View from Arthur's Seat
8/5/2023: Before meeting our Nat Geo group at 1:00, we visited Edinburgh Castle. Worth the price of admission. After that, we met up and hiked Arthur’s Seat.
Per the article in the Edinburgh News: On May 1st of every year, Auld Reekie’s hills were alive with the sound of footsteps as hundreds of locals ascended the slopes to partake in the generations-old ritual of washing their faces in the May dew.
The tradition of washing one’s face in the morning dew persisted for hundreds of years, having only fallen out of favour fairly recently.
Each May Day, thousands of people would set their alarms for before sunrise to traipse up Arthur’s Seat, Calton Hill and Blackford Hill and partake in the ancient rite of washing their faces in the morning dew.
The gathering of the May-dew was a historical relic of the Druidic festival of Beltane, when our forefathers kindled great fires on the hill-tops in honour of the sun and sought to harness the mysterious forces of nature by sacrifice and incantation. Doing this was supposed to ensure an abundance of corn, cattle and increase their chances of producing offspring. Moisture produced by nature was seen by the ancients as a sacred entity - vital to make things grow.
And here is the full itinerary from National Geographic.
Day 1: Edinburgh, Scotland
Arrive in Edinburgh and transfer to our hotel. After time to relax, meet for a mid-afternoon walk
along the Royal Mile. Step back in time as we wind our way past medieval church spires and cobbled
alleyways to Holyrood Park. A short hike leads up the knoll of Arthur’s Seat, where outstanding views
of the city await. Tonight, gather for an orientation and a welcome dinner at the hotel.
(4 miles hiking, 2 hours)
Overnight: Bruntsfield Hotel (D)
Marg’s Notes: [Scotland Tour] Edinburgh Castle 10:00. Left hotel at 9:15 to walk to castle. Went a new route that included lots of stairs! The castle was old & huge, with beautiful views. Our timed entrance was for 10:00 but they let us in at 9:45. Lots of history! After ~2 hours, we were ready to head back. We had a bit of time before meeting our group at 1:00. Did intros and got instructions before heading out in taxis 😊 for Arthur’s Seat. Another nice hike. A bit steep at the top. Back down, we walked to Holyrood Castle to peer thru the fence. Across the street we saw the modern parliament house. Walked thru the Holyrood Park back to the hotel. A nice walk w/o crowds. A bit of time to shower & rest before the Happy Hour & dinner. Nice group of people! Then, to bed…still not sleeping well…
Chicken & lentils for dinner. Very good!
Created: 2023