Crags

With this view from our road it seems very strange that I have blipped 78 days in a row and never taken this. But it is a view that changes all the time - and in some ways this is the most humdrum time of year - autumn and winter in particular can be spectacular. And when the gorse is out....

The Queen's Park is royal parkland in the heart of the city adjoining Holyrood Palace. Salisbury Crags are to the left - cliffs 150 feet high. Along the foot runs a path known as the Radical Road. After an Insurrection in 1820 - the seemingly untiring Sir Walter Scott had an idea to occupy the unemployed weavers of the West of Scotland by bringing them to the capital and putting them to work to build this track. I always find it fascinating how many different projects Sir Walter seemed to cram into life! (While writing hard to reduce his debts!)

Today the last of the visitors - here for mother-in-law's funeral - have left - with a nice lunch in a New Town Italian restaurant for farewell. Now to the Royal Infirmary to see how mother's broken hip fares.