Magnolia

There are Magnolia trees in flower all over the place at the moment.  Large-flowered and very showy, these popular garden plants give good value for a couple of weeks in the Spring.

Magnolias are part of an ancient genus.  Among the earliest plants to have developed flowers, they began producing them long before there were such things as bees to pollinate them.  They are thought to have developed to be pollinated by beetles and the later appearance of bees was a bonus.
These pink-tinged flowers belong to the hybrid Magnolia soulangeana, one of the most common in our gardens.

Once open, the flowers don't last very long, but for now, lets just appreciate them while they last.

Blooming

Enough of Edinburgh for the moment.  There is much to keep our attention in the hedgerows back home.  The Blackthorn bushes are in full bloom and the Wild Cherry trees are opening their blossoms too.

The grassy places around the lakes of Straw's Bridge are also showing some colour.  This time in the form of the Cowslips (Primula veris).  There are usually Primroses too, but these are not in evidence just yet.  The name 'Cowslip' is a derivation of the old English Cuslyppe which means 'cowpat' from which the flowers seemed to spring up.  They are also known as Paigle, Key Flower, Fairy Cups and Mayflower.  Key Flower seems an even stranger name than Cowslip and comes from a legend which says that St. Peter dropped his keys to heaven and where they fell, Cowslips grew.

Another flower in great abundance at the moment, belongs to the Field Maple Tree (Acer campestre).  These flowers are a bright, lime-green and are held in clusters on the otherwise bare branches of the trees.  The male flowers have 8 stamens surrounded by 5 petals while the female flowers show a forked style.

Maple wood is used for making the back, sides and neck of Violins.

Arthur's Seat

With rather more than a nod to the legendary King Arthur, the area of parkland and high ground to the east of Edinburgh Castle is known as Arthur's Seat.

The highest point of this green area is a craggy rock and reaches 823ft above sea level.  The earliest settlers built hill forts on the several peaks and the area has been inhabited for more than 2000 years.

There are some very pleasant walks around the parkland affording the walker many beautiful views over the city, the Firth of Forth and far off into the distance.

One of the most prominent outcrops of rock is known as the Salisbury Crags.  These 151ft high cliffs rise from the surrounding grassland and are made of columnar basalt and dolerite.

The footpath which runs around the base of these cliffs, was built around 1820 and took the name of Radical Road following the 'Radical War' of the period.  The views from here are rather good too.  A pair of Ravens had taken this rocky crag as their home and were busy proclaiming their right to it as we walked around.

End to End

The Royal Mile in Edinburgh is very famous.  Running from the Castle at one end, to the Palace of Holyrood at the other.  The Castle, standing high on Castle Crag, dominates the whole city.  Archaeological evidence suggests that there has been a settlement on the top of this hill for around 3000 years.

The oldest part of the present castle dates to the 12th century and is the little St Margaret's Chapel.  The principal parts of the castle, date to the 15th century.

Besieged many times in it's history, the castle was always to rise again from the damage, which explains the different building styles.  What a formidable sight it is and what a terrifying prospect for a medieval soldier, given the task of attempting to 'take' the castle.

Dunsapie

Around the old volcanic plug of Arthur's Seat, lies the green space known as Holyrood Park.  The area has been known as Queen's Park and also King's Park in times gone by and was created as a royal hunting park in the 12th century.  Part of the park is known as Dunsapie Hill and is the site of several prehistoric forts.  Dunsapie Fort occupies the hill and stands at about 476ft above sea level.  The information board says of the hill fort, that it is "... about 2000 years old.  Behind the crag, to the east are traces of a small farmstead connected to the fort by an outlying rampart..."

At the bottom of the hill is a small expanse of water known as Dunsapie Loch.  Popular with ducks, gulls, swans, crows, herons and tourists, it is a delightful sot on a fine day as it was when we were there.

Also to be found around this area were dozens of Jackdaws (Corvus monedula).  Making a lot of noise as they flitted about collecting twigs for their nests which they were building in holes in the stone walls.

They were all being kept very busy and seemed not to take much notice of us as we walked past, but they all had their beady, white eyes on us and flapped off if you got too close.

Gardens

Edinburgh is well known for it's gardens which provide a wonderful green space in the centre of the city.  The gardens also afford the pedestrian, a series of great views of the inspirational architecture of the Royal Mile and surrounds.  Among the more 'palatial' has to be the building of the Bank of Scotland.

Now the Scottish headquarters of LloydsTSB Banking Group, it houses the 'Museum on the Mound'.  Perhaps the best-known building from architect David Bryce it was redeveloped by him between 1864 and 1871.  A worthy building and just what you would expect a Victorian banking establishment to look like.

Looking the other way, from the Royal Mile side. towards the Princes Street side, you get a magnificent vista taking in some of the most magnificent architecture.

The gardens are particularly nice at this time of year with the daffodils nodding in the breeze.  There are thousands of them, providing a nice bit of colour against the honey-coloured stonework of the buildings and the polution-blackened monuments in the distance.

Carlton Hill 2

More from the top of Carlton Hill today.  The views from the hill are spectacular in all directions.  There are many monuments and buildings around too.  From one of these - the Dugald Stewart Monument - the views across the city are particularly good.

Dugald Stewart was a Professor at the University of Edinburgh from 1786 to 1828.  The monument was commissioned by the Royal Society of Edinburgh and built in 1831, modeled on the 'Choragic Monument of Lysicrates', a Greek monument near the Acropolis in Athens.
Close by, another monumental building is set against the city backdrop.  This one is dedicated to Horatio, Lord Nelson.  It is built in the style of a telescope and replaced a signal mast which was used to send messages to ships in the Forth.  The commemorative plaque on the building reads...
"To the memory of Vice-Admiral Horatio Lord Viscount Nelson, and of the great victory of Trafalgar, too dearly purchased with his blood, the grateful citizens of Edinburgh have erected this monument: not to express their unavailing sorrow for his death; nor yet to celebrate this matchless glories of his life; but, by his noble example, to teach their sons to emulate what they admire, and, like him, when duty requires it, to die for their country".

The largest group of buildings on Carlton Hill, make up the City Observatory.  Construction began in the late 18th century and it was handed over to the Edinburgh Astronomical Institution in 1812.  The main use of the observatory was for accurate time measurement through the observance of stars crossing the meridian.

More views from the hill are to enjoyed.  This one looking along the full length of Princes Street.  The scene is dominated by the clock tower of the Luxury, Rocco Forte collection's Balmoral Hotel.  NOT where we stayed.... far too 'down-market'....!!!!