Day 18: Edinburgh

It is hard to believe we left behind 90 degree days at home as we are off early this morning and it is in the upper 40’s. South Queensferry is a tender port and I allow too much time to tender and meet the driver so we get to hang out by the Firth of Forth Bridge and wait.

We are met on the dock by bagpipers and drum

Our bus for 20 people today is almost new and very comfortable. Gordon Ross is our guide and our first stop is Rosslyn Chapel built by the St. Clair family over 500 years ago. It did not get many visitors before the movie “The Da Vinci Code”, but has had a steady flow since raising enough money for major restoration works. It is a beautiful Chapel and I am sorry to say there are no photos allowed inside. The interior is carved stone and it would take all day to look at all the carvings.

After looking around the Chapel, we take the trail down the hill to see the Rosslyn Castle where the final scene from the movie was filmed.

We next visit Linlithgow Palace where Mary Queen of Scotts was born. I can only imagine how magnificent it must have been in its heyday sitting on a hill overlooking a beautiful loch (lake)!

Also just inside the palace gates is St Michael’s Parish Church which was founded in 1242. It is a beautiful medieval church.

Still skimming the outskirts of the Edinburgh area we go to the Falkirk Wheel- a modern engineering marvel. It was built about 10 years ago to replace 11 lochs which connect Glasgow and Edinburgh by canal. After a quick lunch in the visitor’s center we take a ride on the wheel. It lifts your boat 110 feet from the bottom canal to the top one. We then journey down the canal for a little bit before returning for the ride down. It moves very slowly but I am still glad we are not seated in the front of the boat because as we pull back into the wheel, there is just the gate stopping us from plummeting 8 stories to the canal below.

We end our day with a 30 minute walk around Culross 16th century village which is quite charming. Another great day!

As we are sailingaway, we pass right by Edinburgh in the distance and the hill I climbed with Stacy and Drew 2 weeks ago!  We miss them and hate they didn't get to see some more of Scotland.

Lighthouse on an island as we leave harbor