With just two full days to go up here in Scotland, I have the choice of days to tick the final box of my overall tour plan. The surprise is that since Monday which was dreadful, there have been warm days here and today it looks like the weather is kind again, more cloudy but still bright. It's time to tick that final box.
We head east through Callander as we did yesterday, but thereafter take a curious route which brings us onto the motorway avoiding Stirling. OK so we can use the M9 towards Edinburgh, our aiming point, Ingliston Park & Ride. I arrive at a huge car park not knowing what to expect, but see that there is a tram service here while parking is free. We buy return tickets which are most reasonable and board the tram which takes up to half an hour, allowing for all the stops, to reach Princes Street. Here we get our bearings and look around for food, ending up at Waverley Market. This is next to Waverley Railway Station, where suitably refreshed, we head next. By UK standards, this station is massive, handling not only commuter and long distance trains in Scotland, but services as far as Plymouth. Amazing!
We know climb up to The Royal Mile where there is so much to see. All along this road it is cobbled and closed to most traffic. This allows a flourishing tourist industry to thrive. There are pubs, restaurants and every type of souvenir shop you could think of that promotes Scotland. It is a shoppers' paradise. There are some exceptions though, with buildings that date back before mass tourism. The best example is St. Giles Cathedral. Here you will find the memorials to the famous sons of Scotland especially in times of war. You will also find the roots of resistance to the English Church which has led to Scotland's religious independence.
St Giles' Cathedral, or the High Kirk of Edinburgh, is a parish church of the Church of Scotland in the Old Town. The current building was begun in the 14th century and extended until the early 16th century; significant alterations were undertaken in the 19th and 20th centuries, including the addition of the Thistle Chapel. St Giles' is closely associated with many events and figures in Scottish history, including John Knox, who served as the church's minister after the Scottish Reformation.
We continue our journey up the Mile reaching a climax of this tour as Edinburgh Castle comes into view. Here we note, amidst a frenzy of interest, that you need to book in advance to guarantee your visit. For us, it is an experience just to be here and soak up the atmosphere. We also note that stands are being constructed for the upcoming Edinburgh Tattoo, a military spectacle that takes place here between the 1st and 23rd August this year. It will be crazy busy then, as this year is the 75th anniversary of the event. It's time to learn something about the castle from Wikipedia.
Edinburgh Castle is a historic castle. It stands on Castle Rock, which has been occupied by humans since at least the Iron Age. There has been a royal castle on the rock since the reign of Malcolm III in the 11th century, and the castle continued to be a royal residence until 1633. From the 15th century, the castle's residential role declined, and by the 17th century it was principally used as a military garrison. Its importance as a part of Scotland's national heritage was recognised increasingly from the early 19th century onwards, and various restoration programmes have been carried out over the past century and a half.
Our mission is now complete as we return to Princes Street to take a tram back to the car park, but the attraction list is not complete.
On the way to Edinburgh, a couple of attractions caught my eye, but it's not realistic to attempt more visits except those I had in mind all the time. We head for Queensferry where we get amazing views of the Forth Bridge, this iconic bridge supporting the railway line north from Edinburgh.
The Forth Bridge is a cantilever railway bridge across the Firth of Forth, 9 miles (14 kilometres) west of central Edinburgh. Completed in 1890, it is considered a symbol of Scotland (having been voted Scotland's greatest man-made wonder in 2016), and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was designed by English engineers Sir John Fowler and Sir Benjamin Baker. It is sometimes referred to as the Forth Rail Bridge (to distinguish it from the adjacent Forth Road Bridge), although this is not its official name.
The diversion to Queensferry means we will be late back tonight, but well worth the effort after what has been a thrilling day. As I make my way back, those other attractions play on my mind. It just might be possible to do them on the day we leave Scotland. It's gone 7.30 pm when we arrive back at Tigh Mor and as we cook a late dinner, I'm already planning a possible wildcard for tomorrow.

Source: Visit