls-rope-ringing-bell-bats-take-flight+(1).png" width="157" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Edinburgh
reputedly has more ghosts per square metre than any other city, even
London. This may be because Edinburgh is relatively small and because
the Celtic population may be a little more sensitive to the
paranormal (I sense skeptics leaving already: keep reading, you may
get a surprise).</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mary
Kings Close, in the heart of Edinburgh, is allegedly one of the most
haunted places in Edinburgh with ghosts showing on souvenir
photographs taken by visitors and Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP),
about which I am skeptical, recorded on “official” ghost hunts.
None of the evidence is conclusive, no solid evidence of haunting
has been found and no amount of evidence will ever convince the more
extreme skeptics, but as a whole the body of evidence implies there
is something worth investigating.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The
Folklore of Mary King's Close</b></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mary
King's close, in Edinburgh's Royal Mile, is a number of closes (back
alleys) that grew up in the days when people clustered close to
Edinburgh Castle for protection. The closes were rabbit runs between
tenement buildings up to seven stories high. In 1645 the Plague
struck Edinburgh and, the story goes that the inhabitants of Mary
Kings Close were walled in and left to die. The close was then
sealed off and forgotten for a century or three till it was
rediscovered. This may be why the street was called “the street of
sorrows”</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mary
Kings Close is now a tourist attraction and this story or a variation
is told to tourists. Don't blame the guides, there is relatively
little good information on the Close and a lot of what might be
termed “Chinese Whispers”. The real story is more interesting. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Known
Facts and History of the close</b></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Alexander
King a prominent citizen, property owner and lawyer to Mary Queen of
Scots had a daughter called Mary, and this may be the origin of the
name. The close was never deserted.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It
was the site of the Edinburgh Fishmonger Company's Oyster bar, till
the City Chambers were built: The close prospered but the Oyster bar
was killed off by by the Royal Exchange which reduced the length of
the close by around 10% and prevented direct access to the bar from
the High Street. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
upper stories of the tenements were demolished around 1753 and the
lower stories were used as a foundation for the Royal Exchange,
which was built in 1753. Opposite the Oyster bar was an eight storey
tenement which was only demolished in 1897. Doubtless the council
wanted to demolish it earlier but they could not buy it outright. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
tenements below the Royal Exchange became flats and offices and in
one case a tavern and coffee house, with stairs connecting them to
the High Street. The stairs have largely vanished though their
remains can be seen today. Around 1845 the remaining addresses in
Mary Kings close were renamed and the close vanished from the map.
Cockburn Street was built in 1855-1860 and wiped out the remaining
sections of the close, though these remained within living memory
for a long time. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
underground vaults of the Close were used as an air raid shelter
during World War II. After that not a lot happened. </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The
Plague</b></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bubonic
plague hit Edinburgh in 1645, probably from Europe via the Port of
Leith. Edinburgh had a procedure for dealing with plague, as a
result of previous experience. Sufferers would put a white flag in
their windows and essential supplies would be delivered to them each
day. Those who recovered were allowed to leave the house and resume
normal life. A plague doctor would visit and treat them regularly.
Apparently the plague did not hit the close more than any other
part of Edinburgh. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The
Haunting of Mary King's Close</b></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In
the mid 17<sup>th</sup> Century the Edinburgh equivalent of todays
televangelists, George Sinclair, a Scientist, Professor at Glasgow
University and a tub thumping religious nutter who believed totally
in the reality of Witchcraft used a public frenzy over witchcraft at
the time to promote his own brand of Fire and Brinstone religion.
These frenzies happen periodically, the last being the Satanic Ritual
Abuse farce of 1987. As part of his campaign he seems to have
invented the hauntings of Mary King's Close though I need to do more
research on this. It seems likely that Sinclair used his Scientific
knowledge to deceive his listeners, just as modern Televangelists
will draw a cross on their forehead using a dye which remains
invisible till they start sweating, then turns bright red. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
Nor Loch, which was apparently the old castle moat, was near the
close (it is now Princes St Gardens) and took the city's sewage and
the waste from the nearby market. It generated a load of Methane
(Marsh Gas) which<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
produces all the classic symptoms of ghostly visitation: every
low-lying area in the world has tales of hauntings by grey ladies,
bearded old men and other wraith-like spirits. Marsh gas is lighter
than air and hovers, with a slight luminous glow until dispersed or
dissolved in the air, and given the right mixture will burn with a
blue flame, possibly giving rise to the legned of the Will of the
Wisp. Edinburgh has few wind-free days so wispy gas pockets
collecting in the houses of the Close's nether regions - trapped and
unable to escape upwards, and with insufficient air, unable to
dissolve quickly could have produced symptoms of hauntings.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">One
of George Sinclair's specialities was the effect of "Damps and
Wildfire" in Coal-mines. The subject was by no means fully
understood in 1685, but he must have had acknowledge of methane gas
that could have been used for reassurance and not for raising Cain.
But to a religious nutter all is fair.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Be
that as it may sightings of the spirits ceased with the draining of
the Nor' Loch around 1760 - coincidentally contemporary with the
building of the first stage of the present City Chambers. Without
marsh gas the ghosts could not survive the soul killing influence of
local bureaucracy. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="font-style: normal;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The
Hauntings today</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Workers
in the close have reported strange footsteps, the sound of clothes
rustling, and sensed strange presences in the Close. Some of this
could be due to expectations and some to the acoustic properties of
the close. I recall one tour guide telling the story of trying to
use a dowsing pendulum near the close. When the pendulum started to
accelerate and swing horizontally not vertically they decided it was
time to leave- fast. They collected their belongings the next day. I
am told of one group who slept in the Close overnight and heard
sounds of drinking and fighting from an empty room overhead that had
been a bar in the 17<sup>th</sup> century. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
most famous ghost in the close is called Wee Annie and alleged to be
the ghost of a girl who died in the close. However her existence is
not supported by the historical evidence and the psychic who claimed
to have seen her seems, according to one source, to have a habit of
seeing ghosts of little girls at tourist attractions round the world.
This does not mean they do not exist, merely that this claim should
be given less weight. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Professional
investigations of the close by various psychic research groups have
found no real evidence of hauntings. There are some photographs that
seem to show people not present when the photograph was taken and
some anomalous sounds (EVP), claimed to be words, that I found
unintelligible before I read the team's version of what was “said”.
</span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">If
Mary King's Close is haunted there seems to be no reason for a high
density of ghosts other than the plague in 1645 and the hauntings
prior to the 21<sup>st</sup> century can be put down to the effects
of Marsh Gas exploited by a religious nutcase who misused their
scientific training and exploited a moral panic over Witchcraft in
order to instill fear in the public</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>In
brief</b></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Although
allegedly one of the most haunted places in Edinburgh the evidence
for a real haunting is almost nonexistent, though the possibility
cannot be ruled out. Apart from that the Close has an interesting
history which will appeal to students of Architecture and of the
history of Edinburgh. If you visit the close or the area round it
keep an eye out for the relics of the past preserved in the buildings
round you and glory at the continuity of the traditions involved. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Much
material of interest has been left out to keep this a reasonable
length and will be included in my forthcoming book on paranormal
phenomena in Edinburgh. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">If
you are staying at the Badjao B&B we are a ghost free zone and
intend keeping it that way. You can reach Mary King's Close with a
single bus ride and a short walk. The best time to come if you do
not like crowds is September when we may be experiencing a late
summer and the trees are turning golden red. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Further
reading</b></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">[1]
<a href="http://alchemipedia.blogspot.co.uk/2009/09/real-mary-kings-close-edinburgh.html" target="_blank">The Real Mary King's close.</a></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">[2]<a href="http://www.edinburgh.org.uk/MaryKing/history.htm" target="_blank">History of Mary Kings Close. </a></span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">[3[
<a href="http://www.edinburgh.org.uk/MaryKing/haunted.htm" target="_blank"> A skeptical view of the Hauntings</a>. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">[4]<a href="http://bshistorian.wordpress.com/2009/05/30/wee-annie-at-mary-kings-close/">/</a>
<a href="http://bshistorian.wordpress.com/2009/05/30/wee-annie-at-mary-kings-close" target="_blank">A skeptical view of the Ghost of Wee Annie</a></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669639669180865354.post-84181938546056197162013-07-17T13:46:00.000-07:002013-09-17T15:14:10.542-07:00A walk round Arthur's seat and Holyrood Park<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghVdG5TuXQ3ieOjDnNT6CxpI8isLQCz-mejgRnkh8EPquYy7tbgL-L55ucfiwdPiCoKyNvNdonCDf7khMoqVA_tk-X-8ilNMS7FPJuQYJRTgvmbXdiy9w3Re6UxtiXUxksG3GQR5wUDXkX/s1600/DSCF7119.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghVdG5TuXQ3ieOjDnNT6CxpI8isLQCz-mejgRnkh8EPquYy7tbgL-L55ucfiwdPiCoKyNvNdonCDf7khMoqVA_tk-X-8ilNMS7FPJuQYJRTgvmbXdiy9w3Re6UxtiXUxksG3GQR5wUDXkX/s320/DSCF7119.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swans on St Margaret's Loch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Not many cities have a volcano in their
centre, if only a dead one, but Edinburgh is multiply blessed In this
regard. The most famous is Arthurs seat, not far from the Holyrood
end of the Royal Mile.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Holyrood Park is a group of hills of
which Arthurs Seat is the largest. It is also the largest of three
parts of the Arthurs Seat Volcano SSSI. It is geologically special
and holds important grasslands and unusual insect and animal species. Arthurs seat also cam in at number 9 in the 2013 Lonely Planet list of best treks. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Apart from tourism the park is used for
exercise, relaxation and some events during the festival. When I
walked round it recently I saw a boys boxing club training
outdoors, a group having an outdoor gym session and rock climbers on
Salisbury Crags. For those not interested in such hard exercise or
new to the area a walk round the park (I take a camera) takes about
90 minutes. Get the timing right and you will be rewarded by great
views and sunsets.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>St Margarets Loch And
St Anthony's Chapel<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYxoZoQ7hdIbJw_znXQh05yTciOI9gYhwUQN_bqttnBOFZR4p5_fnH82BBz5EoCqLBmFtCQ3qsQnD2JOTe-uRNb08dkLuleAy9UKuKwAfXAQRTHFu9sF2sX0nfX-c4Gx5YOZWjRPh9krLW/s1600/DSCF7120.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYxoZoQ7hdIbJw_znXQh05yTciOI9gYhwUQN_bqttnBOFZR4p5_fnH82BBz5EoCqLBmFtCQ3qsQnD2JOTe-uRNb08dkLuleAy9UKuKwAfXAQRTHFu9sF2sX0nfX-c4Gx5YOZWjRPh9krLW/s320/DSCF7120.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St Anthony's Chapel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</b></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
This
small man made Loch to the south of Queens Drive was created in 1856
from marshland as part of Prince Albert's plans to improve the area
near Holyrood Palace. It was used as a boating pond but is now merely home to a horde of opportunistic swans trying to convince
visitors to ignore the notice saying white bread can make swans ill.
