Discover Alone
“Scott is judging your boots”
The Scott Monument. Right, so this massive Victorian Gothic beast is dedicated to Sir Walter Scott. It’s actually the second-largest monument to a writer in the whole wide world, just behind José Martí in Havana. That’s a fact, not my mum’s cooking. It sits right there in Princes Street Gardens, opposite where Jenners used to be. You’ll notice it’s near Waverley Station, named after Scott’s novels, which is convenient. Walking up to it, you realize it’s just a mountain of stone. There are 59 sculptures on it, and they all look like they’ve seen things. I bet one of them is checking if you’ve got your coat on properly. It’s grand, really. A bit over the top, but who isn’t? Just stand there and feel small.
Photo: Martin Abegglen from Bern, Switzerland, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Then Tom went looking for the oddest places around it.
Stop 2 · A few steps on
Edinburgh, Waverley Bridge, Drinking Fountain
“Water danced, probably”
Edinburgh, Waverley Bridge, Drinking Fountain is where a dance was held that went so far that the water started spraying in time with the music, which I’m sure never actually happened. It’s just sitting there looking thirsty while we all walk past without even thinking about using it for its intended purpose. Snap one photo
Recorded as: Drinking Fountain (period Unassigned).
From the Historic Environment Scotland record 302264Photo: DS Pugh, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Stop 3 · Right beside it
Edinburgh, George Street, James Clerk Maxwell Statue
“Maxwell’s scandal is loud”
Edinburgh, George Street, James Clerk Maxwell Statue is hiding a scandal that has been buried for centuries. It’s just standing there looking dignified while the whispers fly around its feet. Hang around long enough and you'll hear a story from a local.
Recorded as: Statue (period Unassigned).
From the Historic Environment Scotland record 306312Photo: Jim Barton, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Stop 4 · Round the corner
Edinburgh, Bellevue Crescent
“Rabbits own the cists”
Edinburgh, Bellevue Crescent is full of rabbits who think those unassigned cists are actually their personal underground luxury apartments. The crescent shape is just a fancy way of saying the ground has a lot of opinions about where things should be buried. You can stand there and wonder if the stones are judging your footwear choices. Take a mate and argue about what it was for.
Recorded as: Cist(s) (period Unassigned).
From the Historic Environment Scotland record 52519Photo: Jim Barton, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Stop 5 · Five minutes' walk
The Old Observatory, Calton Hill
“Queen peeked, left fast”
The Old Observatory on Calton Hill claims to have watched every star since forever, but honestly, it looks more like a fancy hatbox left in the rain. I reckon there was a royal visit where the Queen just peeked out for five seconds and called it a day. Nobody can prove otherwise, so we’ll take it. Leave nothing but footprints and a bad pun.
Recorded as: Mountain or hill.
From the Geograph Britain and Ireland picture record 969011Photo: Sarah Charlesworth, CC BY-SA 2.0
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The whole day on one map
See everything else around Scott Monument →
Over a million places across Ireland and Britain, all free. Explorer Tom has a story for nearly every one.