EDINBURGH LIFE
SPECIAL EVENTS
Festivals
Leith Festival Sat l2—Sat l9 .lun. l—4.30pm. Free. Leith Links. info: 554 4890. Five-a-side football. cabaret. stalls aplenty and the Leith Pageant bring vivid colour to the north of the city. Craigmillar Festival Sat IZ-Sai 26 Jun. £2 US l .50). Various venues. info: 66l 5877. Craigmillar has its moment in the festival sun with theatre. storytelling. dance. art and poetry.
Pride Scotland Sat l9 .ltlll. noon. East London Street. See special listings. page
83.
Royal Highland Show Thu 24—Sun 27 .ltiii. 8am—8pm. £l5 (£7.50). Royal Highland Centre. lngliston. info: 335 6200. The highlight of the country set's calendar with food. livestock and horses galore. See photo ca tion.
National Bike Wee Sat l2-Sun 20 Jun. Various venues. info: ()l483 4l72 l 7. Get on your bike fora week ofcycling fun. See Frontlines. page 6 and Reader Offers. page I I6.
Tours
Volcano Tours Wed. Fri. Sun until Sun 26 Sep. 2pm. £5 (£4/£2.50). Holyrood Palace Car Park. To book a place call 555 5488. Discover Edinburgh's volcanic past and explore the natural and human history of Holyrootl.
Campaigns
Jubilee 2000 Scotland Stu l2 Jun.
| lam. Various venues. info: 220 5294. The abolition of world debt is .lubilee 2000's cause and this event around the capital is certain to attract publicity. Goings on include a cycle run front Edinburgh to Cologne to present a petition to G8 government heads. a human chain around the castle. a multi- media youth event at the Traverse. a choral evensong and a ceilidh. Charter88 Scotland Thu l7 .Iun. 8.30pm. Free. Friends Meeting House. Victoria Terrace. info: 225 6550. Pam Giddy. the new director ofCharter88 Scotland gives a talk entitled 'Reform For All Of Us — Scotland Leads The Way‘.
Into Tibet Fri l8 .lun. 7. l 5—9.30pm. £5 in advance. Riddles Court. Lawnmarket. info: 0| 3873 73232. A slide show
containing stories of a recent journey throuin the old kingdom of Kliaiii in East Tibet with proceeds going to medical and educational projects in that much put- upon country.
Charity
Great Scottish Walk Sun 2t) .Iun. l0am—2pm. £5 (£3). Meadowbank Sports Centre. London Road. (ml 535 l. The linal leg of this major charity do sees walkers walking twelve miles around Meadowbank.
Workshops
Rashenkoti Stiii 20 .luii. l2.30—4pm. £l0—£20. Bongo Club. New Street. info: 558 9408. For women of all ages. sizes and experience. a tribal belly dance class. Rashenkoti is a folklore tradition of North Africa and the Middle East which develops greater awareness of the body. music and movement.
PERMANENT ATTRACTIONS
Auld Reekie’s Ultimate Ghost 8: Torture Tour
Meet at The Tron Church. Royal Mile. Edinburgh. 557 4700. Tours at 7pm. 8pm. 9pm & l0pm daily: shorter tours to the Haunted Vault also leave at |2.30pm. l.30pnr. 2.30pm & 3.30pm. £6 (£5): children £4. Find otit about Edinburgh's grisly past in the company of a costumed
guide on this city tour. which also takes
in an underground haunted vault featuring fully operational Pagan temple (harvests guaranteed or your money back then?)
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh. 225 9846. Daily 9.30am—6pm (last admission 5. l5pm). £6 (£2-£5). Although much of the castle's medieval character was lost when it was converted into barracks in the l9th century. continuing excavations aim to redress this. Other attractions include .lames lV‘s famous cannon. Mons Meg. lots of military silverware and. of course. The Stone Of l)estiny. used to crown Scottish kings since time began.
Various tunes between I l.30am and 9.30pm — advanced booking is necessary. Literally. a trip to Edinburgh's underworld. Mary King‘s Close is part of a now subterranean network of streets. walled off in the middle ages during at) outbreak of the plague. Visit the restored (or at least made stable and safe) street and hear the horror stories of the residents left to die.
Medieval Torture Exhibition
45—47 Niddry Street. Edinburgh. 557 4700. Daily l0am—7pm. £l. If thumbscrews and jawbreakers are your thing then drop into this new Edinburgh attraction. featuring the latest and greatest in medieval torture devices and instruments of humiliation. including the enigrnatically-named 'Scavenger's Daughter".
Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour
Meet at The Beehive lnii. Grassmarket. Edinburgh. 226 6665. £6 (£5). Daily 7.30pm. Pie-booking required for parties of ten or more. An excellent way to imbibe culture by visiting the favourite watering holes of Scotland's literary heroes. including Sir Walter Scott. Robert Burns and Irvine Welsh.
Georgian House
7 Charlotte Square. Edinburgh. 225 2 I60. Mon—Sat l0am—5pm; Stiii 2—5pm (last admission 4.30pm). £4.40 (£2.90). Experience a period Georgian house. giving a taste of life in Edinburgh when the New Town was built.
