The tall stone, if it cares, has care
Beyond the span of our caring.

George Mackay Brown

Hundreds of years before the construction of Stonehenge, the pyramids, and the Great Wall, Stone Age farmers were building towers and homes on the Orkney Islands of Scotland. And millions of years earlier, nature constructed some stone monuments of its own.

Orkney’s Nordic connection is similiar to Shetland’s, although it is less obvious, possibly because Orkney is much closer to mainland Scotland. Orkney is comprised of seventy islands, twenty of which are inhabited. While Shetland’s leading industries are oil and fishing, Orkney focuses on farming, as it’s geography is low-lying and fertile. Sheep rule Shetland’s landscape; cattle dominate in Orkney. Its human population numbers twenty thousand.

In the Shetland Islands at the northernmost tip of Scotland, the place names are mostly in Norse.

The majority of the islands’ population of twenty-two thousand have Nordic ancestors. On Norwegian holidays, they fly Norway’s flag.

Thank the Vikings.

Although there were inhabitants on Shetland three to four thousand years ago, the Vikings took charge around 800 CE. In 1468, Maraget, a Danish princess, married James III of Scotland. Her father, the king of both Denmark and Norway, couldn’t afford a wedding dowry, so he mortgaged Shetland to his son-in-law. He never got it back.

The Royal Mile in Edinburgh is lined with must-see historical sights and tourist attractions, but there is much more beyond the Mile. Here’s a few of them:

To read about Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, please see the previous post, “Beneath the plaid in Old Town.”

The extinct volcano, Arthur’s Seat, towers over Edinburgh. I found a trailhead near Saint Margaret’s Loch on Queen’s Drive, one of the more difficult routes. (There’s a shorter easier path at Dunsapie Loch.) On the way, I stopped at the ruin of Saint Anthony’s Chapel. The view over Edinburgh and Leith improved with the elevation. Near the top, the going was rocky and the footing difficult. On the summit, the ideal weather conditions promoted quite a crowd. Trekkers lined up for their turn to pose for photos at the marker. The view was spectacular in every direction. Another popular hike is the rough trail just below the red cliffs known as the Salisbury Crags.

While making my way through the crowded Grassmarket, I stumbled upon a parade. I assumed it was yet another feature of the multifaceted Edinburgh festivals.

To read about the Edinburgh art festivals, please see the previous post, “An unexpected guest at the festival.”

One band after another passed, each comprised of drummers and pipers, each proudly hoisting a banner. The marchers were all male and all ages. Some were teens. Some were in wheelchairs. Their combined drumming was deafening in the canyon of the Grassmarket.

After watching them pass, I went to my hotel, changed into running clothes, and headed to a nearby park. There, I found the bands’ buses lined up around the perimeter, dozens of them. The marchers were stowing their instruments, having a smoke, and boarding the coaches for home. I asked a couple of them, high school-aged boys from Northern Ireland, about the nature of the parade and which organizations the various bands represented.

When I planned this trip, I wasn’t aware I’d be landing in the middle of the world’s largest arts festival. Imagine taking a trip to New Orleans and showing up, unexpectedly, during Mardi Gras.

Edinburgh’s festival completely takes over the city in August. Its immensity is difficult to convey.

First of all, there are six festivals all going at once: the Edinburgh International Festival, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the Edinburgh Art Festival, the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, the Edinburgh International Book Festival, and the Edinburgh Mela.

The Edinburgh International Jazz and Blues Festival and the Edinburgh International Film Festival were held earlier in June and July. Every art form is represented.

Tartan and shortbread are big business in the Old Town. Edinburgh Castle, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, and the Royal Mile that connects the two draw thousands of tourists daily, so it’s no surprise Scottish tchotchkes are ubiquitous. Like an archaeologist, I worked to excavate history from behind the kilt shops, ghost tours, and haggis stalls lining the way. Here’s a synopsis of the major sights:

Edinburgh Castle

The castle complex sits strategically high on the core of an extinct volcano, surrounded by sheer cliffs on all sides. The site was first used as a fortress by King Edwin in the 500s CE. (Edinburgh was named after Edwin.)

Since then, the castle has also served as royal palace, military garrison and prison. The surviving structures date from the 1300s through the early 1900s.

After fighting off the cold I brought with me from the States and adjusting to the time difference, I’m starting to settle in to my stay in Scotland’s capital city.

The hotel is within walking distance of both the New and Old Towns.

My studio includes a microwave oven, two-burner stove, sink, refrigerator, teakettle, and assorted kitchenware. The shower is so small I can barely turn around, but there’s plenty of pressure. A duvet on the bed but no cover sheet. All is brand new.

Up and down the street are hotels, apartments, and hostels, all in ancient buildings, many under renovation as this area is in the process of gentrifying.