In the morning, we spent it at Seton Sands Holiday Park. In the afternoon, we drove to Edinburgh. It’s a 30-minute drive from the holiday park. Edinburgh is a windy and hilly city. The sun was very bright that day. Meanwhile, the wind was quite chilly at where we parked.
Calton Hill
Our first stop was Calton Hill. It’s a well-known and a must-visit tourist attraction in Edinburgh. Otherwise, your trip to Edinburgh won’t be complete. Furthermore, it’s a UNESCO Heritage Site. The wind was strong but it was not cold at all on the hill.
You can see the overview of Edinburgh city from here. The weather forecast said that it was going to rain. However, we were fortunate to have a fine weather. Do wear a cap or hat if you want to protect your head from the sun. Umbrella is not recommended. However, do make sure it’s securely fastened else it will surely fly away!
This popular landmark on Calton Hill has a rich history of its own just like all the other monuments or buildings there. This is called the National Monument of Scotland also known as “Athens of the North”. The structure is unfinished. It’s meant to commemorate Scots who had died in the Napoleonic Wars.
Next, this is the view of Arthur’s Seat from Calton Hill. It’s the highest point of the city. We were greeted by it when we arrived in Edinburgh. Arthur’s Seat can be seen from many locations in Edinburgh. We had a good view of it from where we parked. It’s an ancient volcano which was erupted 350 million years ago.
If you want to go for a hike, go ahead! If you are used to rugged terrains, this is a piece of cake. Just need a pair of comfortable walking shoes is all it takes. Of course, do bring some snacks and drinks with you. You’ll be rewarded with a great view of the city at the end of the hike.
A Walk through the Streets of Edinburgh
After the walk and taking photos at Calton Hill, we walked back down to go back to the street. There’s no need to rush. A leisurely walk is good enough. It’s a hilly city walk with many interesting centuries-old architectures to discover.
However, there were so many people in the city due to the festival. Certain sections were quite crowded. I could not admire the architectures with such amount of crowds. If you want to have a better look at the city’s architecture, it is best to come before or after the festival. When we were there, all we wanted was to get out of the crowded streets as fast as we could.
It was a sight of relief once we got out of the crowded streets. There was no crowd near the Edinburgh Castle. The castle itself has quite an impressive history of its own. You can go in for a visit but it’s not free. It is recommended to buy the ticket in advance as it tends to sell out to avoid disappointment. We did not visit it as we only had half a day to spare in Edinburgh.
Mussels for Dinner
We continued walking down the hill to go back to the city centre for dinner. Our early dinner was at Mussel Inn (61-65 Rose St, Edinburgh EH2 2NH, United Kingdom), an award-winning seafood restaurant in Edinburgh. We tried mussels in other parts of the UK/EU before. This is the best so far.
After the early dinner, we went for a walk in Primark. It was just opposite the restaurant. Then, it was time to go back and call it a day.