LEISURE TIME

Walk on the WILDSIDE JO VAUGHAN LEADS YOU ON A FASCINATING WALKING TOUR OF SCOTLAND’S HISTORICAL CAPITAL

COTLAND’S capital, Edinburgh, there are museums, exhibitions and views of the city and its surrounds. has to be one of Britain’s most galleries galore. To get to the start of our route, take the Sbeautiful and interesting cities. Our walk takes you up and around some number 42 bus from the Club site, which ❖ The shopping opportunities around of the most famous streets and attractions is just 41/2 miles from the centre of and George Street are Edinburgh has to offer. As if that’s not Edinburgh, to , where the almost unparalleled, while for those enough, the stroll up towards Arthur’s and the National with a more artistic or historical bent Seat in offers amazing Gallery of Scotland are situated.

MARCH 2008THE CARAVAN CLUB MAGAZINE 45 LEISURE TIME EDINBURGH

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DIRECTIONS over the Firth of Forth. Keep the National get to another path where you turn right Monument and the Tower on your right and to return to a wide expanse of grass at the Get off the number 42 bus at The follow the tarmac road gently downhill as it bottom of the cliffs. 1Mound and turn immediately left, curves around towards Arthur’s Seat When you come to a roundabout, turn passing between the RSA (Royal Scottish (situated on the hill in the distance). 6 left to go through Holyrood Gate. Academy) and the National Gallery of At the bottom of the hill, you come to a Shortly you’ll come to some pedestrian Scotland. Turn left around the side of the 4mini roundabout – turn left to rejoin lights – turn to the right and then almost RSA and then immediately right, walking Regent Road. At Regent Terrace, cross the immediately left to pass behind the along the gardens beside Princes Street. road by the monument and continue down Scottish Parliament building. At the end At the end of the gardens, cross the the hill. Just past the bowling green, turn of Reid’s Close, turn left into the Royal 2road and continue down Princes Street, right at the traffic lights down Mile. Continue until you come to a large with Waverley Station on your right. Abbeymount. After the railway bridge, expanse of tarmac in front of the castle – Continue ahead, crossing a road beside cross the road at the pelican crossing and turn immediately right here and go down North Bridge (don’t cross the bridge), as continue to the right of the Palace of some steps which start at a gate between Princes Street becomes Waterloo Place. Holyroodhouse’s ornamental gates. some railings. As the path goes downhill, Where Waterloo Place changes to Continue past Holyroodhouse and take the hairpin turning to the right and 3Regent Road, turn left to cross the road 5 the new Scottish Parliament building, continue down. and go up some steps. Then turn almost and go through the car park by the At the bottom of the hill, continue immediately right up some more steps. roundabout and up some steps ahead of 7straight ahead rather than going to the Continue to the left of the National you. Then turn right for the long climb up very bottom of the path and you’ll emerge Monument (which resembles the Salisbury Crags. Keep the cliffs to your on to The Mound, opposite the National Parthenon) and on the left you’ll see views left and continue along the path until you Gallery, where you started the walk.

INFORMATION ATTRACTIONS INFORMATION GENERAL ■ National Gallery of Scotland, The Mound, Edinburgh EH2 2EL. Tel 0131 624 6200 or see NEAREST CLUB SITE: Edinburgh, nationalgalleries.org. Open: all year. Cost: free. Disabled access: full access to all galleries. One of three 35-37 Marine Drive, Edinburgh EH4 galleries in Edinburgh, with each one being home to a different part of the national collection of fine art. 5EN. Tel 0131 312 6874. Open all year Special exhibitions are also held throughout the year DISTANCE: 5.3 miles/8.5km ■ Palace of Holyroodhouse, Canongate, , Edinburgh EH8 8DX. Tel 0131 556 5100 or see TERRAIN: Mostly town pavements royalcollection.org.uk. Open: all year with a few exceptions (see website). Cost: adults, £13; over 60s, £11.50; NUMBER OF STILES: 0 under 17s, £7.50; families, £33.50. Disabled access: good, except for the rooms associated with Mary Queen ESSENTIAL EQUIPMENT: A tourist of Scots. This, the official residence in Scotland for the Queen, was once home of Mary, Queen of Scots. map (available from the TIC in Princes Today, visitors can see the Royal Apartments and a number of changing exhibitions. From April there’s a new Street as well as other local shops) display focusing on the Order of the Thistle LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: Easy to ■ Edinburgh Castle, Castlehill, Edinburgh EH1 2NG. moderate Tel 0131 225 9846 or see edinburghcastle.gov.uk. REFRESHMENTS: Numerous bars, Open: all year. Cost: adults, £11; children, £5.50; cafés and restaurants concessions, £9. Disabled access: some areas are TOILETS: Many around the route unsuitable for wheelchairs. This, the most famous of all the Scottish castles, has had a dramatic history. Rooms that can be visited include the 12th-century St Margaret’s Chapel and the Great Hall. It’s also INFORMATION TOURISM home to the Scottish National War Museum. Tours Edinburgh and Scotland Information are available via stewards or an audio guide for a Centre, 3 Princes Street, Edinburgh small extra charge EH2 2QP. See visitscotland.co.uk

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