In recent posts I’ve tried to show that there’s another side to Glasgow than its tough reputation normally suggests, but in this final post I would like you to follow me into the East End to get an insight into how the people of Glasgow have made the city what it is. We leave the […]

Scotland’s two largest cities are as different as chalk and cheese. Edinburgh is the country’s cultural and political hub, and Glasgow is the industrial powerhouse with rough and ready areas of the city that are out of bounds for tourists – or at least that’s the image most people have, but things are not always […]

During its Victorian heyday, Glasgow didn’t just build slums for the workers, it also built fine buildings for the city’s powerful elite, and there’s none finer than the Glasgow City Chambers. As the city grew in size and importance, the original civic offices at the Tolbooth struggled to keep pace, and so a site was […]

Glasgow didn’t have any history before the Industrial Revolution – or at least I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s what many people thought. It’s true of course that it developed into a major city during the Victorian era, but it might surprise some people to learn that it was founded way back in the 6th […]

The Song of the Clyde, made famous by Paisley born Kenneth McKellar, waxes lyrical about the “Wonderful Clyde”, but to an outsider like me, ‘wonderful’ wasn’t the first adjective that sprang to mind in describing the ribbon of water that flows through the centre of Glasgow: All I knew was that it was full of […]

No Mean City is a novel written by Alexander McArthur and H. Kingsley Long and is about the razor gangs of the Gorbals, a notorious working-class district on the south side of the River Clyde. It was set in the inter-war years and did nothing to change people’s perception of Glasgow’s tough reputation, one in […]

“One of the wildlife wonders of the world” is how Sir David Attenborough once described the Bass Rock, and if you take the short boat trip out from North Berwick you’ll see why. This volcanic lump of rock that sits just off the southern coast of the mouth of the Firth of Forth has the […]

A half-hour train journey from Waverley along the East Lothian coast will bring you to the smashing little seaside town of North Berwick. The first time I came here I immediately fell in love with it. Little did I know at the time that it was one of the most expensive seaside towns to live […]

I’ll be the first to admit that until I’d read Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code, I’d never heard of Rosslyn Chapel, and although the book had its critics, it obviously captured the imagination of plenty of other people too. When the book was written in 2003 the chapel was receiving around 45,000 visitors a year, […]

The Forth Bridge has to be one of Scotland’s most iconic landmarks, and is only around 10 miles from Edinburgh city centre. Some people refer to it as the Forth Rail Bridge in order to distinguish it from the much later Forth Road Bridge, but it was never officially called that. Both bridges, along with […]

I have to confess that I wasn’t sure how much I wanted to see Queen Elizabeth’s former private yacht, but when it was confirmed that the admission fee went towards the upkeep of the boat rather than into the pockets of the Royal family, I decided to travel out to the Ocean Terminal at Leith […]

Hogmanay in Edinburgh is world renowned, but Christmastime is pretty good too, and what’s more, by booking in advance, travel and accommodation costs are a fraction of the price that they are for the New Year celebrations. The main Christmas market centres around East Princes Street Gardens and has everything you would expect – and […]

From a sightseeing perspective I think it would be fair to say that Edinburgh’s New Town doesn’t have the same appeal as the Old Town, but the area that (very) roughly extends from Calton Hill to The Haymarket, and from Princes St to Cumberland St is a harmonious blend of classical town planning which, along […]

Opposite the Balmoral Hotel and next to the National Archives of Scotland, is West Register Street where there are a couple of watering holes worth seeking out. The Café Royal Circle Bar is well-known and wouldn’t look out of place on the Champs Elysées. Its famous Oyster Bar Restaurant attracts a clientele that prefers to […]

The high esteem in which Sir Walter Scott is held by the Scottish people is shown by this huge monument to him in East Princes St Gardens. He is remembered mainly for his historical novels, but was also a prominent member of the Edinburgh establishment. Born in Edinburgh in 1771, his poems and books brought […]

Of all the history and tales about Greyfriars, there’s probably one that captures the public imagination more than any other – that of Greyfriars Bobby. During the 1850s, a man by the name of John Gray, walked the streets of Edinburgh as a night watchman for the local police, and with him, went his trusty […]