There are also loads of ducks and geese, and on a warm day it is
popular with visitors</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
At
the back of a loch is a path leading up to the ruins of St Anthony's
chapel. The chapel was certainly round in 1426 when the Pope gave
money for its repair. It is not clear what is was doing here. Only
the North wall and part of the West Wall. In the 18<sup>th</sup>
century it was described as a beautiful Gothic building with a tower
about 40 foot high.
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The
walk up to the chapel is fairly gentle but I would not want to come
down this path after sunset, and I recommend making sure you have
appropriate footwear. The path is narrow and uneven with a steep
drop off to the lake. If you want to take photographs from the
chapel get their about 30 minutes before sunset and leave while there
is enough light to see the path.
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Dunsapie </b>
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
From
St Margaret's Loch take the road that leads uphill. After about 15
minutes the trees on the left and the raised banks on the right
open up and you will come to Dunsapie Loch, another artificial loch
formed when the road was made. It is the home of a range of bird
species. There are the remains of a farmstead and a 2000 year old
fort on the hill over looking the loch. On the other side of the
road is the gentlest and safest path leading up to Arthur's seat.
You need proper shoes and to be reasonably fit. If you are 18 stone
and have not exercised for years forget it. The last few meters
before the top are the toughest going up and coming down. Come down
the way you came up unless you like taking risks. I went down another
way once and it was fun but I needed my wits about me. It was also
less interesting visually.
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Arthur's seat</b></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Arthur's
seat is the highest point of the park and gives an amazing panorama
of Edinburgh. Even in Summer there is likely to be a chill strong
wind at the top, perhaps strong enough to blow a small child off the
cliff edge.
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The
Rock itself was formed by an extinct volcano eroded by marauding
glacier that exposed rocky crags to the west and a tail of material
swept to the East, which became the basalt cliffs of Salisbury Crags
between Arthur's seat and the City Centre. There are the remains of
a hill fort on the summit and a neighbouring hill. Some of the Hill
forts nearby are prehistoric: it is a very defendable place. An epic
Y Goddodin of around 600AD mentions a tribe called the Votadini who
may have had their seat of power and may include a reference to King
Arthur. There are the remains of a hill fort on the East side of the
hill and also a series of cultivation terraces, most obvious from the
village of Duddingston to the East.
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
In
1836 while hunting rabbits found 17 miniature coffins with small
wooden figures inside them in a cave on the crags of Arthurs Seat.
Their purpose and origin will remain a mystery for ever: they could
have been made for magical purposes or be related to the Burke and
Hare murders of 1832. Te coffins and figures can now be seen in the
Royal Museum.
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Legend
has it that in the 12<sup>th</sup> century King David I encountered a
stag at the foot of Arthur's seat while hunting. He fell off his
horse and the stag was about to gore him when he had a vision of a
cross between its antlers and the stag turned away. Convinced this
was divine intervention the king founded Holyrood Abbey on the
spot.
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Duddingston</b></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzt8UGaVf6ypyarj5TRJ4Kd9SYtQvA-BN5c_0dd0qHHnTeVnhUqz8lFKObcuS3KXob97skeIhHGkQFbUCGLpu1zaa1b5i56ukF1XhLbyV_4weqKrwelOdhe6QX2CrSJP33iWN6IAc3-XFK/s1600/DSCF7175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzt8UGaVf6ypyarj5TRJ4Kd9SYtQvA-BN5c_0dd0qHHnTeVnhUqz8lFKObcuS3KXob97skeIhHGkQFbUCGLpu1zaa1b5i56ukF1XhLbyV_4weqKrwelOdhe6QX2CrSJP33iWN6IAc3-XFK/s320/DSCF7175.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Duddingston Loch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Coming
down from Arthur's seat and continuing on the road there is
panoramic view of Duddingston Loch, which is a Bird Sanctuary and
Duddingston Church and village. Until around 1136 this area was
known as Treverlen but then the King gave it to Kelso Abbey who
feued it to one Dodin de Berwic who called himself Dodin of
Dodinestoun.
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The
Loch itself is not artificial and is a wildlife reserve. From
Holyrood Park an area of what looks like marshland can be seen at one
end of the loch, which was used for ice-skating and curling.
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
One
of the more interesting characters in Duddingston was the eccentric
Dr James Tytler who contributed greatly to the early versions of the
Encyclopaedia Britannica. In 1774 he was seeking sanctuary in the
Holyrood Abbey lands to avoid his creditors. In 1775 his wife left
him and their children and he was then known to be cohabiting with
one or two women, one a washerwoman from Duddingston. Eventually he
had to flee to Berwick, leaving both women, to avoid being tried for
bigamy ( or perhaps he had to flee the women as well). He was a keen
but poor businessman and while he was Britain's first balloonist his
success was overshadowed by others.
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Finishing the walk</b></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Further
down the road a small flight of steps takes you to a point where a
number of well maintained paths branch off. One takes you along the
foot of Salisbury crags then back down to the main road. This is
known as the Radical Road and on a good day you can see people
climbing or bouldering. There are notices warning against falling
rocks including one far enough from the path that you are right in
the danger zone before being able to read the notice. If you are in
this area around sunset you can photograph a panorama of Edinburgh.
Unlike the path to St Anthony's Chapel this is broad and easy to
negotiate, but take a torch anyway. If you want to climb you need a
(free) permit.</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
When
you get back to the main road you should see St Margaret's Well on
your right and the Scottish parliament on the left. The area between
here and St Margaret's Loch is used for some Fringe events but is
otherwise uninspiring. But by now you should be tired enough not to
want inspiration.
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The
easiest way to get to Arthur's seat from the <a href="http://www.badjao.co.uk/" target="_blank">Badjao Bed andBreakfast</a> is by car. An alternative is to take a bus to the Scottish
Parliament and then a short walk to the park.
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Administrative
note: We have moved to an online booking management system which
means you can check availability and book rooms online by going to
<a href="http://www.badjao.co.uk/" target="_blank">our website</a> and using the big “Book Now” button.
</div>
<br />
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669639669180865354.post-73529331433429953302013-06-05T09:23:00.000-07:002013-06-27T07:03:31.964-07:00The Edinburgh International Festival<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnHMZ2ZAkcgVOkaiQ8u9evkKSH-HNIoZkZfXNkP4zRDY8cSmS8eHidxEQ9n12XZgsoX6fcPaAsi4PxMSVicix1UAJI9-YAME5ki50aCFQt39Z1CARh761Bo6EU5tZnfqvGl650wvx2DQSX/s1600/P1130778_Edinburgh_Festival_Fireworks_2008_08_30_Edinburgh_Festival_Fireworks_2008_08_30.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnHMZ2ZAkcgVOkaiQ8u9evkKSH-HNIoZkZfXNkP4zRDY8cSmS8eHidxEQ9n12XZgsoX6fcPaAsi4PxMSVicix1UAJI9-YAME5ki50aCFQt39Z1CARh761Bo6EU5tZnfqvGl650wvx2DQSX/s640/P1130778_Edinburgh_Festival_Fireworks_2008_08_30_Edinburgh_Festival_Fireworks_2008_08_30.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post Festival Fireworks</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The <a href="http://www.eif.co.uk/" target="_blank">Edinburgh International Festival of Performing Arts </a>takes place
every year around the middle of August and lasts three weeks.
