19/5/11 - From the Zoo to the Gallows

Distance - 5 Miles
Number of caches - 5, 3 found
First Cache
Number of Herons - 2
Quality of Walk - Exceptional

Edinburgh - Water of Leith

Staying at the Holiday Inn.  I stayed here on one of the first times that I visited Edinburgh.  The customer took me out for a few drinks (Scottish Phrase) and I vaguely remember being taken to Leith Docks at the end of the evening for a late one.  When I awoke, I could only hear monkey noises from the zoo.  As I knew I had been down the docks, I half expected to be waking up on a boat off the coast of Africa.

Today, I had the views from the hotel room to admire.

View from my hotel

Decided to walk into town - after the road bit of Corstophine Road, you can enter a completely different world at the Water of Leith.  This is secluded and takes in the wonderful Dean Village, which is a real hidden gem.  Edinburgh just grew around it and absorbed it and like this walk, its wonderful to know that you are in a peaceful place that is a stone's throw from the most beautiful city in the world.

There are five caches down the water.  The first one with the helpful clue of Nano was not worth a hunt.  Then a clamber up a bank for an easy find but did involve a 41 year old man hiding behind a tree stump as some evening walkers went by below.  Spotted a couple of herons at the cache locations of the next two.

Eventually arrive at the bottom of Dundas Street for my climb up hill to George Street.  First refreshment of the evening at the Jekyll and Hide where the toilets are hidden behind a false bookcase.  Still makes me laugh when newbies attempt to find them.  A quick look at the George hotel, where i lived for 3 months and actually had mail delivered to me there on occassions.

Dropped down into Princess Street at the Scott Monument and climbed my way up to the old town.  It felt like coming home.

Royal Mile - St Giles Catherdral

Then it was a question of where to go for entertainment.  Seems that every other pub Scotland has live music on at some point.  Tonight it was the Black Bull in the grassmarket, where there was an excellent band playing.  Sat for an hour watching Canadians dance.

Its not hard to think of the Grassmarket from its medieval roots and you can really soak in the history of the place at every turn... the pub "the last drop" is not a reference to drink but the fact that this square is where the gallows used to be.