Tuesday, July 27, 2004

The view from here is very fine

The best thing about Ediburgh is the view above it. Whereas Glasgow's joys are all around you, Edinburgh only really lays out its splendours when you're a good few feet above the tallest church spire - whether that's from the Castle, Arthur's Seat, or Calton Hill.

And, from all of these, the view is jaw dropping. Calton Hill is especially astounding at sunset, as the light takes ages to fall away beyond all the neat streets and spires and into the water. Robert Louis Stevenson remarked that it was the best vantage point "since you can see the castle, which you lose from the castle, and Arthur's Seat, which you cannot see from Arthur's Seat."

It's a wonderful hill - a plateau of Romanesque ruins, turrets and scrubland that has a haunting silent beauty. And also a throng of nice young men cruising for sex.

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