Normally it starts with a parade and ends with a firework display
from Edinburgh Castle. The festival director invites top class
performers in music, theatre opera and dance from all over the world
to perform at the festival, which is a must for the lover of High
Culture.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>History</b></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The Festival was conceived after the
Second World War as “a platform for the flowering of the human
spirit”. In 1944 Rudolf Bing was convinced that none of the
shattered cities in the UK could host a festival of the scale seen
before the war and in 1946 looked for a suitable UK city, one that
could handle one to one and a half million visitors over three weeks,
it should be scenic and picturesque and attractive to tourists and
foreign visitors. Edinburgh was approached and the first festival
took place in 1947 focussing on classical music. The next year drama
came to the festival and in 1950 the <a href="http://therealbadjao.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/the-edinburgh-military-tattoo.html" target="_blank">Edinburgh Military Tattoo</a> became part of the Festival as a result of the British Army's desire
to showcase itself during the festival.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The <a href="http://therealbadjao.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/the-fringe-festival-edinburgh.html" target="_blank">Fringe Festival</a>
emerged at the same time as the International Festival and the two
festivals had a hostile relationship for about 25 years, with
advocates of the International Festival complaining about the low
quality of the Fringe events and advocates of the Fringe saying that
quality was a bonus, enjoyment being more important. Standards
emerged for the Fringe and now the best Fringe shows are on a par
with those of the International Festival but largely different.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Locations</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The festival box office is currently on
Castlehill just below the castle, in a converted church known as the
Hub, formerly the Highland Tollbooth, that has a 240 foot spire
visible throughout Edinburgh.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
There are only a few venues all in the
centre of town and up to ten other festivals take place at the same
time, most notably the Fringe, which includes many street performers.
During this time public transport is disrupted by the street artists
but nobody minds.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Fireworks</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The spectacular firework display at the
end of the festival can be seen for free from Princes Street and
for a fee it can be seen from Princes Street Gardens, with a more
expensive ticket available for a seat in the Ross Theatre in the
gardens. Some tickets are normally available for last minute sales
purchased in person on the day of the display.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Accommodation </b>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Accommodation can be very hard to
find during the festival period, and early booking is essential.
<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The <a href="http://badjao.co.uk/" target="_blank">Badjao Bed and Breakfast</a> offers
excellent value to visitors (Including a cooked Breakfast) and
every bus from here takes you near most festival venues. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Wrapping up</b><br />
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The Edinburgh International Festival is
a must for the lover of high culture. It offers Music, Opera, Drama
and Dance. We prefer the Fringe Festival however, with its comedians
and unpredictable performers. If you are a student or educator you
may wish to take part in the festival's year long education program.
If you are a performer a visit is almost essential if you hope to
be invited to take part. If you are attending performances our <a href="http://badjao.co.uk/" target="_blank">Bed and Breakfast</a> is a short ride from most of the performances. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669639669180865354.post-44229187036067109132013-06-01T05:41:00.000-07:002013-11-07T11:50:02.509-08:00The Fringe Festival Edinburgh<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKdrHQ18wnK-l3-4njmObMN_NikYLFD69rClY4RelSExqcBw1gIbl6QnzPnQ-XZY9cUO3oWBX737jVkuhxY_g6CB9FKkWmQ4mboFA4fwCBDFG2Y5S5TqoMVDZB8xqgA4FB_C-kNPQiZ2q9/s1600/P1130204_Edinburgh_Festival_Chinese_drummers__2006_08_06_Edinburgh_Festival_Chinese_drummers_2008_08_03+copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKdrHQ18wnK-l3-4njmObMN_NikYLFD69rClY4RelSExqcBw1gIbl6QnzPnQ-XZY9cUO3oWBX737jVkuhxY_g6CB9FKkWmQ4mboFA4fwCBDFG2Y5S5TqoMVDZB8xqgA4FB_C-kNPQiZ2q9/s640/P1130204_Edinburgh_Festival_Chinese_drummers__2006_08_06_Edinburgh_Festival_Chinese_drummers_2008_08_03+copy.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chinese Drummer at the Fringe</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://therealbadjao.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/the-royal-highland-show.html" target="_blank">TheRoyal Highland Show</a> in June bills itself as the “Greatest Show on
Earth” but the <a href="https://www.edfringe.com/" target="_blank">Edinburgh Fringe</a> festival, which in 2013 will run
from 2<sup>nd</sup> to 26<sup>th</sup> August is the greatest
collection of performance shows on the planet.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
Edinburgh Festival Fringe is livelier, less formal and generally
much more fun than the International Festival, the major difference
being that anyone can perform, whereas the International Festival is
for invited performers only. Street acts take over large parts of the
city and are free unless you choose to drop some money in the
performer's hat and there is a wide range of other acts from comedy
through drama to music and dance. Some return year after year and
others appear once and vanish. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
parade that started the festival before the tram works closed the
city centre, and which may restart now Princes Street is open again,
was dominated by Fringe acts, military bands from the <a href="http://therealbadjao.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/the-edinburgh-military-tattoo.html" target="_blank">EdinburghTattoo</a> and community organisations. In 2013 some 3000 acts are
scheduled in “Every nook and cranny of the city”. As with
Hogmanay accommodation is scarce at this time and early booking is a
good idea. </span></span>
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><b>History</b></span></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdOKZtCP6Y2hSqHwOPQuNeCGuTSFHEj__LlcsxRlNiwk3xUsQRMZcthLfPvUIl5Q95NaDIl0Z8qpNNo8eVaOJMjizyeOL2lyrkhdLLDRW4nN0lTVQlfywffGcvT30ynUBEHjAzHBPk5u_f/s1600/P1010615_Edinburgh_Festival_Parade_2006_08_06.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdOKZtCP6Y2hSqHwOPQuNeCGuTSFHEj__LlcsxRlNiwk3xUsQRMZcthLfPvUIl5Q95NaDIl0Z8qpNNo8eVaOJMjizyeOL2lyrkhdLLDRW4nN0lTVQlfywffGcvT30ynUBEHjAzHBPk5u_f/s320/P1010615_Edinburgh_Festival_Parade_2006_08_06.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Edinburgh Festival Parade</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In
1947 eight theatre companies turned up uninvited at the first
International Festival, seven of them playing in Edinburgh the other
staging a morality play in Dunfermline. In 1948 <span style="color: #0b0080;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: #ffffff;">a
</span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Scottish
playwright and journalist gave the Fringe its name when he wrote: </span></span></span></span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black;">‘</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">Round
the fringe of official Festival drama, there seems to be more private
enterprise than before ... I am afraid some of us are not going to be
at home during the evenings!</span></i></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">’</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Some
sections of the International festival did not like the Fringe and
this led to a long lasting animosity between the two festivals, which
eventually died away. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As
the Fringe grew more organisation was needed. In 1951 students at the
university set up a drop in centre for performers offering cheap food
and a bed for the night. The first try at a central booking service
was in 1955. The Festival Fringe Society was established in 1959 and
enshrined the policy of not vetting or censoring shows in its
constitution. In 1963 the Traverse Theatre was created and set a
standard for other companies. In 1969 the society became a
constituted body and hired its first administrator in 1970. The
Fringe continued to grow and is the largest arts festival in the
world with acts from many countries. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Performances</b></span></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbjUeFbEfvx8w6GLo6j0umeEPbqi8uaq08FVJPTXN4rctSoRuTrXtg9YPWLKSb3HS0rZRFbwdg0SLJ95YwdficDzvm7vR_laZtG6YJGzj7a-ACMDt5ImGkKUxjVmSfpSIPo5lqihogtrxv/s1600/P1120767_Edinburgh_festival_2008__2008_08_03.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbjUeFbEfvx8w6GLo6j0umeEPbqi8uaq08FVJPTXN4rctSoRuTrXtg9YPWLKSb3HS0rZRFbwdg0SLJ95YwdficDzvm7vR_laZtG6YJGzj7a-ACMDt5ImGkKUxjVmSfpSIPo5lqihogtrxv/s320/P1120767_Edinburgh_festival_2008__2008_08_03.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spectacular Street Act at the Tron</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In
2012 comedy dominated the Fringe, with drama close behind followed by
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Music,
Dance & Physical Theatre, Musicals & Opera, and Children's
Shows as well as assorted Events and Exhibitions. Highlights for us
are comedy and the Japanese drummers and dancers who appeared each
year. It is still possible (just) to sample some shows before paying
to see the entire performance and everyday of the Fringe theatre
companies use the area in the High Street outside St Giles Cathedral
and the Fringe office to hand out flyers, perform scenes from their
show and sell tickets. There are some special offers in the opening
weekend of the festival.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">As
the number of acts grew the venues faced increasing costs and became
more expensive so performers cut costs by sharing venues. Then venues
were split into multiple performing spaces and now come in all shapes
and sizes, including tents. Wikipedia cite performances in a public
toilet, the back of a taxi or even the audience's own home. Some
venue operators are non-profit organisations and some only exist for
one festival but over time the professionalism of the venue operators
has increased making the experience more enjoyable year by year. </span></span></span></span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Booking
Tickets</span></span></b></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Today
you can buy tickets over the internet but have to collect and pay for
them in person. Some venues have their own ticketing systems, partly
as a result of issues to do with commission and sharing of ticket
revenue, and partly as a reaction to failure of the main system in
2008 which took the Fringe close to disaster. </span></span></span></span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
Free Fringe and Free Edinburgh Fringe Festivals allow entry for free
but take collections at the end of each performance. They perform for
fun and the more money they get themore fun they have. The Forest
Fringe has a “pay what you can” model. The Forest Fringe aims to
increase experimentation by reducing costs and is a “Fringe of the
Fringe”</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Tips</span></span></b></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Sample
