I have been working the last couple of weekends so I haven't been able to head North and take advantage of the Scottish Winter. However, an early finish yesterday meant that I had just enough daylight left to make a quick tour of the local hills.
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| Heading up Blackford Hill, Edinburgh |
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| Edinburgh Castle from Blackford Hill, Edinburgh |
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| Looking Northwest from the top of Blackford Hill, Edinburgh |
I really wanted to head into the Pentlands and catch the remaining snow before it melted, but there just wasn't the time. Instead, I headed up Blackford Hill first. The air was mild and there was a major thaw in full swing. The majority of the snow had melted away and only slush was left behind; no sign of ice. Looking over at Craiglockhark it was a similar story, while the Pentlands were slowly blackening by the minute. By this morning, as I feared, they were very green.
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| Craiglockhart from Blackford Hill, Edinburgh |
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| Arthur's Seat from Blackford Hill, Edinburgh |
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| Braid Hills and the Pentland Hills from Blackford Hill, Edinburgh |
After passing the Royal Observatory, I set about negotiating the back streets towards Holyrood Park. I was soon looking up at a rather green-looking Salisbury Crags and Arthur's Seat. I headed straight up the main path up the West face. Although most of the snow had melted, the path was still full of slush on the blocks and treacherous. This didn't seem to deter the tourist masses, and I passed many plimsolls, converse and even the odd sandal - worn by folk with a death wish! At the top, the polished rock in combination with the slush was even more hazardous.
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| Salisbury Crags, Edinburgh |
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| Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh |
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| Looking down to Salisbury Crags from Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh |
I didn't loiter, so headed down the Northeast path to escape the hoards. There were only patches of snow covering the grassy slopes of Whinny Hill. I went over the top and descended down the steep North bank, looking down on
St Anthony's Chapel and St Margaret's Loch.
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| Tourists on Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh |
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| Tourists on Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh |
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| The Pentland Hills from Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh |
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| Looking back to Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh |
I descended to the Loch for a seat and a much to enjoy the fading evening light with the swans and the ducks. Then I headed back into town, glad to have made the most of the daylight that was left.
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| Looking down to St Anthony's Chapel and St Margaret's Loch, Edinburgh |
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| St Anthony's Chapel, Edinburgh |
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| St Margaret's Loch, Edinburgh |
