Page 76 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Scotland

74  SC O TLAND REGION B Y REGION FUR THER AFIELD  75

Further Afield 2 Leith 4 Forth Bridges

Although inextricably linked to the rest of Edinburgh, the Northeast of the city centre, linked Lothian. 3 @ Dalmeny,
Inverkeithing.
by Leith Walk.
inhabitants of Leith insist that they do not live in the city itself.
More than just a docks area, Leith has plenty of attractions for Leith is a historic port that has The small town of South
the visitor. Close by is the mag nificent Royal Botanic Garden. traded for centuries with Queensferry is dominated by
Dean Village offers river side walks, galleries and antique Scandinavia, the Baltic and the two great bridges that span
1.5 km (1 mile) across the River
Holland, and has always been
shops. To the west of the city are the historic Hopetoun the port for Edinburgh. It was Forth to the town of Inverkeithing.
House and Linlithgow Palace, to the east is Haddington incorporated into the city in The spectacular rail bridge, the
and a dramatic coastline. 1920, and now forms a first major steel built bridge in the
northeastern suburb. world, was opened in 1890 and
Dunfermline North The medieval core of narrow remains one of the greatest
A985 M90 Kinghorn Berwick streets and quays includes a engineer ing achievements of
Burntisland A198 number of historic warehouses the late Victorian era. Its massive
Bo’ness Inverkeithing F i r t h o f F o r t h Gullane and merchants’ houses dating can tilevered sections are held
A90 A1087 from the 13th and 14th together by more than eight
M9 centuries. There was a great million rivets, and the painted
Musselburgh
expansion of the docks in the area adds up to some 55 ha
Livingston M8 EDINBURGH Dalkeith A6093 19th century, and many port (135 acres). The saying “it’s like
buildings date from this period.
painting the Forth Bridge” has
A720
Loanhead A68 Shipbuilding and port become a byword for non stop,
A71 A70 A702 Penicuik A7 0 kilometers 10 activities have diminished, but repetitive endeavour.
0 miles 10 there has been a renaissance The neighbouring road bridge
in recent years in the form was the largest suspension
of conversions of warehouse bridge outside the US when it
KEY Sights at a Glance buildings to offices, residences was opened in 1964 by Her
Urban area 1 Royal Botanic Garden and, most notably, restaurants Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Airport 2 Leith and bars. The Shore and Dock Leger’s The Team at Rest (1950), Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art The two bridges make an
Intercity train line 3 Dean Village Place now has Edinburgh’s most 3 Dean Village im pressive contrast, best seen
Motorway (highway) 4 Forth Bridges dense concentration of seafood Antiques, curios, vintage clothes from the promenade at South
Queensferry. The
and jewellery can
bistros and varied restaurants
Major road 5 Hopetoun House (see pp182–3). Northwest of the city centre. be found in the town got its name
Minor road 6 Linlithgow Palace The tourist attractions have This interesting, tranquil area shops on the south from Queen Margaret
7 Haddington been further boosted by the lies in the valley of the Water side of the river in (see p65), who reigned
8 East Lothian Coast
presence of the former British of Leith, just a few minutes’ St Stephen Street. with her husband,
Royal Yacht Britannia, which walk northwest from Charlotte The riverside walk King Malcolm III, in
Edinburgh and into the Firth of is on display in Leith’s Ocean Square (see map p58). A series of con tinues north- the 11th century. She
Forth at Leith). The garden is a Terminal. water mills along the river have east, close to the used the ferry here
descendant of a Physic Garden been replaced by attrac tive Royal Botanic on her fre quent
near Holy roodhouse that was g Royal Yacht Britannia buildings of all periods. Garden. The city journeys between
created by two doctors in 1670. Ocean Terminal, Leith Docks. Tel (0131) Access to Dean Village can be centre is just a Edin burgh and the
It was moved to its present 555 5566. Open daily. & 7 0 9 gained by walking down Bell’s short walk away, royal palace at
location in 1820, and since then = ∑ royalyachtbritannia.co.uk Brae from Randolph Crescent. via Royal Circus 17th-century stone houses on Dun fermline in Fife
has been progressively enlarged A riverside walk threads its way and Howe Street. the historic Bell’s Brae (see p128). From
and developed. Public access is between the historic buildings, Queensferry you can
from the east (well served by crossing the river on a series E Scottish National Gallery of take a boat trip down the
buses) and from the west (offer­ of footbridges. Upstream from Modern Art River Forth to visit the island of
A specimen from the Palm House in the ing better car parking). The gar­ Dean Village the riverside walk 75 Belford Rd. Tel (0131) 624 6200. Inchcolm with its well -preserved
city’s Royal Botanic Garden den benefits from a hill site, giving leads in a few minutes to a Open daily. & special exhibitions 12th-century abbey. A new Forth
southerly views across the city. footbridge and a flight of steps only. 7 - road-bridge, the Queensferry
1 Royal Botanic There is a rock garden in the giving access to the Scottish ∑ nationalgalleries.org Crossing, opened in 2017.
Garden southeast corner and an indoor National Gallery of Modern Art
exhibition and interpretation and its sculpture garden. The
Inverleith Row. Tel (0131) 552 7171. display in the northeast corner. main access for vehicles, and
@ Open Feb & Oct: 10am–5pm daily; There are also extensive less energetic pedestrians, is
Mar–Sep: 10am–6pm daily; Nov–Jan: greenhouses in traditional and on Belford Road.
10am–4pm daily. & 7 0 - 8
= ∑ rbge.org.uk modern architectural styles, Downstream from Dean
offering fascinating hideaways Village, the riverside walkway
This magnificent garden lies a on rainy days. Be sure not to passes under the magnificent
short way to the north of the miss the alpine display to the high level bridge designed by
New Town, across the Water of northwest of the greenhouses, Thomas Telford. It then passes St
Leith (a river that runs from the or the beautiful and fragrant The British Royal Yacht Britannia, berthed Bernard’s Well before arriving in
Pentland Hills down through rhododendron walk. at Leith’s Ocean Terminal the urban village of Stockbridge. The huge, cantilevered Forth Rail Bridge, seen from South Queensferry
For hotels and restaurants see pp172–3 and pp181–3
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