LAST DAY IN EDINBURGH, UP ARTHUR'S SEAT

We took the bus again into Edinburgh and headed up to wander around Arthur's Seat, weather was very windy with sunshine and showers.

PALACE OF HOLYROODHOUSE

                                                               ARTHUR'S SEAT IN BACKGROUND

THE CASTLE

THE SUMMIT

ME AT THE SUMMIT

SUNBATHING

"SELFIE"

PALACE OF HOLYROODHOUSE AND ABBEY

EDINBURGH TATTOO, FRINGE AND SIGHTS

Thursday dawned bright and sunny! Into Edinburgh on the bus and spent the afternoon seeing sights and watching the outdoor entertainers in The Fringe. Hundreds of people, all happy, some talented entertainers and also some who were totally wacky! All good fun!

The Tattoo was absolutely magnificent! We had the best seats and the whole show was spellbinding, we loved it!

                                                    Walter Scott's Monument

                                                      Gandalf

                        Edinburgh Castle in the sun!

                                                            Ice cream time

                                                St Cuthbert's Church

                                              Tiffany window of David about to face Goliath

                                                               FRENCH PIPE BAND

                                     THE VIKINGS! SET FIRE TO BOAT BELOW.

                           bonnie Prince Charlie and Flora Robson

                                                        The end with the lone piper on the ramparts

                                              THE CAST OF 2017 TATTOO

                                                   

                                                                  The Lone Piper

A WEEK IN BONNIE SCOTLAND

Jedburgh Abbey

Despite the summer weather not materializing, we took off for four nights in Jedburgh and 3 in Edinburgh. Our main reason for visiting Scotland was to attend the Edinburgh Tattoo, tickets received at Christmas, a present from John, my son.

It took just over 4 hours to get to Jedburgh with sunshine and showers and queues on the A1

Good campsite, a Camping & Caravan Club site, we walked into Jedburgh around tea time and saw the sites of the Abbey, Castle and Queen Mary of Scots house, very pretty and interesting.

Jedburgh

Jedburgh Castle and Jail

Add caption

Jedburgh Abbey

Our first day's hike and we headed east towards the hills, only to find rain, so we drove north to Kelso where the sun shone and walked round the sites of the town then did a 6 mile hike along the River Teviot over the viaduct at Roxburgh and back along the old railway track. It didn't start raining till we were half way round, a good walk.

Kelso Abbey

Floors Castle Kelso

Roxburgh Castle ruins

 selfie!

Viaduct we eventually walked over with view from top

Day two dawned brighter and sunnier! We set off to do the hike we were supposed to do yesterday but as clouds gathered we cut it short but had a super walk among heather strewn hills. Grouse, goats, sheep and cows were pretty but don't make the grade compared to bears, moose, elk and bison! Ah America I miss you. Having said that we are really enjoying seeing our beautiful country.

"Lost" in the bracken

 hundreds of grouse

Last day in Jedburgh, we drove to Hawick then south to do a walk Roy had worked out from OS map. Well if I say it was not his finest hour, you get the picture. Path was fine at first then we found ourselves at the edge of a forest that should have a path so we struggled on, after I'd cut myself on some barbed wire only to turn round, clamber over a fence and plough our way across a boggy heather slope. Finally down to a proper path and back to the car for our picnic! No photos but it didn't rain!

We moved up to Roslin near Edinburgh for 3 nights, our campsite was next door to Rosslyn Chapel, built in 1446 and we listened to an interesting talk about its history, its fabulous carvings in sandstone and its links with "The Da Vinci Code" book by Dan Brown. Enjoyed looking round the chapel so much to see but they didn't allow photos inside.

 Flying buttresses

ruins of Rosslyn Castle