as many forms of performance as you can. There is a Half-Price-Hut
with different tickets at half price throughout the day. Even in
Summer you can experience at least four seasons in one day, sometimes
one hour, so pack clothing accordingly. Every large crowd
potentially attracts pickpockets and thieves so keep an eye on your
things. </span></span></span></span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Accommodation</span></span></b></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">There
is a wide range of accommodation, including of course the <a href="http://www.badjao.co.uk/" target="_blank">Badjao B&B</a>
which is some ten minutes bus ride from the city centre which hosts the main
part of the Fringe and is on a local bus route from the Airport:
allow an hour for the journey. Bus tickets are £1.50 each way or
£3.50 for a one day pass ( as of June 2013). </span>
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669639669180865354.post-39185157605864134902013-05-25T07:57:00.000-07:002013-05-25T07:57:21.700-07:00The Royal Highland Show<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmxeXHDSVKMTrKJHuB73xOlQacRmNmu85vL_gWCVdalT48wTbnEvlYlQGDUsclKWHR7IvEJZsDanqd7-GsSbvrFKOJjOSmhe6WPy_kMjwlizEVED_PgMnain12xricq4Odi-BEkacaLfsV/s1600/DSCF5240+copy+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmxeXHDSVKMTrKJHuB73xOlQacRmNmu85vL_gWCVdalT48wTbnEvlYlQGDUsclKWHR7IvEJZsDanqd7-GsSbvrFKOJjOSmhe6WPy_kMjwlizEVED_PgMnain12xricq4Odi-BEkacaLfsV/s640/DSCF5240+copy+2.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heavy Horses at the Royal Highland Show</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The annual <a href="http://royalhighlandshow.org/" target="_blank">Royal Highland Show</a> in Edinburgh, Scotland's annual farming and
countryside showcase originally an event of interest only to farmers
now offers four days of entertainment at the end of June and food and
drink not always available locally. Apart from the £200 Million
business generated by over a thousand exhibitors exhibitors compete
for prizes and trophies totalling a million pounds. It is a fun day
out for all the family with attractions including Heavy Horses, Archery, Chainsaw Carving and children's activities. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>History </b>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The Royal Highland and Agricultural
Society was founded in 1784 but waited till 1822 to put on the first
show at the Queensberry Hotel in Edinburgh's Canongate: life moved at
a slower pace then. To put this in perspective this was about ten
years before <a href="http://therealbadjao.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/burke-and-hare-unacceptable-face-of.html" target="_blank">Burke and Hare showed the unacceptable face of capitalism and freeenterpris</a>e, the Napoleonic wars were fading into history and
Edinburgh was still semi rural.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The first show exhibited 60 to 75
cattle eight sheep and two pigs. About a thousand people attended and
the takings were enough to cover overheads so the show became an
annual fixture in Edinburgh and Glasgow. In 1829 the show got
wanderlust and for 130 years moved from city to city till it settled
down in the permanent 300 acre site at Ingliston in 1960.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
In the late 19<sup>th</sup> and early
20<sup>th</sup> centuries the show changed, becoming open to breeders
from other parts of the UK, exhibitions of agricultural equipment and
prizes for dairy produce.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Today it offers farmers an opportunity
to network, expand their business and find what is going on in the
industry, exhibitors a chance to sell their wares, many of which have
nothing to do with farming, and the general public and their children
to see farm animals. There is entertainment almost everywhere, A
range of activities for children (those under 16 go free) that varies
from year to year, shopping and fashion tents covering almost
everything you might want to buy and food and drink sellers
everywhere.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>The Site </b>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
In 1958 the Royal Highland and
Agricultural Society Scotland purchased the Ingliston Site and after
two years of work the site was opened in 1960. More and more
facilities were added till 2006 when a proposed extension of
Edinburgh Airport threatened the site. Once the plans for the
extension were killed off an upgrade of the site started, scheduled
to finish in 2014.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
In the 1990s the site hosted raves.
Nowadays it is used throughout the year for various events, the
largest being the Royal Highland Show and attracts over a million
visitors a year. There are some apparently permanent features like an
ecological garden but the majority of events at the show are
ephemeral.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Doing Business</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The show is also the UK's biggest
agricultural show and real business happens here with an increasing
emphasis on renewable energy in addition to the normal business of
farming.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The <a href="http://royalhighlandshow.org/dobusiness/directory-category/" target="_blank">show's trade directory</a>
gives the information needed to make connections and there is a
bookable business space with standard office facilities and private
rooms.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Getting there and back </b>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The show ground is some ten minutes
walk from the Airport and about 20 minutes drive from the city
centre. Exhibitors need to get there early to be able to set up
before the roads get busy later in the day. Normally the local bus
company, Lothian buses run a special service between the city
centre and the show ground. Traffic clogs up the roads so expect a
long ride. If you go by bus check the times of buses back to town,
especially the last bus.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Accommodation</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Accommodation generally becomes scarce
around the time of the show ( and even scarcer during the Edinburgh
Festival in August. Naturally the Badjao Bed and Breakfast has been
and remains delighted to welcome exhibitors and visitors alike. We
are about 20 minutes drive from the showground and parking is
currently free nearby. If you do not want to take the dedicated
service to the show you can take local bus 35 to the airport and
walk about 10 minutes to the show ground.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Wrapping up</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Our experience of the show was that it
was a great day out. The scale of the agricultural equipment was
amazing. Sore feet prevented us seeing some of the displays such as
Chainsaw Carving, Archery and Farriery. The site was very muddy
because of the rain that makes Scotland such a green and pleasant
land: we recommend stout shoes and an umbrella. Signposting was good
but while the maps round the area show where you are standing it can
require some mental gymnastics to relate this to the road layout.
The standard of food and drink was variable: the food from some
places was frankly not worth the price, with decent looking tables
all reserved and service that was a little slower that one would
expect given the number of customers, while from others it was very
good. It pays to look around before paying out.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669639669180865354.post-43852963796944300972013-05-19T16:02:00.000-07:002017-09-29T15:21:43.919-07:00The Royal Yacht Britannia<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhez4ifb-Gns42TkEmGrGLp5AgED3HLBuVsLh8xlh7iaiNo60_SMJt_JKp7MwSlaxSuNRT3mQlN5dBlrF4FFwiJ8Rd4wWhdgxmAU2YA2HgHBI5Wz38T5VPiiWgfGQRQq_fPSH0ZG46X-Ckd/s1600/Royal_Yacht_Britannia_Edinburgh_October_2005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhez4ifb-Gns42TkEmGrGLp5AgED3HLBuVsLh8xlh7iaiNo60_SMJt_JKp7MwSlaxSuNRT3mQlN5dBlrF4FFwiJ8Rd4wWhdgxmAU2YA2HgHBI5Wz38T5VPiiWgfGQRQq_fPSH0ZG46X-Ckd/s640/Royal_Yacht_Britannia_Edinburgh_October_2005.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Britannia Today</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The Royal Yacht Britannia, the former royal yacht of
Queen Elizabeth II is the 83<sup>rd</sup> British Royal
Yacht since the Restoration of Charles II to the throne in 1660 ( the
first yacht was a gift from the Dutch). . As you descend from the deck where the Royal Family lived to the lower decks you descend socially through the society of a vanished world as seen by the 21 officers
and 250 yachtsmen who served on board.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b>History</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Britannia was built on the river Clyde
near Glasgow, launched in 1953 and commissioned in 1954. She is a
three masted vessel with the top 20 feet of the fore and main mast
hinged to allow passage under bridges. She was designed to be used as
a hospital ship in wartime and as the queens refuges from nuclear
war. She was manned by volunteers from the Rayal Navy who could after
a while be appointed to the Permanent Royal Yacht Service. When the
royal family were abroad the ship also carried a platoon of royal
marines.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
In 1997 the decision was taken not to
replace Britannia and after carrying the Prince of Wales and the
Governor of Hong Kong away from the Island after the handover to the
Chinese in 1997 she was decommissioned in December of that year.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b>Tourist Attraction</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Britannia
is now a Permanent Tourist Attraction in Leith, Edinburgh, and entry
is via the Ocean Terminal shopping centre.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The
official course of the tour is to proceed from the deck down through
the five decks of the ship, with the uppermost level being the royal
apartments and the lowest level the engine room and laundry, the
latter being very busy as at times the marines on board had to change
uniforms five times a day.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The
Britannia was a very hierarchical community and as the visitor
proceeds down through the decks they see the status of the occupants
of each deck go down. The luxurious royal apartments give way to
successively more crowded and functional accommodation till that used
by ratings is reached where there seems barely room to swing the
proverbial cat and privacy nonexistent.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Britannia
is the second royal yacht of that name, the first being a racing
cutter built for the then Prince of Wales in 1893. The Royal
Family's love of yacht racing is shown by the fact that the 1936
racing yacht Bloodhound, one of the most successful racing yachts
ever and previously owned by the Queen is berthed next to Britannia.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Highlights
of the tour include the retired state car, a Rolls Royce Phantom V,
The state dining room and the Tea Room on the upper deck which opened
in 2009. Reserve at least three hours for the self guided tour.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The tour gives a glimpse into the life of the royal family and the 21 officers and 250 yachtsmen who served on board as well as a feel for a vanished era that feels like another world. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
In
April 2013 the Royal Mail issued a set of commemorative stamps to
mark Britannia's 60<sup>th</sup>
Anniversary.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