Gladstone’s Land
477b High Street. Edinburgh. 226 5856. Mon—Sat l0am—5pm: Sun 2—5pm (last admission 4.30pm). £3.20 (£2.20). Restored to the splendour enjoyed by the merchant classes in the l7th century. Gladstone's land gives an authentic representation of life in the medieval Old Town at this time.
Huntly House
I42 Canongate. Edinburgh. 529 4 I43. Mon—Sat l0am—5pm. Free. Packed with historic artefacts. this restored l6th century mansion tells the story of Edinburgh's past and its people and houses important collections of Edinburgh silver and glass. Scottish pottery and shop signs. Also showing: ()u-:ur.’ — see Edinburgh Art listings. page 78.
Mary King's Close Tours Meet at Mercat Ct'Oss (beside St Giles' Cathedral) Edinburgh. 225 659|. £5 (£4).
ROYAL HIGHLAND SHOW Thu 24-Sun 27 Jun, Bam-Bpm. £15 (£7.50). Royal Highland Centre, lngliston, info: 335
Museum Of Scotland
Chambers Street. Edinburgh. 247 42 I9. Mon—Sat l0am—5pm; Sun noon—5pm; Tue l0am—8pm. £3 (£l.50); under 18s free. This is the newest addition to our national museum selection and the only one dedicated solely to Scotland’s history and heritage. The building contains five thematically-arranged exhibitions. moving frotn pie-history. through the Industrial Revolution. to the present day. at which point national heroes such as Billy Connolly and Elaine C. Smith get involved. Also showing: The Parliament 0/ Si (II/(IIH/ — see Edinburgh Art listings. page 78.
listings EDINBURGH lIFE
countryside events. including daily gurded walks in the summer.
Royal Museum Of Scotland
2 Chambers Street. Edinburgh. 247
42 I9. Mon—Sat l0am—5pm (Tue 8pm); Sun noon—5pm. £3 t£ l .50): under 18s free. A l9th century museum housing international collections of natural history. geology. science. technology and the decorative arts. plus two permanent exhibitions: Ari & Industry and The lvv Wu (Jul/err. Also showing: 'I'rurisistors and The Mil/eii/iiimi Curr/ecu ()_f CHI/(WY — see Edinburgh Art listings. page 78.
Royal Yacht Britannia
Ocean Drive. Leith. Edinburgh. 555 5566. Daily l0.30am—6pm (last entry 4.30pm). £7.50 (£3.75—£5.75): family ticket £20. The former royal yacht opens its doors to members of the public after a £25 million refit. The on-shore visitor centre contains historical information on the boat and its furnishings while. on the yacht itself. members of the public can have a good nosy round the royals” former quarters.
The People's Story
Canongate Tolbooth. l63 Canongate. Edinburgh. 5294057. Mon—Sat l0am—5pm. Free. Situated in the Canongate Tolbooth. the sights. sounds and even smells of Edinburgh folk from the l8th century onwards are faithfully reproduced.
Palace 0f Holyroodhouse
Royal Mile. Edinburgh. 556 l096. Daily 9.30am—6pm (last admission 5.l5pm). £5.50 (£2.7()—£4); family ticket £l3.50. Starting life as a |3th century abbey. the palace has evolved into a sumptuous regal residence crammed ftill of paintings and artefacts dating back primarily to the l7th century. The tower apartments housed a sad and lonely Mary Queen of Scots' fora time. but with a spectacular view of Arthur's Seat. and magnificent gardens to look at. it's hard to feel too sorry for her.
Royal Botanic Garden
lnverleith Row. Edinburgh. 552 7l7l. Daily 9.30am—7pm. Free. A sea of tranquility in the hubbub of the city. the Botanic Garden is home to a wealth of flora and fauna from all over the world. The glasshouses give you the opportunity to check out tropical plants as well. The site also hosts art exhibitions. horticultural courses and various
Witchery Tour
Meet outside The Witchery restaurant. Castlehill (Royal Mile). Edinburgh. 225 6745. £7 (£4). Times vary and advanced booking is necessary. Take a trip to the dark side of Edinburgh with your guide. Adam Lyal deceased, who will regale you with stories of torture. murder and witchcraft — but watch out for ghosts and ghouls lurking iii the shadows.
Writers Museum
Lady Stair‘s House. Lady Stair‘s Close. Edinburgh. 529 490l. Mon-Sat l0am—5pm. Free. A treasure-house of items relating to three of Scotland’s most famous writers: Robert Louis Stevenson. Robert Burns and Sir Walter Scott. Also showing: l/lm Ever Yours — see Edinburgh Art listings. page 78.
Continued over page
6200. The highlight of the farm, countryside and food calendar comes to lngliston with an estimated 150,000 punters expected through the doors over the course of the weekend. More than 4000 cattle, sheep, horses, goats and poultry will be in competition, with rosettes, prizes and the coveted Queen’s Cup all at stake. As well as a feast of livestock, there is a Food From Scotland exhibition, handcrafts, forestry, pole climbing, show jumping, country fashion and Young Farmers' Club events.
10—24 Jun 1999 THE lIST83