A beautiful, cool day greets us as we head out into the city on our way up to Edinburgh Castle.  Arriving before opening time, we congregate with a few others outside the moveable fencing waiting for the appointed time. We purchased our tickets in advance, and good thing too, because there is sign informing all that they are sold out for the day.  As time goes on, more people appear, some trying to buy tickets, even after seeing the sign and asking the folks guarding the entrance repeatedly about tickets today.  People.  Sheesh.

Right at 9am, the “guards” let us in, showing us where to go to get scanned in through yet another line under a makeshift tent in front of the main stage for all the festivals held here (Fringe, Jazz Festival, Military Tattoo, etc.).  The time comes and we are some of the first few folks in, reveling in the emptiness as we walk through the castle gate and up the ramparts to the Argyle Battery overlooking the city to the North.

Deciding to go to the far end of the castle and work our way back down, we use the Lang Stairs to access the summit, once the main access to the top battlements.  In the 15^th Century, a gradual sloping road (which we will use on the way down) was built to improve the passage of heavy guns into the castle.  At the summit, we wander around Crown Square past the gorgeous Scottish National War Memorial, then up onto the ramparts by Mons Meg, the world’s most famous medieval gun weighing 6 tons and able to fire a 130 lb stone cannon ball up to 2 miles, for gorgeous views across the city.

Next, we visited the small St. Margaret’s Chapel, the oldest building in Edinburgh, built by King David I in 1130 and dedicated to his deceased mother, this chapel was one of the most sacred places in Scotland.  So much so that Robert the Bruce spared the chapel when he destroyed the rest of the castle after its recapture from the English in 1314.

Back out into the sunshine and up onto the ramparts looking out over the Eastern part of the city, we circle our way back to the Royal Crown Jewels exhibit (no photos though) where we view all the Royal jewels and learn how during WWII they were buried right here in David’s tower for protection.  The Crown was buried beneath the floor of a medieval toilet once used by Scotland’s kings and queens!  Also in this building are cellars where over 100 soldiers once slept during a long siege.  Eek. 

The other side of the building houses the Royal Palace and apartments, with all the trappings you would expect of a Royal Palace.  Ornate fireplaces, portraits, displays of embroidered coats of arms, the Laich Hall that was used as a dining hall for one single banquet before the king returned to England and the palace was converted into army accommodations.

The Great Hall is next, which was truly great.  The site of banquets and ceremonies, today it is bedecked in old armor and weapons and nonetheless grand for the displays, You can imagine the royalty and politics and diplomacy that went on here in the day.  There is also an odd Apothecary display – interesting, but odd in its placement, why here?  As with most castle locales during the British occupation, this hall was also turned into a Military Barracks in 1650. Two additional floors were built in the room to accommodate over 300 soldiers for almost 150 years until the public outcry forced the military to give up the Great Hall in the late 1800s when the Hall was then restored. 

After touring the Royal Palace, we enter into the Scottish National War Memorial, built in 1927 as a memorial to all the Scottish soldiers who died in WWI, but which now acts as a “shrine” to those who perished in WWII and all the wars and “campaigns,” as they call it, since 1945.  Inside the gorgeous building – no photos allowed – are plaques for every campaign/skirmish with the fallen heroes listed.  There are all sorts of sections, firefighters, nurses/doctors, a Veterinarian area – and even an AAC section in the women’s area!  Ok, so it stood for the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps – but hey – it was still AAC!

Heading counter to the flow of what is now quite a few people, we hit the old Prison vaults, used to house misbehaving soldiers – Ed being a misbehaving civilian!  Then across the little lane to the actual prison that housed prisoners of war for over 50 years in the 1700s and 1800s, marveling at the original door that still had graffiti carved into it from the original prisoners and walking through the living areas filled with sleeping hammocks and prison uniforms and even a table with a game of dominoes. 

Visiting the Museum of the Royal Scots next – which is the Royal Regiment of Scotland – we walk through a history of regiment with life size mannequins – the most intriguing of which was the soldier who fought a battle with his infant child in his knapsack!  Then backtracked to the Fight for the Castle exhibit – a history of the Edinburgh castle from the early days when the 7-year old King David (an his 10-year old wife!!) was crowned in 1331 to the stronghold that was in 1337 and on until it was destroyed during the War of Independence. 

It is getting crazy crowded here now! Wow, being here early, and going against the typical flow really worked for us – we barely had anyone with us in the Royal Palace and War Memorial, but now?  Yikes! Even the lookout point by the Earl Haig Equestrian Statue is wall to wall.  We had to wait to go up the stairs to get a place in order to see what was a great view over the other side of the city. 

But, oh, that’s it for us – we are outta here, and just at the right time too.  Look at these crowds!  Outside, it doesn’t look too terribly bad, until you remember how small and tight some of the exhibit spaces can be….oh yeah, perfect timing to make our way out through the esplanade an onto the Royal Mile.

Which isn’t much better from a crowd perspective, but at least you can bob and weave your way down the street – and still get some great photos of the wonderful architecture including Tolbooth Kirk, St. Giles cathedral and the Tron Kirk Market clocktower (housed in what was once, yes, a church).

Now, onto lunch, which unfortunately is slim pickings because it is only 11:30.  Most restaurants don’t open until 12 or even later.   Fortunately we found Landy’s Proper Fish & Chips.  They are open, not busy at all and have the sweetest wait staff (all with adorable shirts on like “Food for the Sole,” “Kiss my Bass,” “Keep it Shrimple” – you get the drift).  Plus a very “proper fish & chips” plate – perfect size, excellent taste, along with haggis!  Yes, Haggis, with neeps and tatties!  And seriously awesome! The haggis was topped with “bashed” turnips (neeps) and set atop smashed potatoes (tatties) – it was so good!  A perfect meal to keep us going on our afternoon adventures.  Off to more museums we go.