MODERN AGE VISITORS MINGLE IN FRONT OF
HISTORIC FACADE ON EDINBURGH'S ROYAL MILE.
Many
capital cities, for reasons of politics, transport, military or commercial
geography, find themselves in fairly dull locations. Edinburgh has no
such problem. Within its boundaries rise many individual hills, which
act as easily reached wide-ranging viewpoints. They show that, while
Edinburgh seems to be an inland city, the broad waters of the Firth
of Forth lap its northern suburbs. Conversely, its southern districts
are already beginning to climb the lower slopes of the dominant Pentland
Hills.
Compared with the west of Scotland’s sea-lochs, mountains, substantial
islands and long peninsulas, the east coast has far fewer major features
to display. This does not mean that it lacks landscape interest of its
own. The Berwickshire coast includes spectacular cliff scenery around
Burnmouth, the great nature reserve on St Abbs Head and the atmospheric
ruin of Fast Castle.
