After so many adventures on my first two days in Edinburgh I was looking forward to a more relaxing day so I took everything slowly. As I had to check out of the hotel at 11:00 i had a longer beauty sleep and a slightly later breakfast than usual, leaving the hotel at 11 am on the dot. Of course, the moment i stepped out it started to rain but when you have the right clothing , waterproof and windproof attire, the weather doesn`t really bother you anymore. With my heart filled with joy and excitement I took the long walk towards Calton Hill.
I know it sounds bad but before my first visit to Scotland I didn`t know much about the country or the main cities, which of course included Edinburgh as well. Most of the things I knew were from documentaries and Outlander, Braveheart which was more fiction than real events, plus at the time my interest was more Spiritual rather than the
history, architecture and scenery. I was concentrating more on how Scotland makes me feel and what i can discover about myself rather than discovering Scotland. At the time I didn`t realized that the more I learn about Scotland the more I will learn about myself. My interest in Calton Hill was mainly because it hosts every year the Pagan festivals of Beltane and Samhaine and as a pagan myself it was something i had to see with my own eyes. I always try to travel light but there`s one thing I can`t leave home and that is my camera and my camera bag and that day I also had to carry my backpack which wasn`t very light either so it took me longer than expected to reach my destination but despite the weight and the bad weather I was very determined to walk all the way to the hill and when I set myself a goal I don`t stop until I achieve it which was the case that day as well.
Now let me share with you a few facts about Calton Hill. Calton Hill is situated in the center of Edinburgh, it`s included in the city's UNESCO World Heritage Site and it`s just a short walk from Princes Street, very easy to be reached by a set of stairs visible from the main road . The views from the top it should definitely be a must for everyone that visits Edinburgh and not only because of the views over Edinburgh all the way to the Firth Of Forth, one of the biggest and well known Estuary in Scotland but also the scenic views of Arthur`s Seat nicely blending in with the city`s architecture. Arthur`s Seat is another hill in Edinburgh and you`ll be able to see it in all it`s splendor in a picture bellow.
Calton Hill is noticeable all the way from the city center because it`s Athenian acropolis poking above the skyline. Though, the first thing you`ll notice while going up the steps is the Nelson Monument, a 32 metres (105 ft) high tower constructed at the highest point of Calton Hill, at 171 metres (561 ft) above sea-level, replacing an earlier mast used to send signals to shipping in the Forth, the estuary I mentioned earlier on. Now I`m sure most of you will wonder why is it called the Nelson Monument? Well, the monument is a commemorative tower in honor of Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson, a British flag officer in the Royal Navy and he plaid an important part in the war against Napoleon.
What I found extremely interesting is the 90 kg ball at the top of the tower, called a time ball which is raised and lowered to mark the time, is raised just before 1 pm, and at precisely 1 pm, is dropped from atop the mast. It became operational in March 1854 to act as a time signal to the ships in Edinburgh's port of Leigh and to ships at the anchorage in the Firth of Fourth, allowing the ships to set their chronometers. The time ball was used for over 150 years, until it was damaged by a storm in 2007 but by 2009 it was fixed and put back into use.
Another building that you`ll come across while on Calton Hill is called now Collective and it`s an art center where a few years ago it used to be the old City Observatory and City Dome site. Collective seems to be the place that brings people together to look at and produce contemporary art, therefore quite a few interesting art exhibitions going on if interested in art.
Now, I left the most interesting building at the end of my article as I find it so fascinating because of it`s structure, the landmark where is situated and how similar it is to the Greek Acropolis.
The building I`m talking about is The Scottish National Monument and it began it`s construction in 1826 but because the money ran out in 1829 it was left unfinished which gave the monument the name of "Scotland`s Disgrace " and "Edinburgh`s Shame ". As years passed the partially completed structure became one of the most iconic sights in Edinburgh. The Scottish National Monument is commemorating Scottish soldiers killed in the Napoleonic Wars.
According to the inscription it was intended to be a "Memorial of the Past and Incentive to the Future Heroism of the Men of Scotland ", what an inspiring message for the next generations.
Discovering so much about Calton Hill and exploring it was definitely a great experience but how all this actually made me feel, looking at this from a spiritual point of view ?
It was just after lunch time when the clouds dispersed and the sun spread it's warm rays over Edinburgh, adding a beautiful glow to the city's architecture. There were still a few tourists around me and children running around but somehow the view, the clear sky and the sun made everything so peaceful and timeless. On that hill, in that moment I felt part of something so big. My body was taking all that energy in making me feel so connected to my ancestors that long ago roam this lands. I just knew there and than that I'll have to move to Scotland. I didn't know how I'll make it happen but I knew it was something I had to do.
Because everything was so intense I start feeling very tired and extremely hungry. While prancing around Princess Street I came across Huxley, a restaurant on the corner of Princess Street with Queensferry Street. The moment I got in I was welcomed by a very polite waitress and I requested a table at the window as it has really nice views towards Edinburgh Castle and Princess Street. From the menu I picked the hot-dog served with fresh homemade fries and a side salad. Now that was one amazing choice not only because I was hungry and I needed a proper refill but also because of the fresh ingredients and the delicious taste. I haven`t visited the place since my first visit in Edinburgh in 2017 so I`m not sure if they still have it on the menu but I promise to go back and take plenty of pictures to share with you as somehow I lost the pictures I took back than.
After finishing that scrumptious meal with a very full tummy and plenty of energy, it was time to get back to London. If only I could've stayed a bit longer.