Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
1
dowdiness which the audio-guide loyally attributes to the Queen's good taste and astute
frugality in the lean postwar years. Certainly, the atmosphere is a far cry from the
opulent splendour which many expect.
he guide's commentary also reveals quirkier aspects of
Britannia
's history: a full
Marine Band was always part of the three-hundred-strong crew; hand signals were used
by the sailors to communicate orders as shouting was forbidden; and a special solid
mahogany rail was built onto the royal bridge to allow the Queen to stand on deck as
the ship came into port, without fear of a gust of wind lifting the royal skirt.
Greater Edinburgh
here's a great deal to be discovered in
Greater Edinburgh
, beyond the compact city
centre. he attractive coastal suburbs of
Crammond
,
Newhaven
and
Portobello
are all
popular at weekends when the sun shines. he pick of the historical destinations
include the imposing fifteenth-century
Craigmillar Castle
on the south side of the city
and the sleepy medieval village of
Duddingston
, with its ancient pub, on the far side of
Arthur's Seat. On the opposite side of town is
Edinburgh Zoo
, one of the city's
best-loved attractions and home to the country's only pandas.
Newhaven
2 miles north of the centre of town • Bus #11 or #16 eastbound from Princes St
he old village (now suburb) of
Newhaven
was established by James IV at the start of
the sixteenth century as an alternative shipbuilding centre to Leith: his massive
warship, the
Great Michael
, capable of carrying 120 gunners, three hundred mariners
and a thousand troops, and said to have used up all the trees in Fife, was built here.
Newhaven has also been a ferry station and an important fishing centre, landing some
six million oysters a year at the height of its success in the 1860s. Today, the chief
pleasure is a stroll around the stone
harbour
, which still has a pleasantly salty feel, with
a handful of boats tied up alongside or resting gently on the tidal mud. While you're
here, you could also take an hour-long RIB
boat trip
(April-Oct; £22;
T
0131 331
4857,
W
seafari.co.uk) on the Firth of Forth out to Inchcolm Island (see p.111), where
you can expect to see pu
ns and seals.
Portobello
3 miles east of the centre of town • Bus #15 or #26 eastbound from Princes St
Among Edinburgh's least expected assets is its
beach
, a mile-long stretch of golden
sand, most of which falls within
Portobello
, the suburb to the east of Arthur's Seat.
Seeing a bit of a resurgence following the removal of some down-at-heel amusement
arcades, it retains a certain faded charm from its heyday thanks to some attractive
Victorian buildings and its delightful promenade. On hot summer weekends the beach
can be a mass of swimmers, sunbathers, surfers and pleasure boats, while the rest of the
year it makes for a pleasant stroll in between café stops.
Edinburgh Zoo
134 Corstorphine Rd, 3 miles west of the centre of town • Daily: April-Sept 9am-6pm; March & Oct 9am-5pm; Nov-Feb 9am-4.30pm •
£16/person; family tickets £49.50 •
T
0131 334 9171,
W
edinburghzoo.org.uk • Bus #12, #26 or #31 westbound from Princes St
Set on an eighty-acre site on the slopes of Corstorphine Hill,
Edinburgh Zoo
has
transformed itself in recent years into a modern and highly successful conservation
and recreation park - one of the city's most popular attractions. Appealingly set in the
midst of a botanic garden, the new enclosures offer plenty of opportunities for
