Edinburgh

February 23^rd-24^th, 2026

After visiting York Minster in the morning, we drove over four hours to reach Edinburgh.  It was a nice drive along hilly and windy roads.

On our way to Scotland.

A rest stop at a coffee house.

A cup of tea and a scone by a fireplace...how British!

A rainbow showing us the way to Scotland.

The "Last Cafe in England"...I was surprised they didn't have a big sign on the other side stating "First Cafe in England".

The Scottish border!

Naomi has a picture of standing by this rock with her mom when she was around 17 years old.  She's trying to emulate the same pouty teenage face.

And here's what's on the other side of the rock.

Arriving in Edinburgh around 5 pm, we lucked out and received a random upgrade to our hotel room!  We even have a view of Arthur's Seat, an ancient extinct volcano in the middle of the city which is a popular hiking spot.

Naomi had a giggle about the toilet paper, labeled: "who gives a crap"...

We headed out for a wander around the historic part of town as dusk was setting in.

I think this was part of the University of Edinburgh.

Greyfriars Bobby Pub.

In front of Greyfriars Bobby pub is a statue of this pup, Bobby.  This Skye Terrier belonged to John Gray who worked for the Edinburgh police as a nightwatchman.  John died a few years later and Bobby religiously guarded John’s grave for 14 years!  Unbelievable.  This doggie became a local legend, so much so that he was often fed and even his dog licence was paid for by Sir William Chambers who was the director of the Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

What a loyal pup.

We walked around the historic centre of Edinburgh to work up an appetite for dinner.  We stumble across a quirky shopping area on Victoria Street, walked down the “Royal Mile” which starts at Edinburgh Castle (which we will visit in the morning) and then worked our way back up Cowgate Street.

Hard to see in the photo, but that's an old church on the left with a newer establishment that says "Virgin Hotels" beside it.  Perhaps Mary stayed there?!?

Need a hat for the horse races?

This is an interesting, curved and hilly street called Victoria Street.

I thought the domed building on the right was some kind of government building since Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland, but it is actually just a bank, St. James Place Bank.

A closer view of the cool pub on the left of the previous photo.

Our first of a view bagpiper buskers we would see in the capital city.

We popped into a few touristy shops...

Ooh la la...a "coo and a kilt" calendar! (yes, I spelt cow correctly...it refers to Highland cattle with the big horns and shaggy fur)

Oi!  Some crackin' fridge magnets.

St. Gile's Cathedral lite up in the night.

This is a memorial to Tom Gilzean, a man who spent years on the Royal Mile collecting money for various charities.  He died at 99 years of age, having collected over a million pounds for good causes...well done Tom!

Well it shouldn't have been too surprising to find cows stuck in the walls of a building on Cowgate street.  There's the one on the right, but a few on the wall on the left too.

Some would say that it was udder nonsense!

We ended up back at Greyfriars Bobby pub.  My chicken breast dinner which included some haggis hiding between the potatoes and the dinner.  It was my first time trying haggis and I have to say that I didn't mind it!

The next morning after checking out of the hotel, we walked to the Edinburgh Castle.  The castle has stood on the aptly named Castle Rock since the 11th century and continued to be a royal residence until 1633, then it was utilized more as a military garrison.

Interesting sign aimed at the "bagpiping buskers"...and fair enough, they are loud instruments.

"Good mornin' to you sir."

A church near the castle.

There it is!

Inside the first perimeter.

And now heading to the portcullis gate.

Checking out Edinburgh from the castle's walls.

Who doesn't like a nice shiny cannon?!?

Looking along the parapet.

Old school...

...new school.

Edinburgh Castle has played a prominent role in Scottish history, and has served variously as a royal residence, an arsenal, a treasury, a national archive, a mint, a prison, a military fortress, and the home of the Honours of Scotland – the Scottish regalia.

A museum about the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards.

One of the prisons.

I'm doin' time...

Please let me out...

This is the old school prison, with many men in hammocks in one cell.

It didn't look all bad, at least they could play dominoes.

Sadly one of the last times we saw Naomi's black toque...she somehow lost it in the upcoming days...

A dog cemetary for canines who served with the forces.

The massive "Mons Meg" cannon.  Weighing over 15,000 pounds, it could fire a 386 pound cannonball a distance of over 3 kilometres!

Attempting a circus act.

This sucker has a 20 inch barrel diameter, making it one of the biggest cannons in the world by calibre.

Approaching the Castle Square, also known as the Palace Yard.

The entrance to the inner courtyard.

The Great Hall where banquets used to be held.

There were swords, muskets, spears and suits of armour all around the hall.

This guy was great.  Here is finishing a demonstration of loading a musket, but he was happy to show and explain about anything on the table in the previous photo.

A better use for guns.

The inner courtyard of the Crown Square.  The temporary black fence and scaffolding is due to some renovations of the building that house the Honours of Scotland: the crown, the sceptre and the sword of state...which unfortunately we could not see.

"Nemo me impune lacessit!" - the Scottish motto meaning "No one attacks me with impunity".

A good view of Arthur's Seat, the hill that was near our hotel.

On our way out.

There was a man and a woman, each holding an owl.  For a fee, Naomi got to hold the large owl for a few minutes...

...and she loved it!

What a magnificent creature!  Oh, and Naomi.  ;)

This little guy is actually 13 years old.

Another bagpipe busker.

Naomi wanted to buy some scotch for her mom and a friendly guy who worked there brought us into "The Scotch Whiskey Experience" and gave his recommendations.  

I felt like a kid in a candy store...there were so many nice types of scotch.

I thought this was an expensive bottle, at 680 pounds, but...

...how about this one for £20,000!  At least it came in a nice wooden case.

After the castle visit, it was time to hit the road.  Our destination today is Glencoe, on the west side of Scotland, but we had a few touristy stops to do on the way…