After the tour you may want to visit nearby<a href="http://therealbadjao.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/newhaven-harbour-place-to-relax_5.html" target="_blank"> Newhaven Quay</a> with its excellent Sea food restaurant and view of the Forth Rail Bridge in the distance. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669639669180865354.post-71559417500635639282013-05-05T09:57:00.000-07:002013-07-01T14:53:11.937-07:00Newhaven Harbour, a place to relax<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5H7qqsw-LtPzLVfhm6By_LS8_JrXIHZFsjFG_IDCxwD0CDF3xD5wsDKZ_GOjspXU4Md7x955h-MH4rjL7wTQB-qvcsOtSa1fIwJMhT_4DGS9IV66lm6pJgFohjjOugy9mEjj088JDkGKX/s1600/DSCF5523.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="477" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5H7qqsw-LtPzLVfhm6By_LS8_JrXIHZFsjFG_IDCxwD0CDF3xD5wsDKZ_GOjspXU4Md7x955h-MH4rjL7wTQB-qvcsOtSa1fIwJMhT_4DGS9IV66lm6pJgFohjjOugy9mEjj088JDkGKX/s640/DSCF5523.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset in the Harbour</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Newhaven,
formerly a harbour and village, is a conservation area about 2
miles North of Edinburgh city centre. It lies along the line of a
prehistoric raised beach and was a thriving fishing village. In
1504 James IV created Newhaven Harbour with a view to building a
warship for the Scottish Navy, the Port of Leith being unsuitable
for large warships. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia-kaIeN9SzC3F_slDgDkzsSc0rsw4707pUtZq5TWaoTIRd6pEf3inrL0-fs2hBwQqEPaILtibndvGk4F_D_UbQ0mw-kwFM-h86llTQIiS4ODUumRnOf_hRs_lh9Jal1g5-yycLlpX3wUU/s1600/DSCF5524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="477" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia-kaIeN9SzC3F_slDgDkzsSc0rsw4707pUtZq5TWaoTIRd6pEf3inrL0-fs2hBwQqEPaILtibndvGk4F_D_UbQ0mw-kwFM-h86llTQIiS4ODUumRnOf_hRs_lh9Jal1g5-yycLlpX3wUU/s640/DSCF5524.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Forth Rail bridge from Newhaven Harbour</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">The
lighthouse at the harbour entrance, built in 1869 is a local
landmark. Leith Harbour has expanded to dwarf Newhaven and the
fishmarket, saved from demolition in 1990 by designation as a listed
building, is now occupied by a seafood restaurant which is very good, and a
fishmonger. There is also a smaller fishmarket in the building. The
harbour is accessible by public transport and there is normally
plenty of space in the free carpark behind the restaurant. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.49cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Newhaven
is served by several buses: 7 and 11 going direct to the city centre,
16 linking to Leith and from there again to the city centre.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.49cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.49cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Newhaven
was part of the early 20th century tram route until 1956. A new
tramstop for the area, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newhaven_tram_stop"><span style="color: #0b0080;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">Newhaven
tram stop</span></span></span></a><span style="font-size: small;">, was proposed to
serve the area as part of </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edinburgh_Trams"><span style="color: #0b0080;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">Edinburgh
Trams</span></span></span></a><span style="font-size: small;">. This section is no
longer on the primary route for completion in the first phase.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.49cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.49cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">A
railway also served the area, the station still existing to some
extent off Trinity Crescent. Stations also existed at the end of
Annfield and on Craighall Road.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.49cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.49cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Away
from the Harbour the Whalemaster's house in Park Road, dating from
the time the village was prominent in the whaling industry had a
clear view to the Harbour and was originally built in brick as an
oddity later being rebuilt in stone. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 0.49cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.49cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">A
16th century stone <span style="color: #a55858;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Armorial_panel&action=edit&redlink=1">armorial
panel</a> </span>on the south side of Main Street, known
locally as the "Newhaven Stone", seems to have come from
the long vanished Trinity Mains Farm, a farm estate linked to <span style="color: #0b0080;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity_House,_Leith">Trinity
House</a> i</span>n Leith whose crest appears on the tablet
and which gave its name to the adjacent suburb of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity,_Edinburgh"><span style="color: #0b0080;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">Trinity</span></span></a>.
</span></span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 0.49cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.49cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">The
upper section of the village contained larger villas, looking down
over the more crowded village of fishing cottages so the well off
could not only view the sea but also look happily at the fishing
cottages inhabited by their inferiors. </span>
</div>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_9yJZb3h-isObDbjJDlgB_IrBualHWaGdWAAHmUVV0TobBHbBLiA0cco2jiwhUIzveuh90vwZZOlzaHTw4R5GVoZVtY0nudfe3Hkk-8Wnpce4XygkOyXcLTd2z98J4n3p4qqIX9j4V6sR/s1600/P1140252Marina_Newhaven_Quay_Mrch2009_Sepia.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="477" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_9yJZb3h-isObDbjJDlgB_IrBualHWaGdWAAHmUVV0TobBHbBLiA0cco2jiwhUIzveuh90vwZZOlzaHTw4R5GVoZVtY0nudfe3Hkk-8Wnpce4XygkOyXcLTd2z98J4n3p4qqIX9j4V6sR/s640/P1140252Marina_Newhaven_Quay_Mrch2009_Sepia.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Harbour in the day</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="line-height: 0.49cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.49cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">The
Harbour offers good prospects for the keen amateur photographer,
though best at sunset, the restaurant offers a range of meals for all
pockets, and the fishmonger sometimes offers bargains. The Royal
Yacht Britannia and the shopping centre in Ocean Terminal are in walking
distance. A visit to the harbour can be a welcome relaxation after a
busy day in town. If you are feeling energetic it is not too far to
drive to the old fishing village of <a href="http://therealbadjao.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/what-to-see-in-old-edinburgh-fishing.html" target="_blank">Cramond</a></span><br />
<br />
This post was sponsored by the <a href="http://www.badjao.co.uk/" target="_blank">Badjao B&B Edinburgh</a><br />
<br />
The final photograph was converted to Sepia <a href="http://alexk2009.hubpages.com/_aayawa/hub/Monochrome-Image-Conversion-with-the-GIMP" target="_blank">using the Gimp</a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669639669180865354.post-50233828911248357102013-03-17T03:33:00.000-07:002013-03-17T03:35:17.078-07:00Pictures of Edinburgh<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_R7pLKzzfd2ZlCMZ0Tl-1QQ_eVq0NPi_cURrmHLrenSxrKiLC2EjY4osDvV1e_GdDxSkRge9YH6Xp2V4L0RYrvRt7Maup8uhYXiUr7ePssCz_wIcmEdOuJVB9KZmgpx0Cym1I5kFbyU0J/s1600/P1010480_Edinburgh_CoachAndHorses_Shrunk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_R7pLKzzfd2ZlCMZ0Tl-1QQ_eVq0NPi_cURrmHLrenSxrKiLC2EjY4osDvV1e_GdDxSkRge9YH6Xp2V4L0RYrvRt7Maup8uhYXiUr7ePssCz_wIcmEdOuJVB9KZmgpx0Cym1I5kFbyU0J/s640/P1010480_Edinburgh_CoachAndHorses_Shrunk.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Take a trip through the past</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
You can never tell what you will see when walking through Edinburgh. Keep your eyes open and your camera ready.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3M0doLOMgPlD_QAj2Le6Cth_eI-wXHlsOD4yviQhOJBSwgUoKWAvyiVKU5o2RzVpUwLmklRk-2Tfff3iMFx9a4vTkWFg2m-Q13Ub3Oy40YmmOeQKgsLRZ6yo5z8KCg3l3CRzoJJfVpmkC/s1600/DSCF5580+sunset+Holyrood+Park+Shrunk.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3M0doLOMgPlD_QAj2Le6Cth_eI-wXHlsOD4yviQhOJBSwgUoKWAvyiVKU5o2RzVpUwLmklRk-2Tfff3iMFx9a4vTkWFg2m-Q13Ub3Oy40YmmOeQKgsLRZ6yo5z8KCg3l3CRzoJJfVpmkC/s640/DSCF5580+sunset+Holyrood+Park+Shrunk.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset in Holyrood park</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Sunset in Edinburgh can be spectacular. On the left of this picture you can see the flags on the stadium that hosts the <a href="http://therealbadjao.blogspot.com.es/2012/07/the-edinburgh-military-tattoo.html" target="_blank">Tattoo</a>. This was taken from the road: You can hope for a similar photo without getting lost in the dark<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy4ojdpba7WC4TJPdEJUJLHvPYPdUMvVf2-hbpwn7JSmvJc1k7KY_lcOVwmDxjXdwOA1OirxDvIQdfPZUyHcMUBynPixWhXijA9jDrfULibQZk9l8i_Q_yy_PIy4kZxlKWDITP_d7deg6U/s1600/DSCF5916+copy+shrunk.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy4ojdpba7WC4TJPdEJUJLHvPYPdUMvVf2-hbpwn7JSmvJc1k7KY_lcOVwmDxjXdwOA1OirxDvIQdfPZUyHcMUBynPixWhXijA9jDrfULibQZk9l8i_Q_yy_PIy4kZxlKWDITP_d7deg6U/s640/DSCF5916+copy+shrunk.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Grand Union Canal, Edinburgh</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This is where<a href="http://therealbadjao.blogspot.com.es/2013/02/burke-and-hare-unacceptable-face-of.html" target="_blank"> Burke and Hare</a> made an honest living before deciding there were easier ways to make money.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669639669180865354.post-47666578821186623402013-03-12T15:49:00.000-07:002013-03-12T16:00:35.978-07:00Edinburgh Castle: From the Bronze Age to Morgana La Fee and Onward<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ2J6R59sQDnqlmucZ0izEbj1iz9UzzB7h8Xwcr6Ra_YksyIasL0Q2jGegtKi-sDxji0cEV5o6M_wpGWzbVtk3OA66y1JBlVsLRqOVxyoZGHKHOvrmqZe7p75CY56VEtoQRsZN5aO30aMK/s1600/P1130666_Edinburgh_Festival_Fireworks_2008_08_30_Edinburgh_Festival_Fireworks_2008_08_30.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ2J6R59sQDnqlmucZ0izEbj1iz9UzzB7h8Xwcr6Ra_YksyIasL0Q2jGegtKi-sDxji0cEV5o6M_wpGWzbVtk3OA66y1JBlVsLRqOVxyoZGHKHOvrmqZe7p75CY56VEtoQRsZN5aO30aMK/s320/P1130666_Edinburgh_Festival_Fireworks_2008_08_30_Edinburgh_Festival_Fireworks_2008_08_30.JPG" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Edinburgh Castle: Fireworks display</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Edinburgh Castle was built near the railway in order to boost the tourist
trade. Every day the one o'clock gun fires in order that the trains
may run on time and that blind people may set their watch. A ball falls
from the Nelson Monument on Calton Hill at the same time in order
that deaf people can set their watch. As a result deaf and blind
people tend to travel in pairs in Edinburgh. The one o'clock gun
fires at 12:00 as a result of a unilateral agreement with the USA and
problems with the speed of sound, though various corrections ensure
that the time registered on local watches is around 1:00pm. Every Tourist knows this, but there is a lot more to the building. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Baskerville;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The
One O'clock gun</b></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Baskerville;">More
prosaically the one o'clock gun was initiated in 1861 as a time
signal for ships in the Firht of Forth when it was discovered that
the earlier signal used since 1852, of a ball on the Nelson Monument
that fell down at 1pm was useless in fog ( ii took them how long to
realise?). The gun could be heard in Leith Harbour 2 miles away.
