Discover Edinburgh - Discover Scotland: Experience the Best of Scotland - page 172

The city council has formulated a major redevelopment plan for the entire Edinburgh
waterfront from Leith to Granton, the first phase of which is Ocean Terminal ( 555
8888; www.oceanterminal.com ; Ocean Dr; 10am-8pm Mon-Fri, to 7pm Sat, 11am-6pm Sun; 1, 11,
22, 34, 35 or 36) , a shopping and leisure complex that includes the former Royal Yacht Brit-
annia and a berth for visiting cruise liners. Parts of Leith are still a bit rough but it's a dis-
tinctive corner of the city and well worth exploring.

The Stone of Destiny
On St Andrew's Day 1996 a block of sandstone - 26.5 inches by 16.5 inches by 11 inches in size, with rusted iron
hoops at either end - was installed with much pomp and ceremony in Edinburgh Castle. For the previous 700 years
it had lain in London, beneath the Coronation Chair in Westminster Abbey. Almost all English, and later British
monarchs from Edward II in 1307 to Elizabeth II in 1953 have parked their backsides firmly over this stone during
their coronation ceremony.
The legendary Stone of Destiny - said to have originated in the Holy Land, and on which Scottish kings placed
their feet during their coronation - was stolen from Scone Abbey near Perth by King Edward I of England in 1296.
It was taken to London and there it remained for seven centuries - except for a brief removal to Gloucester during
WWII air raids, and a three-month sojourn in Scotland after it was stolen by Scottish Nationalist students at Christ-
mas in 1950 - as an enduring symbol of Scotland's subjugation by England.
The Stone of Destiny returned to the political limelight in 1996, when the then Scottish secretary and Conservat-
ive Party MP Michael Forsyth arranged for the return of the sandstone block to Scotland. A blatant attempt to boost
the flagging popularity of the Conservative Party in Scotland prior to a general election, Forsyth's publicity stunt
failed. The Scots said thanks for the stone and then, in May 1997, voted every Conservative MP in Scotland into ob-
livion.

Tours

Bus Tours
Tickets for the following tours are valid for 24 hours.

CITY SIGHTSEEING
( www.edinburghtour.com ; adult/child £12/5) Bright-red, open-top buses depart every 20 minutes
from Waverley Bridge.

| Bus Tours

MAJESTIC TOUR
( www.edinburghtour.com ; adult/child £12/5) Runs every 30 minutes (every 20 minutes in July
and August) from Waverley Bridge to the Royal Yacht Britannia at Ocean Terminal via

| Bus Tours