24 Hours in … Edinburgh!

To start my “24 hours in…” journey, I decided to head to a city with some familiarity and security but still a sense of adventure.

Main Location: Edinburgh

Transport: Flight from Gatwick – Bus from Airport. (You can buy an open return bus ticket from the airport, as well as a map)

Accommodation: The Inn Place, Cockburn Street (a central location is useful)

Tips:

• Arrive the night before your main day and stay for two nights:
  By arriving early I was able to grab a map and become accustomed to my surroundings before heading out.
• Look for deals before you go:
  I got a great deal on Last Minute which included flights and hotel.
• Get an early night and get up early!

Location 1: Calton Hill.

At the edge of the city, this hill has some beautiful 360 views of Edinburgh; from the city centre to the Water of Leith, you can see for miles! It was pretty dark as I wandered up, but there were sign posts and a clear path so I felt happy…well, until I saw a small fluorescent blob running towards me – it turned out to be just a tiny black dog with a coat on. Once at the top, I found a perfect spot to capture the sunrise over the surrounding hills…in theory that is! Everyone searches for the perfect sunrise but the chances are it won’t happen. Instead I chased the slight glow of orange across the hill until I was faced with the view of Edinburgh City Centre; it was here I decided my trip was worth it. Watching a big city come to life as dawn breaks is a magical experience. You can watch as tiny ants in their tiny cars begin to move about with the morning rush. The once peaceful streets become jammed with traffic and the sound of the days apprehensions rise above the buildings and office blocks as the sky turns from a muddy orange to the blue of a drizzly day (it rains a lot in Scotland).

Once satisfied I had captured a half decent morning shot of the city, I decided to head for breakie (to be honest, I could have stood and watched the city all day but the clock was ticking).

When in Rome…. or maybe that should be Edinburgh, it would be wrong to not have a Full Scottish Breakfast whilst reading a good old Scottish newspaper. I headed to The Southern Cross Cafe back on Cockburn Street and had my fill. Sausage, Bacon, Beans and Toast…normal so far… oh wait… I also had Haggis and some sort of weird flat bread cake thing – I want to say it was a Tattie Scone (please correct me if i’m wrong), but boy was it tasty and the perfect way to fuel the rest of the day.

I decided to take on mostly the Old Town for my 24 hours as I felt it contained more culture and photo opportunities. The main street on this side of the city is The Royal Mile (called such as it ends with the Queens local abode as well as Scottish Parliament) and it is here we begin.

Location 2: The Royal Mile

Head east down the street (same direction roughly as Calton Hill) and you will find a few points of interest, such as the Edinburgh Museum (Free) and John Knox house (£5 Entry). There is also some beautiful architecture and a statue of Robert Fergusson (the forgotten poet of Scotland).

It was at this point I started to get lost…it didn’t take long! Walking around the parliament building, I was faced with the cloudy topped Holyrood Park and the famous Arthurs Seat. As gentle drops of rainy mist hit my face, I watched the insane locals climb higher and higher until they were out of sight. I turned and headed back towards town.

Challenge 1: “Not all those who wander are lost” (unless you’re me) – I found an interesting piece of art work whilst getting back on track – the front and back end of a cow…separate and stuck to a building. See if you can find it!!

Location 3: Greyfriars Cemetery and Statue

Being a dog person, it was hard not to be touched by the story of a man and one dogs undying love for his owner. If you happen to come across a good (and i mean good) stick on your travels to find him, then pick it up and keep hold of it. There is a dog waiting for you to throw it. I took my time at this stop. I watched the visitors come and go, and like the ghosts on the graves I was invisible to them. Their eyes were drawn, touched and teary, to the simple memorial and the peace it created.

Tearing myself away, I strolled to my next location.

Challenge 2: Harry Potter fans, this is for you. Keep your eyes peeled and find Diagon Alley.

Location 4: Victoria Street

One of the most photographed streets in Edinburgh. Known for its unique and colourful shops as well as its overall curvature, it is beautiful to view from almost any angle. I would recommend starting from the bottom and walking up one side, then down the other. Make sure to look into the shop windows, each display containing intricate details. If you are keeping good time you could even pop in to one or two for a gander.

Now, as you may be able to tell or I may have already mentioned, I am a photographer and my next stop was put in solely for that purpose.

Location 5: Vennel

A street with a perfect view of the castle. It is peaceful, tourist free and creates gorgeous pictures. Head there just before dusk and see if you can capture the sunset and soft light as it disappears (don’t worry if it is bright sunshine when you go, it is still beautiful).

Location 6: Edinburgh Castle.

Obviously, there isn’t a lot of time (if you are actually doing this in a day) so if you wanted to walk in and around the castle I would recommend missing most of what I have just written. However, if you just want to see it and admire its beauty from the outside, then it’s all good.

There are multiple ways to get to the castle. I chose to walk below it first (instead of back tracking) so that I could get a sense of its grandeur, then head up and up and up until I found myself in the huge driveway/car park/courtyard thing. From here you can see not only the famous castle, but also all around. Look south towards the College of Art, or North over the Princes Street Gardens and admire the beautiful city.

So, the main aspects of our adventure are over. You have been to all the locations and you have walked most of the main town…but there is still time left. Time for Edinburgh by night.

There are two locations that I would recommend revisiting. Firstly head back up Calton Hill and watch the sunset. Watch as the day turns to night, the lights of the skies drop to meet the luminescent lights of the city and the night dwellers emerge. Then, join them. Wander the streets, follow the hum of bagpipes and let the soul of the city embrace you. Watch a happy (and slightly inebriated) scotsman do a jig in the street as tourists clap him on and laugh with him.

For all the photographers out there, I chose to head back to Vennel to capture one final shot of the castle at night. For all the non-photographers out there, go anyway! You might get a little surprise….put it this way, you may not be alone up there.

Time for food, whiskey (when in Scotland) and sleep I think.

If you took my advice, you will have one final morning there. Wake up when you want, you deserve it, and head into the new town. On a recommendation from a friend, I went to Urban Angel – a hip and relaxing cafe. It was there I had my first ever French Toast…I must say, it was gorgeous.

Final Location: Princes Street Gardens.

A peaceful park full of beautiful flowers and trees, it is home to some fascinating statues and is the perfect way to end my first 24 hour adventure.