Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Start the walk at the esplanade of:
1
Edinburgh Castle
The esplanade of Edinburgh Castle (p. 87) has the most accessible views of the
city in practically all directions. Evidence of buildings elsewhere on the castle
site dates to the 11th century, although fortifications of some kind on this
mount, known as Castle Rock, may go back as far as the 6th century. In 1542,
the castle ceased being a royal residence, becoming an ordinance factory.
Today, military barracks are still on the grounds, although it is mainly a tourist
attraction.
At the northeast corner of the esplanade is:
2
Ramsay Garden
Not a garden but an innovative and charming set of buildings that date to the
end of the 19th century, this bright place was the brainchild of Sir Patrick Ged-
des. A polymath and city planner, Geddes almost single-handedly revived the
fortunes of Old Town, working to rid it of squalid living conditions while saving
it from total destruction and redevelopment. Ramsay Garden's architecture is
a beautiful mix of Scottish baronial and English cottage, combining corbels
(the cantilevered round extensions), conical roofs, crow steps, and half-timber
gable construction.
9
Move from the esplanade to:
3
Castle Hill
Although the road that runs from the castle to the palace is called the Royal
Mile, it has various names along the way. The first short section is Castle Hill,
followed by the Lawnmarket, High Street, and Canongate. On the right as you
move away from the castle grounds are Cannonball House and Castlehill
School, the Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre, and then Boswell's Court, which
was originally built around 1600 and now is the site of a sumptuous restaurant
called the Witchery (p. 80). Across the street is Geddes's observatory, which
has his camera obscura, for unique views of the city.
At the next roundabout, which marks the end of Castlehill, is the Tolbooth
Church (now called the Hub). Completed in 1844, it doubled as a meeting hall
for the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.
Continue down the Royal Mile to the Lawnmarket and:
4
Gladstone's Land
Lands are buildings, and between the 14th and 15th centuries, the plots (or
tofts
) on the Royal Mile were subdivided into forelands and backlands. Just past
the entrances to James Court, Gladstone's Land (p. 91) dates to at least the
16th century and was purchased by Thomas Gladstone (then spelled Gled-
stane) in 1617. He expanded the building upward and forward toward the
street. Inside, you can see both the original frontage as well as a painted ceiling
of the once “new” addition in the second-floor front room. Nearby, Lady Stair's
Close has the early-17th-century Lady Stair's House, the remnants of which
now contain the Writer's Museum with exhibits dedicated to Burns, Scott, and
Stevenson (p. 98).