Since sound travels fairly slowly a map was produced in 1861 to show
the exact time it wold be heard in various locations round Edinburgh.
In Leith it would be heard 9.32 seconds later. Over the years the
size of the gun has got smaller and it is fired from different
places. In 2013 it was, for the first time, fired by a woman. In
2012 large numbers of soldiers were fired by the government because
firing soldiers was cheaper than cancelling contracts for warships
that are by now more expensive and less capable than those of the
French Navy, which were originally intended to be a joint venture
till the UK decided they did not like the smell of garlic and would
go it alone (Source: <i>Private Eye</i> sometime in 2012). </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Baskerville;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Princes
St Gardens</b></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Baskerville;">Princes
Street Gardens, in front of the castle if you are in Princes St,
behind it if you are in the old town, was once a disease ridden
sewer called the Nor Loch, the Castle Moat. When the moat was
drained hundreds of bodies were found. Since decomposing bodies tend
to float to the surface either the sight of a body was just ignored
by the locals or the bodies were carefully weighted, perhaps using
the ancient equivalent of chicken wire, which allows fish to eat the
body ( something Terry Pratchett mentions in one of his books).
Still, after that everyone knew where the bodies were buried. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Baskerville;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Castle
Rock</b></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Baskerville;">A
long time ago a volcano pushed a plug of lava through soft
sedimentary rock and the lava hardened. Sometime later a glacier from
the west tried to attack the rock and failed. The hard rock
prevented the glacier eating the soft rock behind it and the result
was a crag of hard rock, now called Castle Rock, with a tail of
softer rock behind it. Edinburgh's Hard Rock Cafe is an
uncomfortable walking distance away in George Street and the tail of
soft rock now forms the Royal Mile with the castle at one end and
Holyrood Palace at the other. On the way from the Castle to Holyrood
you pass the Camera Obscura, the Scotch Whiskey Heritage Centre
(excellent tours with free Whiskey),numerous souvenir shops, the
Cathedral, rumoured to be the place where Edinburgh was founded (
was it ever lost? ), John Knox's house and several Museums. During
the Festival the royal mile is impassable because of the street acts
there so if you want to explore the Royal Mile, come outside the
Festival: come for the Festival too, it's good fun. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Baskerville;">Castle
Rock was an easy place to defend. The cliffs to the West, North and
South meant only one side needed really good defences, but the rock
made getting a supply of water in times of siege difficult. It needed
a well more than 90 feet deep which still tended to run dry at the
worst possible times. Still, like being 100 years old, a fort on
the castle beat the alternative</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Baskerville;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Early
Human Habitation</b></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Baskerville;">The
earliest settlement known is in the late Bronze Age but the finds are
not significant so they may have just been transients, it was too
early for tourists. It seems likely there was an Iron Age Hill Fort
on Castle Rock between the first and second centuries AD, which ties
nicely in with Ptolemy's mention of a <i>Votadin</i>i settlement
called Alauna meaning “Rock Place” perhaps the earliest name
for Castle Rock. Excavation unearthed a lot of Roman items
suggesting trade with the Romans. However from then on the Rock had
a fluctuating but constant population of humans.</span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Baskerville;">Around
600 AD there is a reference to <i>Din Eidyn</i>, the stronghold of
Eidyn, which may refer to the Castle Rock, in the British epic <i>Y
Goddodin</i>. In his book <i>The Quest for Merlin </i>
Nikolai Tolstoy places Merlin at the court of the king in the epic.
Regardless, Edinburgh became part of Northumbria, which then became
part of England, but returned to Scotland in the second half of the
10<sup>th</sup>
Century. </span>
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Baskerville;">It
is impossible to know much about the people who lived on the Rock
after the Romans left Britain as the only evidence is their rubbish
heaps: they left no evidence of any structures. One wonders what
future Archeologists will make of excavation of landfill sites but
that is another story. </span>
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Baskerville;">There
seems to have been a castle on the Rock from 1093 onwards. In 1174
Edinburgh again became English but became Scottish again in 1186 when
the king received it as part of a dowry onhis marriage to an English
woman chosen for him by King Henry of England. In those days women
were given away with the proverbial pound of cheese. </span>
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Baskerville;">For
about a hundred years nothing much happened. Then the King died
leaving the throne vacant. The King of England was appointed to
arbitrate between rival claimants but naturally tried to get himself
established as the Laird of Scotland. A while later he abandoned
subtlety and invaded, capturing Edinburgh and taking everything
valuable back to London. Some 18 years later the Scots took it back
with the unsportsmanlike tactic of a surprise night attack ( the
world was going to the dogs ). Robert the Bruce ordered the castle
defences destroyed to make it easier to retake if the English
captured it again. From then till 1357 the Castle alternated
between England and Scotland with the English falling for the
clever tricks of the Scots. From then on the Scots, having nothing
much to fear from the English, despite occasional attempts at
invasion spent the time fighting each other and reinforcing the
castle defences. When it suited them one side or the other would call
in the English to help. </span>
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Baskerville;">The
remainder of the castle's history is a case of more of the same with
the castle being taken by one side or the other even after two
crowns were united in 1603 (after which they could no longer call on the English for help: it would have been pointless). It ended up as a prison for captured
soldiers in the Napoelonic wars till 49 of them escaped through a
hole in the wall. The authorities then decided the vaults were no longer
a good place to dump prisoners (Remeber how long it took them to realise the time ball on Calton Hill was useless in fog) and by 1814 the castle started to
become a national monument though it was used as a prison in both
world wars.</span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Baskerville;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>What's
in a name?</b></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Baskerville;"><span style="font-size: small;">In
the late 14<sup>th</sup>
century Andrew Of Wyntoun refers to a legendary King of the Britons
called Ebrawce or Ebraucus who built Edinburgh. He was alleged to
have had fifty children by twenty wives (Now THAT would make him a legend in some quarters), so where he found the time
to build Edinburgh is unclear. Later John Stow credited him with
building <span style="color: black;"> "the Castell of Maidens
called Edenbrough" in 989 BC. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Baskerville;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">The</span><span style="color: black;">
origins of the name </span><span style="color: black;"> "Maiden
Castle", or </span><span style="color: black;"><i>Castellum Puellarum
</i></span><span style="color: black;">in
Latin, are obscure, but it appears in charters of David I around
1130 and was commonly used until at least the 16th century. It
appears in charters of David I (ruled 1124–1153) . William Camden's
1607 </span><span style="color: black;"><i>Britannia </i></span><span style="color: black;">records
that "the Britans called [it] Castle Myned Agned, the Scots, the
Maidens Castle and the Virgins Castle, because of certaine young
maidens of the Picts roiall bloud who were kept there in old time".
</span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Baskerville;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">The
17</span><span style="color: black;"><sup>th
</sup></span><span style="color: black;">century
antiquarian Father Richard Hay, thought the "maidens" were
a group of nuns ejected from the castle and replaced by canons,
considered "fitter to live among soldiers", but Daniel
Wilson and later historians considered this story has "apocryphal".
</span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Baskerville;">The
name may come from a "Cult of the Nine Maidens" type of
legend: Arthurian legends suggest that the site once held a shrine
to Morgain la Fee, one of nine sisters. Later, St Monenna is said to
have invested a church at Edinburgh, as well as at Dumbarton and
other places, and is also said to have been one of nine companions.
