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Although Edinburgh has enough to keep you occupied
for weeks, we understand that you will want to go forth and see what
else this beautiful country has to offer! In this section, we will therefore
give you ideas on where to go next - whether it is for a daytrip or
the next stage in your journey. Edinburgh is in a prime location to
discover other areas of Scotland. Just to the north of Edinburgh across
the famous Forth Bridges lies the Kingdom of Fife, half an hour to the
south takes you to the Scottish Borders while an hours travel to the
west takes you to Scotland's biggest city - Glasgow.
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Forth Bridges
Not far from Edinburgh you can head to Queensferry
and see the ever popular Forth Road & Rail Bridges. The road
bridge, which was opened by Her Majesty The Queen in 1964, was
at the time the longest suspension bridge in Europe. With over
25,000,000 people crossing the bridge every year, the future for
it isn’t certain. We are aware that something needs to be
done, currently contractors and politicians are discussing raising
the toll charge or perhaps building a new bridge.
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Generally considered one of the greatest achievements in modern
civilisation and completed in 1890, the mile and a half long
rail bridge still sits there loud and proud. From Queensferry
you can view both bridges from many locations and look out for
that well known picture postcard shot. If you have some time
pay the £1 toll and cross over the bridge to North Queensferry
and view the bridges from Fife.
Bus - Buses go every hour to the Forth
Road Bridges from St Andrews Square Bus Station with even
more going to both North and South Queensferry. For more information
on bus times and destinations please go to the Citylink
website.
Train - There is a station in North
Queensferry and you can get trains both too and from there
to Edinburgh. For more information on train times and status
please go to the Scotrail
website.
Car - Come out of Edinburgh
onto the M8/City Bypass and head for the signs - VERY well
marked. From the M8 you head towards the A8000 long windy
bendy road and at peak times very VERY slow moving. You can
head into Queensferry and get view points of the bridges or
indeed cross the bridges to go to Fife and also North Queensferry.
In North Queensferry there are also viewpoints of the bridge
and also Deep Sea World.
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Hopetoun
House
When on the Edinburgh side of the Forth you will
see many signs for Hopetoun House. Known as “Scotland’s
Finest Stately Home”. Hopetoun is well worth a visit. In
my opinion one thing that really makes a stately home is the drive
to it, Hopetouns is excellent, through a lovely narrow, tree covered
road winding and rising to set the scene and allow this magnificent
Georgian home to set itself out in front of you. |
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The home of the Earls
of Hopetoun later becoming the Marquesses of Linlithgow, Hopetoun
was built in 1699 and today is owned and maintained by the charitable
trust set up in 1974.
Many different things happen at Hopetoun, from
Horse Trails to Sotheby’s exhibitions. It is worthwhile
checking to see what will be happening when you plan to visit.
Otherwise just head along and see what there is to be had, Hopetoun
certainly will not disappoint.
Bus - Hopetoun House unfortunately does
not have any near bus stops to it, so the best way is to get
a bus to South Queensferry and then walk. The X43, X4 and 43
service busses will take you to South Queensferry from Waterloo
Place in Edinburgh. For more information on bus times and destinations
please go to the Firstgroup
website.
Car - Follow the above and head
towards the bridges. From South Queensferry you can’t
miss the signs for Hopetoun they are everywhere, and you head
down through Queensferry and out to the stately home. Enjoy
the drive up to it, through a wooded part and then setting the
scene for the stately home to set itself out in front of you.
It's truly wonderful.
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Falkirk Wheel
The Falkirk Wheel is the world's only rotating
boat life which allows boats get from the Union Canal to the Forth
& Clyde Canal. The Wheel was part of the £85 million
"Millennium Link" project whose main aim was to restore
the boat link from the west to the east of the country. You may
ask why on earth they need a magnificently engineered piece of
equipment to link two canals, but what the Falkirk Wheel is acheiving
is a link between two canals whose water levels differ by over
100 ft!
