When I first landed in Edinburgh, on my first ever solo trip away, I saw a giant tower on a hill and wanted to go explore it. I only had around 24 hours in the city, and though it was a giant hill, I figured it would have been a good place to really see the city from above. There are plenty of places to stay in Edinburgh, but I was just around the corner from this specific landmark. This turned out to be Calton Hill, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was actually the first park in Edinburgh, according to the signs.
Calton Hill is made up of a bunch of historical monuments, one of the first being the massive tower. The Nelson Monument was built in honor of Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson. It’s quite tall and sticks out above everything else. There are a few signs around it, giving more information on the history of it, though the paper within the little frame was quite warn.
The next monument I wanted to explore is called the National Monument of Scotland, which was built to remember the Scottish soldiers and sailors who died fighting in the Napoleonic War. This is absolutely massive, and there were people all on it. As mentioned, I was on my own, with Dann home looking after our family and house. I wanted to go on this monument, like everyone was, but most people needed the help of someone. I am not actually sure if we are meant to be climbing it, and the signs weren’t around to tell more history, but eventually someone did help me up – and the views were fantastic. It’s a breathtaking, natural looking view of the mountains, which had some yellow flowers dotted about. I was very glad to have have taken the time to get to the top of this monument, and it was fantastic to walk around. It felt so powerful, and everyone seemed so lovely at Calton Hill.
These were the two main monuments that you could see on Calton Hill, however there is also a big building in the centre, that is often open with a collection inside to explore. This building is the City Observatory, which was set up in 1776 – I was able to explore all around it, and the brickwork was quite interesting! On the day that I went, it was shut, but if you are in the area on one of the days it’s open, it might be fun to walk around inside.
There was a cannon along with a plaque talking about how this cannon was called the Portuguese Cannon, and it had been transported to the Portuguese Colonies in southeast Asia, before being kept by the Burmese King, who was capture by the British, and then the canon was given to Edinburgh.
The other, sort of large, monument was the Dugald Steward Monument, which is a memorial to the Scottish philosopher of the same name. This monument isn’t one you can get close too, and it’s kinda in the hill in a lot of ways, but is really beautiful standing tall. Along with all of these historical monuments, there are just breathtaking views at Calton Hill. You can see all of the city from up here, along with the hill sides, which are full of color. It’s beautiful and well worth the climb, even if you don’t normally enjoy hills.
You can check out our other Days Out to see what else we’ve been up too!
That is such a pretty spot! I love the history and the monuments. The view of the city is spectacular, too!
Calton Hill sounds amazing! I absolutely love the buildings and monuments. This history is so interesting, too. I’d love to visit.
I’m especially excited about the beautiful views and historical monuments you mentioned. Can’t wait to check it out with the kids!
I’ve always wanted to go to Scotland. In fact I was planning a trip there right before Covid! Such a beautiful country, gorgeous….
What a memorable adventure! Your experience of spotting Calton Hill on your first solo trip to Edinburgh resonates with the excitement of exploration and discovery. It’s fascinating to learn about its historical significance as the city’s first park and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Thanks for sharing this glimpse into your travel journey!