I lived in Edinburgh for 4 years while a Student, followed by 2 years in Inverkeithing. 

I adored Edinburgh, the winding nooks and crannys of the old town, and the stature and glory of the new Town. 

I never, ever went up Calton Hill.   Arthurs Seat, yah, the craggs, yah.   Calton Hill nope. 

When we woke up this morning I told Si our plans for the day. 

Up.  Breakfast, Tram to Picardy Place, Walk from there past Omni, up Calton Hill look at the view, down the hill, walk along to the Station, up on to Cockburn Street, and then along the Royal Mile, Down Victoria Street, Along the Grassmarket, up to the West Port, onto Lothian Road, and back down along to Shandwick place. 

Si Looked at me and nodded.   He said "lets see". 

I bemoaned the fact all the way there, that I had never been to Calton Hill in all the time i stayed there.  Why not?   The closest I had gotten was dropping my flat mate off at St Andrew's House for an interview as a Tax Inspector. (Living the dream). 

Anyhoo- I digress.   We walked (slowly) along Calton Hill, and met a Post man, "Hello", I said.  "are we on the correct route for the Hill and the monument".    

The postman (who was 12), said, "oh, erm, uh.... this is Calton Hill Road.  These are houses.  Erm, the monuments are definitely up there, but I'm not sure how to get there.    Erm, I've lived here all my life, and I have never been up to them". 

That made me feel a whole lot better. 

We got there, Lots of Steps.  I did 50 at a time with a breather in the middle.  I stuck an extra in of the view eastwards.   Si decided that rather than damage my knee further by bouncing down the stairs (was never going to happen), we would take "regents walk",  which was much less steep. 

It was lovely.   Gorgeous Views over Arthurs Seat, the Craggs, and Holyrood house.  and then we were out, back on Regents Street, and I had a lean against a wall when we got to the end of Princes Street. 

From there Si decided it would be better if we had a stop off at The Doghouse for refreshments, So it was up and over the Bridges, and east down the High Street. 

We got a lovely booth, and both of us had a free pint gift.    Then we ordered lunch... which was a great deal.  Then Si went up for another pint, and found that he also had a free pint on his card too.  Woohoo

Then we walked down the Mile a bit, and bought Fudge. (still sitting in the fridge).  Then back up the mile to George Bridge, and down to Victoria Street.   Horrible scaffolding up over the hotel on the corner, and a very claustrophobic tunnel to walk through. 

We stopped outside Finnegans Wake and remininsced about the Pressie Hall.   Ah. the good olde days.   We had to go in just to get a feel.  Many a happy night spent in there. 

One pint of Murphy's later we carried on down Victoria Street and turned on to the Grassmarket.  Where the hell do all these Tourists come from?   We wandered along, with no purpose in mind, just to look.   Outside the beehive, the world WORST busker was strumming a guitar and murdering songs. 

I love that the council have set time restrictions on the buskers, but I had no idea how long this guy had been singing, and I didn't want to wait around to hear another hours worth of songs being murdered.  

I did give him money; I was hopeful that he might have enough after that to go for a pint, or at least stop and count for a while.  But no- he carried on and we headed up west port to the tuneless redition of Pretty Woman (He said "that's you that is") . 

From there we headed down Lothian road and stopped and looked for the premises where the old recruitment offices for the Royal Navy were, and we laughed and wondered what would have happened if I had continued my application and become Si's senior officer.    Didn't want to risk it. 

Stopped off in another Brewdog, got a lovely seat in a booth and watched all the people coming in from a hard days work in the office. 

Then we wandered round to Shandwick Place and clambered aboard the tram back to Newhaven. 

I did it!! I did all the steps I said I was going to do, and I was still standing! 

Sadly, the restaurant attached to the hotel had stopped serving food, but luckily we had gotten the munchies as we walked by AsDA and so we were filled up on junk.  

And happy with beer.