The Rough Guide to Edinburgh (3rd edition) - Softcover

Reid, Donald

3.86

7 ratings by Goodreads

9781858288871: The Rough Guide to Edinburgh (3rd edition)

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1858288878 ISBN 13: 9781858288871

Publisher: Rough Guides, 2002

View all copies of this ISBN edition:

INTRODUCTION

Perched on a series of extinct volcanoes and rocky crags, EDINBURGH enjoys a dramatic natural setting unrivalled by any other major European city. Arrive in the very heart of town – either by day, with an east wind tugging at the flags that seem to fly from every building, or by night, when floodlights float grand architecture above the streets – and you’re at once gripped by Edinburgh’s romantic historical essence, where ramparts and ridges, turrets and tenements crowd the eye. One native author of genius, Robert Louis Stevenson, declared that "No situation could be more commanding for the head of a kingdom; none better chosen for noble prospects".

In its layout and, many would argue, in its personality too, Edinburgh is divided into its Old Town and New Town, inscribed together on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. The former, perched on the spinal ridge leading down from the majestic cliff-girt Castle, is often dark and mysterious, and still predominantly medieval; the latter, with its graceful Georgian terraces and Grecian architecture, is a planning masterpiece of the Age of Enlightenment, when Edinburgh was Europe’s hotbed of intellectual endeavour. The Old Town swirls with gory tales of body-snatchers – crowded with Gothic detailing, its looming medieval housing and historic facades lend a very distinctive appearance and atmosphere – while the New Town, with its douce lawyers and canny bankers, captures the capital’s deeply dyed respectability. Being a relatively small city, with a population of under half a million, there are also marked contrasts between the closely packed grandness of Edinburgh’s centre and the grim, underprivileged housing estates of the outskirts, as portrayed on the big screen in Trainspotting – rarely seen by visitors, but still very much part of the modern city.

A royal capital from its earliest days, Edinburgh’s status took a knock when James VI of Scotland left the city for London in 1603 to take up the British throne as James I. Just over a hundred years later, the Scottish parliament also disappeared as Westminster assumed control, and while Edinburgh never lost the style, appearance and trappings of a capital city, its self-importance rang hollow for many. However, the return of the Scottish Parliament to Edinburgh in 1999, after nearly three hundred years of rule from London, has lent renewed vigour to the political, commercial and cultural scenes, and Edinburgh is taking the opportunity to prove itself a dynamic, influential and thoroughly modern European capital. The recent opening of the new National Museum of Scotland, the redevelopment of Leith docklands, the rapid erection of new homes and offices in various parts of the city and the anticipated appearance of the architecturally ambitious Scottish Parliament building, due to be unveiled in 2003, are all contributing to this upturn in the city’s vitality and spirit.

Above all, Edinburgh is a cultured capital, in part due to its rich literary and artistic connections, but also thanks to the unique creative outpouring of the Edinburgh Festival, the largest celebration of the arts in the world. The event draws around a million visitors to the city each August, and generates a carnival atmosphere matched only by the much shorter but even more boisterous celebrations at Hogmanay. Edinburgh also maintains a vibrant cultural life throughout the year, with innovative theatre, energetic clubs, live music and heavyweight literary and artistic events. The social life of the city has been equally enlivened in recent years: a number of stylish new Modern Scottish restaurants, which use traditional local produce such as venison and salmon to create innovative new dishes, have begun to earn Edinburgh recognition on the culinary map. Long known as a great drinking city thanks both to its brewing and distilling traditions and its distinctive howffs (old! pubs), Edinburgh now boasts a host of stylish bars and a thriving caf� culture, fuelled mainly by the presence of three universities, plus several colleges, which ensure a youthful presence for most of the year – a welcome corrective to the stuffiness which is often regarded as the city’s Achilles heel.

"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.

About the Author:

Donald Reid was brought up in Glasgow, studied law in Edinburgh, and took to the high seas afterward to avoid the threat of an office. He worked on travel books and magazines in Cape Town, and has now settled back in Edinburgh, where he works as a freelance writer and editor. Reid is the author of The Rough Guide to Edinburgh and the coauthor of The Rough Guide to Scotland.

WHERE TO GO

The city of Edinburgh spreads over a wide area: suburbs reach north to the shore of the Firth of Forth and south to the hills of Midlothian, and merge into the satellite towns of fertile East Lothian and industrialized West Lothian to the east and west. However, one of the capital’s great attractions is that most of the main sights are concentrated in its historic core, and are easily explored on foot – though you do have to be prepared for some punishing inclines and steep flights of stairs.