More simply, the term "Maiden Castle" may refer to a castle
which was never taken by force.</span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Baskerville;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The
Castle Today </b></span></span>
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Baskerville;">Today
the Castle is a Tourist Attraction and the site of the Edinburgh
Tattoo and the Firework Displays at the end of the Festival and at
Hogmanay. It appears on the coats of arms of the City and the
University and has appeared on postage stamps and banknotes. It still
has a garrison and is a symbol of both Edinburgh and Scotland
visible from many miles away. One of the most visited tourist
attractions in Scotland it has to be visited if you are a tourist:
<i><b>before</b></i> going on the Whiskey Heritage Centre tours. If
you go there for the Tattoo take an umbrella. </span>
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669639669180865354.post-87911418338182753702013-03-05T14:33:00.000-08:002013-03-05T14:33:46.874-08:00Portobello on the Forth
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9bMfOzVZ5fnwf3_z2VxWoI5uwpqgWu1hyphenhyphenr-UGp7bNtriVpEzcDGoL82N6ppJw-vnOCJSZHeRisOfw8CgxC8wsAm-IFlWpDaUqNiFtV4lGe_yA53YlRTo1FkSyThoU3KalTJjDC7OU8Ir6/s1600/Portobello_edinburgh_may_2006_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9bMfOzVZ5fnwf3_z2VxWoI5uwpqgWu1hyphenhyphenr-UGp7bNtriVpEzcDGoL82N6ppJw-vnOCJSZHeRisOfw8CgxC8wsAm-IFlWpDaUqNiFtV4lGe_yA53YlRTo1FkSyThoU3KalTJjDC7OU8Ir6/s400/Portobello_edinburgh_may_2006_02.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Portobello beach</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
There's a small and crowded village to
the East of Edinburgh called Portobello. It's a traditional old
fashioned sandy beach with a few amusement arcades some pubs and a
view out to infinity. The classic 99 Ice Cream with a flake stuck in
it that slowly gets soggy till it falls down your front is said to
have been invented by the Arcari family. Portobello gave its name to
Portobello in New Zealand while Edinburgh gave its name to the nearby
city of Dunedin.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The area was originally called Figgate
Muir and was an expanse of moorland through which the Figgate Burn
flowed from Duddingston Loch to the Sea. The name probably meant “Cow
Road” Like <a href="http://therealbadjao.blogspot.com.es/2012/07/what-to-see-in-old-edinburgh-fishing.html" target="_blank">Cramond</a> there tended to be long periods where nothing
happened. In 1296 William Wallace gathered his forces there, in 1650 there were rumours of a secret meeting between Cromwell and Scottish
leaders and in 1661 the highlight appears to have been a race in
which 12 women raced from the burn to the top of Arthur's Seat (Not
THAT Arthur). You will know that is an impressive feat if you ever
walked up to the top.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Being by the sea it had by the 18<sup>th</sup>
century become frequented by seamen and smugglers. In 1739 a sailor
who had been present when the English captured Porto Bello in Panama
built a house he called Porto Bello Hut, and the house gave a name to
the village that grew round it.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
By the end of the century things were
getting busy. Someone discovered clay nearby and built a brickworks
and a pottery factory and the village grew rapidly. It became a
fashionable bathing resort and and industrial town. It became a burgh
then a part of Edinburgh. It started welcoming visitors as a holiday
town and the public baths that opened in 1901 still house one of
only three turkish baths left in Scotland.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The Edinburgh Marine Gardens were built
in 1908, included various forms of entertainment and a Somali Village
with 70 natives. It fell out of use in WW I and so had only six
years use. The site now houses a bus depot and car showrooms. The
rest of Portobello also slowly declined and is now like a pensioner
reflecting on a long and varied life on the way to church.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
For Real Ale fans Portobello offers the
Three Monkeys on the High Street which at the time of writing has
live music three times a week. For photographers the sea, the beach
and the remaining fairground attractions offer opportunities as do
details of the older buildings. The High Street is close to the city
centre by bus but remember buses stop around midnight after which
they turn back into pumpkins. Before you come you might want to
check out the local <a href="http://porty.org.uk/">community website</a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669639669180865354.post-52415380569299163442013-03-03T14:53:00.004-08:002013-03-03T14:53:45.219-08:00The Mackenzie Poltergeist<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRpeFPiUw0uCuRAlCC-maqpr_5k8Vsntby1qA1hffJWNIIzzmzokMEMJUL_oTt1MC-O5m9tdyRvh8ZJ2ya9dUIPxhPHGcYMnWi43EUrgJGcf1t3GXGNvWFPaL7JySZwunTRlYsvB4U3KR1/s1600/DSCF6028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRpeFPiUw0uCuRAlCC-maqpr_5k8Vsntby1qA1hffJWNIIzzmzokMEMJUL_oTt1MC-O5m9tdyRvh8ZJ2ya9dUIPxhPHGcYMnWi43EUrgJGcf1t3GXGNvWFPaL7JySZwunTRlYsvB4U3KR1/s320/DSCF6028.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greyfriars Kirk by day</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The Poltergeist of Greyfriars Kirkyard is known as the Mackenzie poltergeist, despite not
behaving like a poltergeist and probably having nothing to do with
anyone called Mackenzie.Even for the most haunted city on the
planet the Poltergeist is an oddity.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
It is less confined spatially than the
average poltergeist, does not throw things around and it has lasted
much longer than most poltergeist infestations. Also it lives in a
churchyard while poltergeists normally seem to look for human company</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Mackenzie</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Mackenzie was a seventeenth century
hanging judge with a particular hatred of covenanters, persecuting
them so zealously that he gained the nickname “Bluidy Mackenzie”.
However he was in disgrace for a while as he objected to pressure
to refrain from prosecuting those involved in the Glencoe Massacre (
such pressure on judges is no unknown in the 21<sup>st</sup> century
in the UK either ) and was, in private life, a cultured and learned
gentleman with literary tendencies. He died in 1691 and was buried in
the Greyfriars Kirkyard.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Mackenzie imprisoned 1200 covenanters
in a field next to Greyfriars Kirkyard, an area described later,
probably inaccurately, as the first concentration camp [2], and
many died or were executed.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">The
area now known as the Covenanters' Prison is not where the
covenanters were actually imprisoned: it was not added until 1703.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>The Birth of the
Poltergeist</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
In December 1998 a homeless man
wandered into the churchyard and slipped into one of the mausoleums,
the Black Mausoleum, believed to be the tomb of Mackenzie though this
is uncertain. He smashed some coffins and fell into a previously
unknown mass grave [2] containing the partially decomposed bodies of
plague victims. At that point he did exactly what anyone else would
do. He ran. How he got out of the pit is not stated. On his way out
he ran into a man with a dog, apparently a security guard, who,
seeing a filthy vagrant running at him, blood streaming from a cut on
his forehead sustained in his panic stricken flight, also ran. As
anyone with sense would do. <br /><br />Ever since there have been well
documented reports of something malevolent in the area. The
phenomenon has persisted since 1998, which is longer than any
poltergeist manifestation I know.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>The Poltergeist</b></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The day after the homeless man fell
into a pit of decomposing bodies a woman peering though the iron
grill on the door was reportedly knocked off its step by a cold
blast. Then another woman was found lying near the tomb with a ring
of bruises round her neck. She said invisible hands had tried to
strangle her. A young man with similar injuries was found lying
opposite the vault.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Edinburgh Council locked the vault and
wanted to forget they had the key. Then a local author was granted
permission to run controlled tours to the mausoleum. Paranormal
activity escalated from then on. Since 1998 there have been two to
four attacks a month. This is probably a small percentage of the
total number of people visiting the mausoleum, which suggests the
poltergeist is selective about who it attacks.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Some of the victims lost consciousness,
inexplicable fires broke out, people had hair pulled, fingers broken,
unexplained scratches, skin gouges, burns, nausea and numbness. An
unusually large number of dead animals have been found near the vault
and cameras and electrical equipment tend to malfunction near the
mausoleum. Interestingly the victims often fail to realise they have
been injured till much later. Some injuries disappear as rapidly as
they appeared and some turn into lifelong scars. Sometimes the
phenomena follow them home.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">On
occasion everyone on a particular tour feels or see the same thing,
suggesting a degree of reality. The company that runs the tours also
keeps detailed records and photographs of the injuries sustained by
visitors to the mausoleum and its surrounding area.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">The
aroma of smelling salts and the stink of sulphur have been reported,
and inexplicable laughing and growling has been heard along with
strange knocking sounds that seem to emanate from beneath ground
level. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">A
mysterious fire destroyed all the notes made by the local author who
ran the tours, five years worth of notes and records and people
living nearby have reported poltergeist phenomena. It also seems as
if the phenomenon has moved to the covenanters prison. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Comparison with a
standard poltergeist case</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Poltergeist cases develop slowly and
few last more than a year. The phenomenon started suddenly in
December 1998 and has continued ever since:
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Poltergeists rarely do harm but this
one hurts people regularly.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Poltergeists normally only move if
there is a human focus that moves, but this one has relocated</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Cameras and other equipment
malfunction: This happens with the Loch Ness Monster but us unusual
with poltergeists.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
An unusually large number of dead
animals are found in the area; I know of no comparison with other
graveyards and no poltergeist case that involves killing animals. I
note mystery animal mutilations in the USA and wonder if the animals
found dead had been mutilated.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Knockings, noises and phantom smells
however are observed in poltergeist and ghost cases.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>The Wrap</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
By any standards the Mackenzie
poltergeist is an oddity. Skeptics ignore it and it seems to have its
