Day 7 - Arthur's Seat and quick trip to the suburbs

We set out for a hike up Arthur's Seat this morning and as we stepped out the door it started to rain.  We were jumping a bus and decided we see how things were looking when we got to our stop.  If it was still pouring, we'd just find something else to do.  Fortunately, the rain stopped and the sun came out!

We planned to follow the same path David and I took about 7 years ago.  It's much less traveled than the route up from Holyrood.  Unfortunately, there was a sign at the base that said "closed".  A moment later, a lady came down off the "closed" trail and passed us.  I asked her - is there a reason it is closed?  She said not really, its just narrow in places and you have to scrabble.  I  decided we'd risk it and dragged Charlene after me.  The lady's assessment was right, the trail was narrow with gorse growing tight in many places.  There were also some steep scrabbles over steep, rocky slopes.  I think there were trying to shut down the trail completely and nature was definitely helping achieve that!

Back side of Salisbury Crag and the Firth of Forth in the distance.

Further view as we climbed.

Almost at the top. 

The view from the top is pretty magnificent. 

We decided to head back down the main trail with the hordes. 

Looking back at Arthur's Seat from the main trail.

There were not a lot of wild flowers, but there was some pretty heather blooming.  There was a lot of wild gorse, but the beautiful yellow flowers from the spring were mostly gone. 

Ruins of St Anthony's chapel near Holyrood. 

Calton Hill (and Holyrood in the foreground)

We have friends that live outside the city and we were invited to visit them for the afternoon and dinner.  We hopped on a train out of the city and after a few short stops made it to the suburbs where they live. 

Cool suspension bridge for car traffic. 

About a 30 min train ride outside Edinburgh, across the Firth of Forth. 

Our friends had a lovely view from their back windows of some open fields.  They said there are sometimes sheep.  Their house (and others on the street) interestingly sit two deep along the road, so they don't have a drive way or garage at all, just a narrow walk past the front yard neighbor back to their property which includes a front yard (behind their neighbor's).  They just parallel park on the main street.