Though Edinburgh is the least claustrophobic of cities, there are those who will wish to take advantage of the many interesting and beaut- iful places to visit outside its boundaries. It’s worth taking a train across the magnificent Forth Rail Bridge to North Queensferry, for instance, or one of the many river cruises to see it from below. Further west are two of the country’s most appealing historical sights, Hopetoun House and Linlithgow Palace. SightsSouth Queensferry First Edinburgh buses 43 and 47 from St Andrews bus station (20 mins). Ten miles west of Edinburgh is the ancient town of South Queens- ferry. The town’s narrow main street is lined with lovely old build- ings, most striking of which is the row of two-tiered shops. The small museum on the High Street (Mon, Thu, Fri and Sat 1000- 1300 and 1415-1700, free) traces the town’s history and the building of the road and rail bridges while the Hawes Inn, in the shadow of the rail bridge, featured in RL Stevenson’s Kidnapped. The town is dominated by the two great bridges that tower overhead on either side, spanning the Firth of Forth at its narrowest point. The massive steel cantilevered Forth Rail Bridge, over 1½ miles long and 360 ft high, is a staggering monument to Victorian engineering. It was built in 1883-90 and 60,000 tons of steel were used in its construction. Beside it is the Forth Road Bridge, a suspension bridge built between 1958 and 1964, which ended the 900 year-old ferry crossing between South and North Queensferry. The Road Bridge is open to pedestrians, and it’s worth walking across for the views of the Rail Bridge. Dalmeny House T 331 1888, http://www.dalmeny.co.uk Bus from St Andrew bus station to Chapel Gate, 1 mile from the house, or you can take a train (20 mins) which stops at the village station. Sun-Tue 1400-1730 in Jul and Aug only. Adults £4, concessions £3, children £2. Less than a mile from South Queensferry is Dalmeny House, the Earl of Rosebery’s home for over 300 years. The present house, built in 1815 in Tudor Gothic, contains a superb collection of 18th-century French furniture, porcelain and tapestries and paintings, including portraits by Gainsborough, Raeburn, Reynolds and Lawrence. There is also a fascinating collection of Napoleon Bonaparte memorabilia, assembled by the fifth Earl of Rosebery, a former Prime Minister. The house can also be reached from the other side of the River Almond at Cramond; it’s a two-mile walk. Hopetoun House T 331 2451, http://www.hopetounhouse.com Daily Apr-Oct 1000-1730. Adults £6, concessions £5, children £3. Two miles west of South Queensferry is Hopetoun House, which thoroughly deserves its reputation as “Scotland’s finest stately home”. Set in 100 acres of magnificent parkland, including the Red Deer park, the house is the epitome of aristocratic grandeur, and recently celebrated its 300th birthday. Hopetoun House is perhaps the finest example of the work of William Burn and William Adam. It was built for the Earls of Hopetoun, later created Marquesses of Linlithgow, and part of the house is still lived in by the current Marquess of Linlithgow and his family. The house contains a large collection of art treasures and the grounds are also open to the public. You could come here and pretend you’re a member of the aristocracy for the day, then go back to your humble B&B and weep. North Queensferry Frequent trains from Waverley and Haymarket (30 mins). Cowering beneath the massive structure of the Forth Rail Bridge, North Queensferry provides the ideal vantage point from which to wonder at this fantastic 19th-century engineering feat. Also here is the popular Deep Sea World, Scotland’s award-winning national aquarium. Inchcolm Island The island can only be reached as part of a cruise. In the Firth of Forth sits the tiny island of Inchcolm. Known as the Iona of the East, the island’s famous Abbey of St Columba was founded in 1123 for Augustinian monks by King Alexander I. Although sacked many times by the English and desecrated during the Reformation, the abbey is remarkably well preserved and includes one of Scotland’s rare 13th-century octagonal chapter houses and 14th-century cloisters. These are the finest monastic buildings left in the country. You can also climb the tower for great views of the island, which is populated by nesting seabirds and a colony of seals. Linlithgow Palace T 01506-842896, http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk Apr-Sep daily 0930-1830; Oct-Mar Mon-Sat 0930-1630, Sun 1400-1630. Adults £3, concessions £2.30, children £1. Hourly trains to and from Edinburgh (20 mins) and regular buses from St Andrew bus station. The pleasant little West Lothian town of Linlithgow is where you’ll find the Renaissance Linlithgow Palace, one of the most romantic and impressive historic buildings in Scotland. It’s off the beaten track and relatively little-visited but well worth the detour. The 15th-century ruin is set on the edge of Linlithgow Loch and is associated with many of Scotland’s main historical players, including James V (1512) and Mary, Queen of Scots (1542), who were both born here. James V was also married here, to Mary of Guise, and Bonnie Prince Charlie popped in for a visit during the 1745 rebellion. One year later the palace was badly damaged by fire during its occupation by General Hawley’s troops, prior to their defeat by Jacobite forces under Prince Charles at the Battle of Falkirk. The ruin still conveys a real sense of the sheer scale of the lavish lifestyle of the court, from the ornate fountain in the inner courtyard to the magnificent Great Hall with its massive kitchens. Next to the palace is St Michael’s Church, the larges pre-Reformation church in the country, with its controversial crown and spire, added in 1964.
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