[Boris]

Has anyone checked that we can still get vehicle access to the Castle esplanade these days? The Castle is still a working army barracks and the esplanade used to be the car park for castle visitors but something is nagging at the back of my mind that makes me think for security reasons it is closed to all vehicles but tour buses now. Might be worth a phonecall from the TLD organisers to ensure access is available on the date should prior agreement be needed.

It's operated by Historic Scotland http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/

 

[wheels]

from experience, if your names not down....
Nation Fuss
or
Histeric scotland

 

[Nickel Arse]

Alec went up and spoke to the Regimental Sergeant Major and was informed that it would not be a problem

That was last year though, Boris do you live near the castle, could you check access again

thanks

 

[Nickel Arse]

Thats beginning to nag at me now

I will ring them later when they open, I wrote to them last year with our plans but it was probably read by a work experience kid and filed in the round cabinet.

 

[Nickel Arse]

So to update this
this is the webcam site overlooking the forecourt of the castle our startpoint
http://www.edinburgh-tattoo.co.uk/tattoo-experience/webcam.html

 

[Boris]

So to update this
this is the webcam site overlooking the forecourt of the castle our startpoint
http://www.edinburgh-tattoo.co.uk/tattoo-experience/webcam.html

Looks OK then. The cars must be visitors as the military have an underground car park for their own use. A courtesy call would probably still be worth doing anyway.

 

[alpslapper]

I just put a call into Historic Scotland. The carpark is only open from 9-5 and is for disabled access only according to the woman I spoke to. She has passed my query to their events team and someone from there wil ring me back this afternoon.

 

[alpslapper]

Right then. I've just heard back from the lovely Carol.

Not only can we NOT use the esplanade, or the car park, but motorcycles are BANNED from the esplanade and the immediate area.

Not only that, but the whole area will be inaccessible in June as they will be putting up the stands and doing lots of work for the Tattoo.

So we have NO chance of getting anywhere near there for a start.

She's going to check Holyrood (?) Park and see if that area is acessible for us to start from.

 

[Robster]

Right then. I've just heard back from the lovely Carol.

Not only can we NOT use the esplanade, or the car park, but motorcycles are BANNED from the esplanade and the immediate area.

Not only that, but the whole area will be inaccessible in June as they will be putting up the stands and doing lots of work for the Tattoo.

So we have NO chance of getting anywhere near there for a start.

She's going to check Holyrood (?) Park and see if that area is acessible for us to start from.

Ok...arse....though I suspected as much.

Urrrrm another "Landmark" option would be Calton Hill, though I know access to that has been limited in recent years too. Gets us a good view of the Castle if we can swing it.

Meeting down at South Queensferry might be a good idea also as there's a big open carpark right on the shore with stunning views of the 2 bridges...a bit further out of town, but well connected to the major roads to get us heading West for the first ferry

Failing that, maybe down at Leith Docks somewhere around the new(ish) Ocean Terminal where The Royal Yacht Britannia now resides. Murrayfield Stadium maybe?

I know that Princes Street is now closed to traffic for a couple of years while they dig it up and put in the infrastructure for the new trams, so that rules a few other possibilities out too.

 

[Nickel Arse]

Great minds think alike

just spoke to Carol as well
Holyrood park is the Scottish Parliament building
which for a photo looks pretty naff
so any locals know of a good meeting point with castle views

 

[Robster]

Holyrood park is the Scottish Parliament building which for a photo looks pretty naff

Holyrood Park is actually a really nice park with some stunning views, the Parliament building is just at one end of the park.

The problem with it is that Holyrood is one of the"Royal parks" and so is gated and fairly well policed as the road runs right by the Palace itself. I remember them being very hot on their traffic rules in there – for instance no commercial vehicles are allowed so I'd question whether 50 bikes could slip in and out unnoticed! Again, the views from the park are great and there are some great castle views, but there's nowhere in there (from memory) where, even if we were allowed in, we could park up 50 bikes AND have the view too.

That said, there wasn't exactly much of a view in the carpark at JOG last year was there?

 

[Boris]

Calton Hill seems an obvious substitute. I personally wouldn't venture up there at night but during the day it is fully accessible. I took the kids up there for a walk a year or so ago and I could park right at the top.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calton_Hill

I'll put my thinking hat on to see what else I can come up with but whatever it is it needs to shout Edinburgh.

 

[Nickel Arse]

With this new google feature I've had a look round and this seems to be a fairly easily found viewpoint

NCP carpark at 16 Castle Terrace, Edinburgh

car park entrance

 

[Robster]

Calton Hill seems an obvious substitute. I personally wouldn't venture up there at night but during the day it is fully accessible. I took the kids up there for a walk a year or so ago and I could park right at the top.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calton_Hill

I'll put my thinking hat on to see what else I can come up with but whatever it is it needs to shout Edinburgh.

Calton Hill is the obvious substitute yeah...still very central, better views of Edinburgh and the Castle than from the Castle and if there's no restriction on access then I'd say that was a hands-down winner. Just worth checking that we're 100% alright to gather there.

It's also far enough away from housing that we're not going to upset the natives

 

[Nickel Arse]

That does look nice

have we got public access

 

[wheels]

Edinburgh Council are responsable for Calton Hill. They used to be contacted at Waterloo place, not sure if it is still based there.
South Queensferry is a good shout, large parking area and permission not required.
although a little off the beaten track

If the pictures work you can see where the hill, parli and the castle are..

 

[Boris]

I've just checked google maps and the road up the hill has a Road Closed sign. Admittedly its a temporary one but it does raise some doubt.

Have a look here

The tower up the top is open to visitors so I'll see if I can find out any info about parking when visiting that.

 

[PanRider]

Calton Hill looks great. If we can all get up there I agree that should be the start point.

If it is the case we can’t “legally” get up there. How’s about meeting just in front of that NCP car park (post 13) on the rather wide pavement. Perfect for a pre-start picture. You need to “move the camera” a bit to the right to see what I mean.

Just a suggestion, I’ll meet up wherever you tell me to.

89 sleeps to go and I’m off for one of them now. Nitey nite. :thumbright:

 

[DoctorLaw]

Arthur's Seat, which about 1 mile east of the Castle and in Holyrood Park, might be a good alternative. Parliament is just on the edge of the park. There is road access to a reasonable height but not quite to the top. Good views over the city.

 

[PanRider]

Hi there Doc, welcome to the forum. Thanks for your input. Will you be taking part in TLD?. If so you need to register etc. Everyone's welcome,