In 1638 the National Covenant, one of the most significant documents in Scottish history, was signed in Greyfriars Kirk. This document was the Scottish Presbyterian’s answer to Charles I’s religious policy which had been causing a lot of anger. Copies of the Covenant were distributed throughout Scotland and the Covenanters became the catalyst for the […]

There are several interesting buildings up on Calton Hill, but I reckon the views are what most people really come up here for. There are other great viewpoints in Edinburgh, it has to be said, but the climb up to Calton Hill must rank as one of the easiest. It’s also near to the city […]

On 12th May 1999, after a wait of 292 years, Scotland once again had its own Parliament, but it took another 5 years for the brand spanking new Parliament Building to be officially opened. From start to finish the building was controversial and its location and design were immediately criticised. It was due to be […]

At the opposite end of the Royal Mile to the castle is Holyrood Palace – the British monarch’s official Scottish residence. Sitting under the extinct volcano of Arthur’s Seat, the Palace of Holyroodhouse has been a Royal residence since 1503 when King James IV decided to convert the Royal Lodgings of Holyrood Abbey into a […]

Anybody coming here for an insight into the life of John Knox may well come away disappointed. Having said that, I think it’s still worth a visit as long as you’re not expecting to see a building closely associated with one of Scotland’s great historical figures. The John Knox House is also part of the […]

Edinburgh has two football teams – Hibernian and Heart of Midlothian (Hearts for short) and outside St. Giles’ Cathedral there is a heart of stone set into the pavement known as the Heart of Midlothian. If you happen to be walking past and catch somebody spitting on it don’t assume that it’s a Hibernian (Hibs) […]

Hovering over the top half of the High Street is the crown shaped steeple of St. Giles’ Cathedral. Technically speaking it’s not a Cathedral at all as there is no Bishop, so officially it’s known as the High Kirk. Architecturally, it’s not one of Europe’s outstanding ecclesiastical gems even though it’s been here since 1124. […]

Wandering up and down the Lawnmarket, you can’t fail to notice the name of Deacon Brodie. There’s Brodie’s Close, the Deacon’s House Café and Deacon Brodie’s Tavern – so who was Deacon Brodie? He was born William Brodie in 1741, and his father was head (or Deacon) of the Guild of Cabinet Makers. Following in […]

As Edinburgh started to spread out from the Royal Mile a rabbit warren of Closes, Wynds and Courts developed to house the expanding population. Generally speaking Wynds were open alleyways with a public right of way whereas Closes were private and closed at one end. Collectively, I believe that they’re all often referred to as […]

To conclude my tour of Edinburgh Castle it seems appropriate somehow to finish with the magnificent Military Tattoo. As its name suggests, the event is based around the Scottish armed forces, but don’t let that put you off because it’s more to do with kilts and bagpipes than warfare. That said, there is also a […]

I’ve been inside many prisons over the years – as a tourist I hasten to add – and there are another two here in Edinburgh Castle near Dury’s Battery. Firstly, there’s the small Military Prison and then the larger Prisons of War, which I found to be the more interesting of the two. The Military […]

After the Royal Palace and the Honours of Scotland, the next must-see part of the castle is the Great Hall which is located next to the Palace in Crown Square. This grand ceremonial hall was completed in 1512 for James IV and used for entertaining dignitaries with great banquets, but all this fine dining and […]

If there’s one part of the castle that shouldn’t be missed it has to be the Royal Palace and the Scottish Crown Jewels. The Palace was at the heart of the royal castle from the 11th to the early 17th centuries and probably an extension to David’s Tower. On the ground floor, the most important […]

On entering the castle you’ll be given a map which follows the easiest route up to the top, which is not only wheelchair and pushchair friendly, but also follows a numerical sequence. Passing through the Castle Gates will bring you to the Argyle Battery where everyone stops for a view out across he city. It’s […]

Edinburgh Castle is the most visited paid for tourist destination in Scotland, and like any major attraction, some forward planning will help make your visit a more pleasant experience. The official website gives all the latest practical information and advice (https://www.edinburghcastle.scot/), but I would particularly draw your attention to the fact that a timed ticketing […]

First impressions of the Royal Mile might lead you to the conclusion that the most famous thoroughfare in Scotland is just one long street encouraging swarms of tourists to part with their hard-earned money on buying ‘Tartan Tat’, but scratch below the surface and it will soon become apparent why this spinal cord that joins […]