Right in the heart of the city, it is undeniably Edinburgh Castle atop its crag which draws the eye. Still a working castle with a garrison of soldiers and a signal gun fired daily at 1pm, it’s a pricey outing – but worth it for the chance to explore the battlements, mug-up on some of the more important moments in Scottish history, and take in some spectacular vistas over the city and its hinterland. Running west to east from the Castle through the heart of the medieval Old Town is Scotland’s most famous street, the Royal Mile, with its string of impressive and important buildings; however, it’s just as rewarding to explore some of the numerous cobbled wynds (narrow lanes) and tightly packed closes which run off the main street. The Royal Mile ends at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, still the monarch’s Scottish residence; opposite, and in dramatic contrast, is the new Scottish Parliament, the city’s most important contemporary building. Providing a stunning backdrop to both, and offering a tantalizing sample of Scotland’s wild scenic beauty, is Holyrood Park, an extensive area of open countryside in the very heart of the city that’s dominated by the distinctive profile of Arthur’s Seat, Edinburgh’s highest point.

It’s worth heading south of the Royal Mile to see some impressive individual buildings. These include the Old College of the University, a late masterpiece of Robert Adam, and the spectacular new National Museum of Scotland, a fusion of vernacular and modern styles in honey-coloured sandstone, which contains a wonderfully diverse and well laid-out collection of the nation’s treasures, from hordes of Roman silver to items donated by local-boy-made-good Sir Sean Connery.

North of the Royal Mile, across Princes Street Gardens, lies the New Town. Its main thoroughfare, Princes Street, is dominated by high-street shops but also offers wonderful views of the Old Town skyline, while unexpected vistas of the Firth of Forth open out from the elevated streets to the north. There are many magnificent Neoclassical set pieces here, notably William Henry Playfair’s National Gallery of Scotland, with its impressive collection of Old Masters and French Impressionist masterpieces; Adam’s Charlotte Square; and the various Grecian edifices atop Calton Hill. A little beyond the New Town’s graceful crescents lie the beautifully laid-out grounds of the Botanic Garden, and the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, the city’s most engaging gallery and Britain’s oldest specialist collection of twentieth-century painting and sculpture.

Out from the centre, the seedy edge of Leith, Edinburgh’s medieval port, is softened by a series of great bars, upmarket seafood restaurants and dockland developments, one of which provides a berth for the former royal yacht Britannia, a popular attraction for fans of the Royals and Britain’s naval heritage. For open outlooks and a breath of fresh air, head on to the old fishing harbour of Newhaven or the trim village of Cramond, both on the Firth of Forth coast. Many points of interest in Edinburgh’s southern suburbs are linked to the series of hills which rise here, notably Craigmillar Castle, a residence used by Mary, Queen of Scots; and the Pentlands, an easily accessible stretch of hills and moorland much appreciated by hikers and mountain bikers.

Edinburgh is well-placed for day-trips to other parts of central Scotland. Glasgow, Scotland’s largest city and home to some stunning art and architecture, is only an hour’s travel to the west, while historic Stirling, with its superb castle and proximity to the Highlands, is a similar distance to the northwest. St Andrews, ancient home of the game of golf, takes only a little longer to reach, while anyone keen on Scotland’s history would do well to spend a bit of time exploring some spots closer to Edinburgh, including Linlithgow, with its soaring, roofless palace, and East Lothian, where ruins such as Tantallon Castle are among the country’s most dramatic. If you’ve a car, a trip south into the Border region of rolling hills and ruined abbeys offers a taste of an appealing but relatively little-known stretch of open countryside.

WHEN TO VISIT

Edinburgh’s climate is typically British: clear seasonal divisions ranging from snow in winter to scorching sun in summer, frequently changing weather conditions at any time of year and, overall, just a little bit too much rain for anyone’s liking. However, Edinburgh’s east-coast position ensures that the city suffers less rainfall than western parts of the country, though it is prone to blustery and often bitter winds blowing in off the North Sea. Another local phenomenon is the haar or sea mist, which is wont to roll in from the Firth of Forth and envelop the city after a few warm days in summer. The coldest months are January and February, when the highest daily temperature averages at 6'C (42'F) and overnight frosts are common. July is the warmest month, reaching an average high of 18�C (65'F), although late spring (May) and early autumn (September) are often good times to visit for welcome spells of bright weather and less of the tourist scrum which marks the Royal Mile! in high season. With the Festival in full swing, August is a great time to visit Edinburgh – but be prepared for large crowds, scarce accommodation and busy restaurants.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.