Edinburgh: A Tale of Two Hills
travel·@herverisson·
0.000 HBDEdinburgh: A Tale of Two Hills
<html> <p>Sometimes, with cities, you don't even need monuments to identify them. Everyone knows the shape of New York thanks to the island of Manhattan. For Paris, it's the hill of Montmartre and the serpentine Seine. For Athens, it's the Acropolis and the Lykabettos hills. For Edinburgh, well, there are these topographical landmarks called <strong>Calton Hill and Arthur's Seat.</strong></p> <p><img src="https://i.imgsafe.org/04706411ee.jpg" width="1342" height="414"/></p> <h1><strong>CALTON HILL</strong></h1> <p>One week ago, I visited Edinburgh and devoted my first day to all the outdoors sightings, including Calton Hill and Arthur's Seats. Little did I know that two days later the day would be much sunnier and I would have opportunities to take much better photos. But well... That's what happens when you are in holidays and pressed by times.<img src="https://i.imgsafe.org/043a19bf89.jpg" width="997" height="563"/></p> <p>The Calton Hill is located in the East part of the city center and, apart from the view, which is awesome, it has three major sights up there.</p> <p><img src="https://i.imgsafe.org/0438c51e55.jpg" width="1209" height="540"/></p> <p><img src="https://i.imgsafe.org/043820038f.jpg" width="876" height="532"/></p> <p>First of all, the monument to <strong>Lord Admiral Nelson</strong>, the most famous British navy commander, renowned for his victory at Trafalgar - where he lost his life (as recalled by the plaque at the entrance of his monument).</p> <p> <img src="https://i.imgsafe.org/048031db4a.jpg" width="393" height="525"/></p> <p><img src="https://i.imgsafe.org/043a2c47fd.jpg" width="1346" height="550"/></p> <p>There is also a memorial to the Scottish philosopher <strong>Dugald Stewart</strong> (1753-1828) erected three years after his death to commemorate his influence and achievements in the Scottish enlightenment. Because even if Edinburgh is not renowned for its physical light... It played a major role to disseminate the metaphorical light of human rights and thoughts in Europe.</p> <p><img src="https://i.imgsafe.org/043a642751.jpg" width="1364" height="638"/></p> <p>And as if the monument of Dugald Stewart was not enough to show how much the Scots of the XIXth century felt themselves the followers of the Greek philosophy and architecture, there is also the (unfinished, obviously) National Monument of Scotland destined to commemorate the Scots who fought and died in the Napoleonic wars. </p> <p><img src="https://i.imgsafe.org/0438a7ce80.jpg" width="1161" height="597"/></p> <p>Modelled after the Parthenon, it counts 14 columns and the work started in 1826 and stopped three years later... because there was no money left. It stands since then in that state.</p> <p>Once I had toured Calton Hill, <strong>Arthur's Seat (in the clouds)</strong> hill looked definitely attractive on the other side of the city, so I decided to give it a go.</p> <p><img src="https://i.imgsafe.org/043869947a.jpg" width="1234" height="637"/></p> <p><strong>Arthur's Seat</strong></p> <p>The name of that hill which culminates at 251m above the sea level of course refers to King Arthur, but it's all part of the local legends and tales. You actually can start your ascension from the Holyrood district (below)... </p> <p><img src="https://i.imgsafe.org/0476f66538.jpg" width="1065" height="561"/></p> <p>...but there are more than one way to go up there, like from the south side (below) and it's a popular destination for locals as wells:</p> <p><img src="https://i.imgsafe.org/0439a8d5de.jpg" width="1129" height="600"/></p> <p><img src="https://i.imgsafe.org/0439a378cf.jpg" width="875" height="624"/></p> <p>And as you can see, it's better to go when the sun is shining in order to enjoy the view as much as possible.</p> <p><img src="https://i.imgsafe.org/043a1490d7.jpg" width="1288" height="692"/></p> <p><img src="https://i.imgsafe.org/047cd09afc.jpg" width="1165" height="634"/></p> <p><p> <div class="pull-left"> <img src="https://i.imgsafe.org/04399c4962.jpg"> </div> </P>Unfortunately I didn't make it to the TOP of Arthur's Seat but contented myself - for lack of time - to the Salisbury crags, this ridge of rock which juts out of Arthur's Hill proper (and as you can see, it was very WINDY up there!).</p> <p>You can actually see as far as beyond the Firth of Forth. A place fit for a king.</p> <p><img src="https://i.imgsafe.org/043a76601d.jpg" width="1362" height="679"/></p> <p><img src="https://i.imgsafe.org/043a6183e3.jpg" width="1354" height="681"/></p> <p>And here below, a shot of the Holyrood Palace (on the right), which is the official residence of the British monarchs when they visit Edinburgh - with the new Scottish parliament just in front.</p> <p><img src="https://i.imgsafe.org/043a78db41.jpg" width="1165" height="600"/></p> <p>And in the background: Calton Hill of course.</p> <p><img src="https://i.imgsafe.org/043a679e1a.jpg" width="1233" height="559"/></p> <p>(c) All pics mine.</p> </html>
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