Scotland Part 1: Edinburgh

Welcome in again! This time we are sojourning thru Scotland and England. As we go, think about the term, Perspective. Look that definition up and, as a noun, the definitions can all apply to photography. Pay close attention to the photos I’ve posted. My perspective senses were all heightened on this trip and I have some unique ones coming up…let’s get into it!

I’m going to jump ahead here, our first stay was in London and I will put that at the back end of this discussion for uniformity reasons.

After our stay in London, we hopped a train to Edinburgh, Scotland. The photo to the left is of one of the last English towns before entering Scotland.

The train ride is about 4 hours in length, give or take, and go through some lovely farm land and, at times, you can see the ocean.

If you know anything about England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, you know that there is a long and rich history to these places and they have a plethora of castles, abbeys, churches and other structures, some intact, others just in remains, that chronical allot of the history that you’ll find on these islands. Edinburgh Castle, to the right and below, is one such place.

This shot is of is of the backside of Edinburgh Castle. It looks more like an rather well to do English Estate, rather than a castle from this perspective. The grounds and the view from the grounds, castle level, were quite stunning.

Another perspective from the grounds of Edinburgh Castle. The photo to the right is of St. Cuthbert’s Church and the city of Edinburgh. The first recordings from St. Cuthbert’s Church was in the early 1100’s. Also, on the grounds of the castle are several cannons that were used for defense, back in the day and, you can tour the inside of the castle as well and learn about Robert the Bruce and other notable Scottish figures.

Another view from the grounds of Edinburgh Castle. If you can see in the distance, almost dead center, there are a couple of structures atop another hill that we walked to after visiting the castle. We do like getting around on foot, you see so much when you travel with your own two feets!

As mentioned above, that hill in the background I wanted you to focus on is called, Calton Hill. On this particular hill are several buildings, 3 of which I will tell you about. The one pictured to the right is the Nelson Monument. It was erected in the memory of Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson and his victory over the Spanish and French fleets in the Battle of Trafalgar. Admiral Nelson also died in that battle. At the time of our visit, late in the afternoon, the tower was closed but, it does have hours in which it is open so that visitors can climb to the top for some remarkable views of Edinburgh. Don’t quote me, but I believe there is something like 237 steps to the top, or a number thereabouts…a thigh buster to be sure!

Also on Calton Hill is the Dugald Stewart Monument. Stewart was a Scottish philosopher (1753-1828), a professor at the University of Edinburgh, he held a chair of Moral Philosophy from 1786 until his death in 1828. I wanted to post this photo so that a different perspective could be seen of the city of Edinburgh with, this time, Edinburgh Castle now in the background.

Also, on Calton Hill, is the National Monument of Scotland. This was raised in memory of those Scottish sailors and soldiers that died in the Napoleonic Wars. This monument was modeled after the Parthenon in Athens, Greece. There has been controversy involved with this particular monument and that it was never completed. Construction began in 1826 and, due to lack of funds, ended in 1829. Nicknames began to appear like, “Scotland’s Folly, Edinburgh’s Disgrace, the Pride and Poverty of Scotland, and Edinburgh’s Folly.” Still, on Calton Hill, you get a wonderful view of Edinburgh, the port that resides therein, beautiful architecture and Scottish history almost everywhere. We spent a couple of days here and were constantly on the move, couldn’t get enough but, sadly, it was time for us to pick-up our rental car and head North…toward the Highlands of Scotland.

That will do it for this week, everybody. I hope you enjoyed a trip through Edinburgh, Scotland and when we meet next, I give you a glimpse into the Highlands of Scotland, the famed Loch Ness and allot more. Until we meet again, take care of yourselves, each other, be and travel well, my friends.