Sunday, July 06, 2014

April 2013: Climbing Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh

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Did I mention that I am nuts? Went off for a walk at 5AM…warning, this is a long photo essay, it took me 4 hours…

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there’s Arthur’s Seat.

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Walking on the side

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very weird building…

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So as usual, I tried to take a short cut and tried to climb this slope. And it was bloody painful because I got stuck in the middle, between those two clumps of trees. seriously bad mistake. But managed to get out.

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and then sat to catch my breath…

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I meet the official path with a sense of relief…

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and took a panorama…

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the sheer stone walls….

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Seeing across Edinburgh…

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from some angles, it would look like I am outside the world and this is the edge of the world.

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but this is a city

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Creepers climbing the stone walls..

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stark rocks…I really loved these rocks, they are beautiful. such rugged beauty.

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But dangerous too.

 

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the path extends a wee bit.

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another panorama, i see so many paths…

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Views of the city

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I flushed out a hare…very cute…

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The Castle

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Free Syria…here as well…

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The vista opens up… 

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extraordinary beauty….

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Is this Arthurs Seat?

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I move inside

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its like a saddle.

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I took the right hand side path….

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the shrubs are covered with yellow lichens.

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the top of the cliffs?

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the path moves up the hill

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a pigeon shivering in the cold wind..

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beautiful lovely yellow flowers…

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the views are lovely

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seriously lovely, i could have sat here and watched the skyline…

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I could climb this way as well…

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But I move up the path, there were people who were jogging up and down…

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the path moves up…

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A view over Carlton’s Hill from Arthur’s Seat…

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it was misting and raining a bit…the steps helped to climb the steep slope but it was slippery as hell…

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steep steep slope

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More steps…

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I am now above the crest of the cliff…

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Looking down at creation…the footpaths are marked…

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With one clearly marked path up to the cliff top. 

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its tough to climb on these slippery slopes…

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many paths lead to the crest…

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I’m quite high up now…

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You can see the paths…

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You mean I have to climb up to that?

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lover’s locks? even here?

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climbing up the stone gullies…

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I reach the summit

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some kind of a flagstaff unit..

then went around all points of the cardinal compass..

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beautiful sight…but it had started to snow..and rain…

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and the rocks were slippery..

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the lake..

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looking out at the North Sea….

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Carlton Hill…looks tiny….

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the little stump was disfigured by graffiti.

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another marker..

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the top is purely shattered rock.

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I've got to go down there..?

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Somebody committed suicide here…sad…

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I went down

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I will take this route…not the original one..

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thank god there is a railing…the bloody stones were all slippery and dangerous…

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going down the path…

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Cant believe I was up there..

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Hello Stranger…

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there’s the path I need to take

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heading down to the valley floor.

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Looking back up the path

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I'm down on the lower levels

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But still some way to go…

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Another look back up

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An old ruin…

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misty world…

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I am near the lake…

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Another look back up to the summit

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Shiny Happy Rocks…

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another look back

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checking it out

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And now I meet the proper path…

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The skyline…

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I am down at the road level…

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This is the path that I should have taken..

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I see a worm on the road….

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Passing Holyrood..

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gravel path

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This is a weird ass building, I tell you. 

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cobblestones…

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Bricks…

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Ancient streets…

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It wasn't open, not at 7AM…

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corridors…

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Hmmm, I didn't know…

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Ah! lovely lovely bike…

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lol, I don't think people will be happy…

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I wonder what this shave would be like? Obstinate?

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I like this idea…

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Funny old book shop..

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English court in Scotland? :)

it was a lovely old walk, seriously good, very tired but very happy.