| Walking Tour. Our
general Edinburgh walk introduces you to; An Old Volcano; How the city started. The Old Town; Ancient skyscrapers, the Royal Mile from Edinburgh Castle to Holyrood Palace, narrow closes, tales of progress and enlightenment cheek-by-jowl with crime and squalor. Throughout the tour you'll be shown many places suitable for later visits. The New Town; Georgian style, classy neoclassical houses, 18th-century developments some of which went over-schedule and over-budget, a new town that influenced urban planning Europe-wide. The Modern City; Edinburgh as a vibrant, living, developing 21st-Century city, with beautiful new buildings (and some ugly ones), challenges of transport and planning, and still its own special character. The People; Pick six at random - Adam Smith, Mary Queen of Scots, Robert Burns, Abraham Lincoln, Alexander Graham Bell, Enric Miralles - just a few out of so many names with Edinburgh connections. We'll link the people, the stories, and the places, often discovering interesting links between them. The Geography; The hills, the old valleys between them, and the sea, are all crucial to understanding the development of Edinburgh. We'll take a break at the top of Calton Hill to see how the pieces fit together. The Walk; The standard walk is about 9km long. At 3½ hours, once numerous stops are counted in, that is actually quite a demanding pace, so we need to keep together as a group. It is impossible to do this depth of tour and to avoid hills. If walking at a reasonable and steady pace, or walking up and down hills and steps, is a problem for you, we respectfully suggest you look at other tour guides. The route is mainly on decent pavements and paths, but there are many steps, and some walking on rough paths and grass, so sensible footwear is advised. Although we have a preferred route, it is always subject to change depending on local conditions, special events, etc. The walk goes ahead as advertised, whatever the weather ! It would only be cancelled if conditions were deemed dangerous. The Guide does not pretend to know everything about Edinburgh, and will not dress up in tartan. Your guide will however be working not from a shallow script, but from a deep knowledge, has lived in Edinburgh for several decades, will hopefully be able to answer any questions, and loves the place. Do You Qualify ? We don't want people joining the tour who are not going to enjoy it, and we don't want to have people who will spoil the enjoyment of others. You therefore need to be {1} fit, {2} a regular walker, {3} wanting to hear a lot on information, and {4} looking for Edinburgh's real history. Language; Tours are conducted in English only. The guide speaks just a little Danish, French, and German, but not enough to present the tour. Any groups wanting to book a private tour, with their own translator, are welcome to make arrangements with us. People with Disabilities; The normal tour is most definitely not suitable for those with limited mobility, or who use a wheelchair. We are happy to be approached to discuss the possibility of organising a suitable route. |