own way of discouraging investigation. You have been warned</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
If you come to Edinburgh and want to
risk being trailed, scratched, burnt or otherwise assailed by an
alien being you can reach Greyfriars Kirk with a single bus ride from
Badjao Bed and Breakfast.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The Kirk is hidden from the main road:
a small alleyway to the left of the statue of Greyfriars Bobbie and
the pub behind it leads to the Kirk. You should be safe during the
day but you will not get into the haunted areas unless you go on the
tour. If you stay with us and do go on the tour we would love to
hear of any odd experiences you might have.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
In the area is the Frankenstein bar,
in a former church, the numerous bars of the Grassmarket where
public executions used to take place and the Royal Museum of
Scotland.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
You may also want to read this <a href="http://alexk2009.hubpages.com/_aayawa/hub/The-Mackenzie-Poltergeist" target="_blank">fulleraccount of the Mackenzie Poltergeist </a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669639669180865354.post-19634918175130059002012-11-25T06:30:00.000-08:002012-11-25T07:59:11.363-08:00What to do when you come back to Edinburgh<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Of course you will come
back. Everyone does, but maybe you need an excuse or you have seen
all you want of the tourist trail and love nature. If you enjoy
walking and exploring and your schedule allows this Edinburgh is for you. Here are a couple of places to visit</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Holyrood
Park</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgOkm4vISche57D_W7SOevO06uNh285F3nL7M_2im3K_E_VHUPmxOE1iU0fI3qnwPdydNFhT2suZMQp4DEg9x9Y6JQVsH0qdh38mFDP1Pr9TNBWckgU0gcj_IBgronjLB7i1wX2zVsOKX3/s1600/SunsetHolyRoodParkDSCF5581+copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgOkm4vISche57D_W7SOevO06uNh285F3nL7M_2im3K_E_VHUPmxOE1iU0fI3qnwPdydNFhT2suZMQp4DEg9x9Y6JQVsH0qdh38mFDP1Pr9TNBWckgU0gcj_IBgronjLB7i1wX2zVsOKX3/s320/SunsetHolyRoodParkDSCF5581+copy.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset in HolyRood Park</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;">Holyrood Park, dominated
by the dead volcano called Arthur's seat (not that Arthur) is a
must. The fit and healthy will want to climb to the top for the
spectacular view of the city. It is an interesting walk, at about 30
degrees from horizontal for around 20 minutes and becomes a scramble
if you are not careful. Go early: in the off season darkness falls
as early as 3pm and you do NOT want to try finding your way down in
the dark, with or without a torch. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;">A car or bicycle and quite
a bit of time helps when exploring this vast park's 650 acres with a
limited time available. Walking round the edge takes at least 90
minutes but gives you some spectacular views and, if you time it
right some great sunsets. The small lake at the bottom is populated
by opportunist swans and other lochs further up have geese, and a car
park. Look out for the ruined Chapel and, further up the view of
Duddingstone Village and its church with the scold's chair. If you
are in a car the park can be a scenic short cut from the South of
Edinburgh to the Beach at Portobello.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Calton
Hill</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;">At the East End of Princes
St is Calton Hill, a volcanic rock base with a gorse-strewn hillface
and windswept ruggedness, making it a rough gem where families fly
kites, foxes roam and tourists flock.
At one time there was a prison here. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;">From Calton Hill you get a
different view of the city out as far as the river Forth and the
sea. You can drive up but the stairs from Princes St will challenge
anyone who cannot walk far. On top there is the telescope shaped
Nelson's Tower where a ball falls from a mast at 1pm every day
matching the one o'clock gun fired from the castle -It seems this was
intended to help deaf people set their watches - and the National
Monument, a replica of the Parthenon intended to commemorate the
Napoleonic wars but never completed because donations dried up. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;">For me Calton Hill is a
strange place, almost not in this world. The last sighting of the
little people was here in 1930. Calton Hill is the site of the annual
Beltane Festival on the last day of April, where good fun is had by
all for most of the night and was where the medieval lord of Misrule
would command ceremonies, and it may be inadvisable to linger there
after dark if you are on foot, but if you sit in your car after dark
( lock the doors) a fox is likely to appear. Before driving up check
what time they close the gates to the road up which cars travel to
the top. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;">In August, Calton Hill
hosts festival shows, it offers excellent views of fireworks displays
from the castle during Hogmanay and the grand finale of the Edinburgh
Festival, the Festival Fireworks.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>The
Hermitage of Braid</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Moving out of the city
centre to Morningside Edinburgh's very own glen, the Hermitage of
Braid offers a choice of the low road, through the centre, and the
high road on the paths that lead along the top of the outcrops that
border it. Best visited in late spring when the flowers are out</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;">A local nature reserve
since 1993, the Hermitage is a 130 acre haven for wildlife, much of
it shy. The Hermitage includes woodland, grassland, scrub, freshwater
and marsh and if you are lucky you will see a heron. It is a good
place for nature walks, or to sit and relax in a hidden corner in
the wild shrubs, study the displays at the visitor centre, see the
ice-house, doo’cot (dovecote) and water pump, or simply walk in
beautiful surroundings.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;">You can reach it from
Morningside clock tower by walking up Braid Road past the stones set
in the road to mark the last public hanging in Edinburgh. Once there
turn left into the park and enjoy. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>North
Edinburgh: The Forth Rail Bridge and Cramond Village</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The Forth Rail Bridge at
South Queensferry is impressive in the day time but more so at night
when it is illuminated. The statistics are impressive, but you have
to be close to appreciate the scale of the bridge. It is 1.5 miles
long and even today an engineering marvel. It can be seen from
almost any high ground in Edinburgh, but not from space. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Once you have finished
looking at the bridge turn left into South Queensferry and walk along
the shore for a while. If the time of year is right you can take a
boat trip to Inchcolm Island. Or you can just have a drink in one
of the local pubs. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://therealbadjao.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/what-to-see-in-old-edinburgh-fishing.html" target="_blank">Cramond Village</a> is
situated at the Mouth of the River Almond. There is a beach of
sand, stones and dunes. In the village itself there is the oldest
church in Scotland and next to it the remains of a Roman fort. The
walk up the River takes you past the yachts of local residents. The
weir is the boundary of a mirror like pool and there are ofen many
keen fishermen there.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;">If you feel adventurous
cross the causeway to the bird sanctuary of Cramond Island at low
tide, but be sure to check when high tide will cover the causeway.
You may have to allow yourself<b>
</b>more time to get back if you are especially short. In good
weather you may want to get stranded with a generous supply of
alcohol. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;">If you turn your back on
the River Almond you can stroll along the shore to Muirhouse which
has a more traditional beach then take a bus back to town. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Portobello
Beach</b></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;">On the other side of
Edinburgh is Portobello, a sandy beach with all the trappings you
would expect. If you don't like children head for a bar or go on to
Musselburgh, a village on the River Esk. Here you can walk to the
mouth of the Esk where river turns into sea and see the mountains in
Fife where they meet the sky and watch the waves rolling in to the
shore. If you are very heavy be
careful: there is a notice saying horseboxes should not be parked
on the grass by the river because the ground is unstable. After you
have watched the sea enough you walk back down the river, using the
many bridges that cross the river, and finally walk back and get
the bus to town.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>The Water
of Leith</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Vu3_B8_OgzFK8OTMpUvsJ42KOV5hj54hrQizBo4vGV_hHaCRSDthExRVPaY9Zjz4TbeAZUfGxS8UIr7bWEirMvGa5RZBYv2GsBdy2hZU60sNwHhZrcvGXamtUzJZ1x3E24auv-JEzOus/s1600/DSCF5998+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Vu3_B8_OgzFK8OTMpUvsJ42KOV5hj54hrQizBo4vGV_hHaCRSDthExRVPaY9Zjz4TbeAZUfGxS8UIr7bWEirMvGa5RZBYv2GsBdy2hZU60sNwHhZrcvGXamtUzJZ1x3E24auv-JEzOus/s320/DSCF5998+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ladies on their Sunday walks used to rest in these shelters</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;">If you do not want to pay
city centre prices the Badjao Bed and Breakfast is ten minutes from
the city centre and in walking distance of the Water of Leith, a 12
mile waterside walk from the City Centre to Balerno which, like
Corstorphine Hill has a pleasant Walled Garden. Twenty minutes walk
from the B&B takes you to the Water of Leith visitor centre
where you can walk 7 miles into town or five miles to Balerno or
change to a walk along the Union canal. Or stop at one of the local
pubs and forget the whole idea. In the Balerno direction you pass
through Colinton Dell with its wildlife and small stone shelters
where ladies used to rest on their Sunday walks. Popular with
joggers, dog walkers and cyclists it is reasonably well signposted
and hard to get lost. Again keep an eye on the time if you are
coming in the off season. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;">There is no room to
include all the many parks and green areas and beaches in and around
Edinburgh such as the Hillend Country Park and Winter Sports Centre,
Trinity, Newhaven and Musselburgh could only be mentioned in passing.
</span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;">There are many other
places to visit. The one that intrigues me most is<a href="http://therealbadjao.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/the-mystery-of-edinburghs-gilmerton-cove.html" target="_blank"> Gilmerton Cove</a>, a
system of tunnels rooms and even furniture carved out of the local
sandstone and tunnels that seem to lead to Rosslyn chapel and
Craigmillar Castle. No one knows who made it or why </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;">We want our guests to
enjoy their stay so here is a bit of advice (which most people will
never need). Edinburgh is cooler than London in Summer and warmer in
Winter. Wherever you go, <i><b>especially</b></i> the hilltops dress
warmly, or at least pack extra clothes, because the weather can
change rapidly. Make sure your phone is fully charged and, if you are
going off the beaten track, let someone know where you are going. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0