Edinburgh Castle
This morning we walked up to Edinburgh Castle from our apartment; an uphill stroll along the Royal Mile that felt like stepping straight into history. A very chilly history. Brrr! The views alone were stunning, but the real standout was our tour with Mel from The Canadian Scot. She was absolutely fantastic, funny, knowledgeable, and brought the castle to life with her storytelling.
One of our favourites? A small patch of soil, (about 10 metres), at the castle entrance was actually brought over from Canada. So for a moment, we were standing on Canadian soil right in the heart of Scotland. Very cool and unexpected!
We were also lucky enough to be there for the One O’Clock Gun, a tradition that’s been going since 1861. Hearing that cannon fire and echo across the city was awesome. It definitely made us jump!
Another highlight was seeing the Honours of Scotland, the Scottish crown, sceptre, and sword of state on display. The crown is absolutely stunning, and knowing it’s one of the oldest surviving royal regalia in the British Isles made it even more impressive.
But a meaningful part of the visit for me was personal. I'd researched my Great Great Uncle, Neil McLachlan, who was my Great Great Grandfather's brother, who died from injuries in World War I in 1917. Inside the castle’s we visited The Scottish National War Memorial. One of the staff helped me to find his name in the official tribute book. A quiet, emotional moment that really grounded the whole experience for me.
Edinburgh Castle was so much more than just a historic site. It was a beautiful blend of storytelling, reflection, and connection to the past. Plus a lot of uphill steps!
Oh and just in case you missed it at the start of this post, the views from the castle, sensational!
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