Edinburgh New Town for EF STH tour

by Russell Fleet
7 months ago
Near New Town/Broughton, GB

4 views

EDINBURGH NEW TOWN WALK FOR STH/P – ABOUT 1.5 MILES/2.5 KM LONG

1. CHARLOTTE SQUARE
Set the walk up – public health
Edinburgh basics: Old Town built on an extinct volcano, castle right at the top. We’re in New Town, built in late 1700’s/early 1800s as response to squalor of Old Town – Old Town tomorrow with guide.
2. GEORGIAN ARCHITECTURE
Define ‘Georgian’.
Homes for the wealthy middle classes in Charlotte Square, lots of space and light from big windows.
Look down George Street, really wide. In distance, W Hotel with spiral sculpture on top – looks like poo emoji!
3. ST. JOHN’S AND ST. CUTHBERTS
2 churches, large one St. Cuthberts, Church of Scotland (presbyterian)
Small one St. John’s, Church of England (episcopalian) – explain difference.
4. PRINCES STREET AND THE GARDENS
Edinburgh’s major shopping street The gardens are in the valley where there was a lake – drained so they could build New Town.
Cross over the street to the gardens side.
5. WOJTEK THE SOLDIER BEAR MEMORIAL and ROSS THEATRE
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/soldier-bear-statue
https://edinburghguide.com/venues/live-music/ross-theatre
6. ROSE STREET
https://ewh.org.uk/rose-street/
If it’s still mid-morning and they want to stop for breakfast/coffee, Rose Street is a great option.
7. HANOVER STREET
Names of streets: George Street, Frederick Street, Hanover Street, all named after Georgian kings and princes. Part of making the Hanoverian monarchy acceptable to Scots. Hanoverians were put on GB throne after the Stuarts (Scottish monarchs) were replaced in 1714 after Queen Anne died – she was last of the Stuarts – the film The Favourite is about her.
8. SCOTT MONUMENT
Follows on from 7. Sir Walter Scott, famous Scottish novelist (Ivanhoe, Waverley) was engaged to run PR campaign for George IV in Scotland.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Monument
9. ST. ANDREW’S SQUARE and MELVILLE MONUMENT
Saint Andrew is the patron Saint of Scotland. Scottish flag is the Cross of St. Andrew (white diagonal cross on blue background)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Andrew_Square,_Edinburgh
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melville_Monument
10. WAVERLEY STATION
Named after famous book by Sir Walter Scott.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edinburgh_Waverley_railway_station
If you want to stop the walk here for lunch, walk towards stop 11 and point out St. James’s Quarter, big modern shopping mall, on the left hand side.
11. ST. ANDREW’S HOUSE and CALTON HILL
St. Andrew’s House: HQ of Scottish Government – it’s not the Parliament.
At Deco architecture, built 1935-39. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Andrew%27s_House
Calton Hill: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calton_Hill
Steps up to top of hill to get to stop 12. Bit of a walk but worth it for the views and in good weather will be lovely.
12. CALTON HILL MONUMENTS
Look on the Wikipedia page above for the different monuments.
I’d definitely cover National Monument of Scotland and Nelson Monument