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Here comes the Science!
The Wheel uses basic physics to move 600 tonnes of water, 25 metres
in slightly less that 4 minutes. This also equates to the same
amount of energy required by 8 kettles! Fantastic.
The Falkirk Wheel also has a Visitor Centre where
you can learn more about the science and history of the wheel
and canal and is located amongst some beautiful landscaped grounds
making a great day out.
Getting There
Bus - The X30 bus leaves from Waterloo
Place in Edinburgh for Falkirk Bus Station, but times can be
fairly infrequent, so we suggest sticking to the train.
Train - You can get a train from Waverley
Station to Falkirk High Railway Station every 15 minutes. Once
you have arrived, walk across the station car park and down
the steps onto Drossie St. Follow the road until you see Gartcows
Road, turn left. The number 3 Service Bus passes every 15 minutes
and will take you to the Falkirk Wheel. For more information
on train times and status please go to the Scotrail
website.
Car - Head west and follow the
signs for the M9 or Stirling. Then, take the exit at junction
8 or M876 to Glasgow and then the first exit (junction 1) onto
the M876 and follow ths signs for The Falkirk Wheel. The Journey
should take less than an hour.
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Rosslyn Chapel
The Rosslyn Chapel - steaped in history and what
some believe as the answer to the biggest conspiracy the world
has ever known. Many people have been running to the Rosslyn Chapel
over recent years through the success of such books as the Da
Vinci Code in hope of discovering for themselves, the truth behind
the theories about the Knights Templar, Freemasonary and the Christian
religion as we know it. Some people believe that under the floor
of this ancient building there lies a tomb with no entrance or
exit, a tomb which could answer the historical question of the
whereabouts of the Holy Grail.
Located 7 miles south of Edinburgh.
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Getting
There
Bus - From St Andrews Square Bus Station,
take service bus 62. Times are 25 minutes past every hour
from 9 to 2. Buses back leave at 44 minutes past every hour
from 9 to 2 so make sure you leave early enough to catch the
last bus at 2.44! There is no service on Sundays. For
more information on bus times and destinations please go to
the Firstgroup
website.
Car - Head for the Edinburgh
bypass south and take "Straiton Junction" and the
A701 to Penicuik/Peebles. Follow the A701 and the signposts
for Roslin and then the signposts for the Rosslyn Chapel.
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St Andrews
Home to the world famous "Old Course"
and St Andrew's University, this small town has a lot of history.
Located on the coast of Fife looking out to the
North Sea from it's beautiful sandy beaches, St Andrews is probably
best known for being the official "Home of Golf". This
title is enforced with St Andrews also being home to probably
the most famous golf course in the World - The Old Course at St
Andrews Links. Hundreds of thousands of people have come to this
course over the years to witness some of the finest competitions
in world golf history taking place. You can even try out the links
for yourself on one of 6 courses, including the historic Old Course.
Though I would be prepared to get your wallet out! But apart from
its Golf, St Andrews is also known for its famous University.
This university attracts scholars from all around the world and
has a reputation as being very... "particular" about
it's students.
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The most famous of recent years
being Prince William himself. However, before I get your hopes
up, he has finished his degree in Geography and has moved on to
pastures new. Fame aside, St Andrews is a very beautiful wee town
and the long sandy beaches behind the St Andrews Links make a
fabulous walk. Also, why not visit the St Andrews Aquarium.
Something else that I have to mention - St Andrews
has one of the sunniest climates in Scotland!
Bus - Probably the least complicated and
quickest way of getting to St Andrews from Edinburgh is to get
a citylink bus from St Andrews Square Bus Station to Dundee
and then get a bus from there to St Andrews. These buses are
fairly frequent. For more information on bus times and destinations
please go to the Citylink
website.
Train - The nearest train station to St
Andrews is Leuchars which is 4 miles away, so we would recommend
you take the bus, but For more information on train times and
status please go to the Scotrail
website.
