After our extremely pleasant long morning and lunch at Holyrood Palace, we set off under the same glorious sun which had accompanied us today and every day so far, to stroll the "lower" part of the Royal Mile. Since the Palace is at the lowest part of the Royal Mile, it was a slightly uphill walk with numerous points of interest along the way.
Since the striking, new Parliament House was to be one of Mar's scheduled visits during her conference later this week, we skipped this site. On our right we passed White Horse Close (probably named after Mary, Queen of Scot's horse) where the stagecoach to London used to leave. More recently the close has been quaintly restored and has lent its name to a brand of whiskey.
Soon after we passed Dunbar's Close, a lovely little reconstruction of a 17th century garden. Right next door is Panmure House, where the economist Adam Smith lived from 1778-1790.
Canongate Kirk, built in 1688, loomed large with its Dutch gable (explained by the close trading links with the Low Countries in the 17th century). While the interior is quite plain and unadorned, the surrounding graveyard has its share of notable dead and a stunning view of Calton Hill.
Across the street is the charming Canongate Tolbooth with its clock protruding over the street, quite unusually from its turret.
Built in 1592 in French style it now houses the remarkable People's Story museum, an entertaining, original, and creative exhibition on several floors with a wealth of information relating to ordinary lives in Edinburgh through the ages. Typical sounds AND scents accompany each distinct display.
One of our favorite shops was across from the Tolbooth: a small, privately owned
boutique of only the finest woolen products and beautifully crafted, hand-leaded stained glass objects. Mar bought me a beautiful wool scarf with a refined design of the thistle (the national symbol) and chose some striking stained glass objects for herself. Not only was it an excellent shopping experience, but we always prefer to support the smaller, privately owned stores.
We also enjoyed the shop Bagpipes Galore
a great place to listen to live music and for CDs of Scottish music
The historic and inviting Clarinda's Tea Room ("Clarinda" was actually Agnes MacLehose, friend and mentor to poet Robert Burns, inspiring his popular love song "Ae Fond Kiss". Her memorial stone is in the nearby Canongate Graveyard.) was in the right place at the right time for a cup of tea and freshly home-baked scones with clotted cream and strawberry preserves.
This historic tearoom was THE quintessential tearoom experience, with heirloom china and a lavish array of daily freshly-baked cakes.
We continued our wonderful stroll admiring the architectural details, the unique atmosphere of this segment of the Royal Mile
the typical music of excellent bagpipers drifted in the air and around every corner, adding greatly to the magical atmosphere of this magnificent city.
on to High Street and back to our North-South Bridge turn back to the hotel. As I went to rest, Mar, taking full advantage of the long days and evening light, energetically took off around 8 PM through New Town for Dean Village. This bucolic area/walk along the Water of Leith offers a "country feel" in the center of town.
A late dinner, time to unwind and relax at the Spa and another blissful sleep restored us for another exciting day tomorrow: New Town and then off to Rossyln Chapel....
Comments (2)
Hi Mary, I have really been enjoying your posts on Edinburgh. I really enjoy looking at the different architecture that the buildings in this beautiful city has. It looks like you and your daughter really enjoyed your stay there. Thank you so much for posting about your experiences on your blog. You took a lot of great photos during your trip. I am looking forward to your next entry.
Posted by Kathy (Trekcapri) | August 10, 2009 7:18 PM
Posted on August 10, 2009 19:18
Mary, these photos and your descriptions are so wonderful that I'm tempted to run off to Scotland! (although it would probably be better to wait until June to see it at its best)
I enjoyed your line: "we set off under the same glorious sun..." I wonder how many visitors to Edinburgh are able to say that! You and Mar must have been there at the perfect time!
Posted by sandrac | August 11, 2009 6:50 PM
Posted on August 11, 2009 18:50