Car - Come out of Edinburgh onto
the M8/City Bypass and follow the signs to the Forth Road Bridges
(M90). The Forth Road Bridge is a toll bridge so you will have
to pay a small charge of around 80p. Carry on up the M90 road
before taking the A92 towards Cupar, then join the A91 taking
you to St Andrews.
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Glasgow
With 5 shopping centres and the famous "Italian Centre"
Glasgow is one of the best cities for shopping in the whole
of the UK beaten only by London. So if thats not a reason to
go then I don't know what is. Though, being the biggest city
in Scotland, Glasgow certainly has enough to keep you happy
besides shopping for weeks let alone a day. If you are thinking
about visiting Glasgow then visit YesGlasgow
where you will find all the information you could desire!
Glasgow is only 50 minutes by bus away from Edinburgh and with
buses leaving every 20 minutes or so, you have no excuse not
to visit!
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Getting There
Bus - The best and quickest way to get
to Glasgow is by Bus from St Andrews Square Bus Station with
buses leaving every half hour and taking just under 1 hour.
For more information on bus times and destinations please go
to the Citylink website.
Train - Regular trains run from Waverley
Station to Glasgow, but normally the bus is quicker and less
expensive. For more information on train times and status please
go to the Scotrail
website.
Car - Simply follow the signs
for Glasgow! If in doubt, head west towards the M8 and simply
follow it all the way there.
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Museum of Flight
The Museum of Flight is located at East Fortune
airfield - an RAF hanger in East Lothian that dates back to the
First World War. Inside can be found a huge collection dating
back to 1909 of everything aeronautical. Planes, engines, rockets,
missiles, helicopters, archives, models you name it the Museum
of Flight has it. Most notably, lurking behind the doors of Hangar
4 is a Concorde G-BOAA - from the first concorde fleet that flew
commercial flights from London to Bahrain. To go along with the
Concorde is an exhibition that has the full history of the Concorde's
life.
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Getting There
Bus - In order to get to the Museum, you
have to first take a bus to North Berwick. Buses normally leave
from St Andrews Square (west side) to North Berwick every half
an hour or so. Look for buses with service numbers 124 and X5
although be aware that the X5 bus is the quickest and still
takes over an hour. Once in North Berwick, get off at Church
Road and wait for service bus number 121 which leaves every
15 minutes or so to Haddington. It will take you right to the
front of the Museum. For more information on bus times
and destinations please go to the Firstgroup
website.
Car - Find the A1 and take the
south exit at Abbotsview Juntion. Then go onto the A199 for
East Linton at the roundabout. 2 minutes later take the B1347
to the left and then follow the signposts.
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Lindisfarne
Okay so just over the border about an hour and
a half drive from Edinburgh is Holy Island, or sometimes called
Lindisfarne. Famous for many things, including its well known
religious heritage and 16th century castle. St Aidan (the founder
of the Celtic Church in England has a monument here next to the
ruined Priory. When you are here you should also sample one of
the island’s best known exports. Lindisfarne Mead is a beautiful
blended fortified wine made from natural island water, herbs,
honey and fermented white grapes. |
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Getting There
Bus - Buses to Berwick leave St Andrews
Square Bus Station roughly every 2 hours. During the summer
months a bus operates from Berwick to the Island, during off
peak times I recommend you check with the local operator as
buses are not too frequent.
Train - The closest station is Berwick-upon-Tweed.
Berwick is a main line stop for the east coast GNER line from
Edinburgh to Kings Cross. You can easily get a train from Edinburgh
to Berwick. To get from Berwick to Holy Island please check
above information. For more information on train times and status
please go to the Scotrail
website.
Car - Down the main A1 roadway
to the crossroad at Beal which is approximately 8 miles South
of Berwick-upon-Tweed and about 60 miles from Edinburgh. The
Island is extremely well sign-posted.
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