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The new Tate Modern London by architects Herzog & de Meuron, is a spectacular new building will add 60% more space and will open up the museum to the area around it. It will be Britain’s most important new cultural building for almost 20 years, and will complete the site’s transformation into an accessible public forum.
2016 marks the next phase in Tate Modern’s evolution, with the opening of a new 10-storey building to the south of the Turbine Hall on the site of the power station’s former Switch House. The new Switch House building is rooted in the cylindrical underground Tanks, each measuring over 30 metres across and providing the world’s first museum spaces dedicated to live art, installation and film. They form the physical foundations of the Switch House and the conceptual starting point for it, offering new kinds of spaces for a new kind of museum. Above them are three additional floors of world-class galleries with a wide palette of volumes, from intimate small-scale environments to dramatic top-lit spaces. They are complemented by extensive areas dedicated to learning and interpretation, as well as a new restaurant, bar and Members Room, topped with a public terrace offering 360-degree panoramic views of London. A new bridge across the Turbine Hall joins the existing Boiler House galleries on Level 4 to the new Switch House galleries, uniting both sides with the Turbine Hall at its heart.
The Switch House arranges the new spaces into a unique pyramid-shaped tower, with its concrete structure folding into dramatic lines as it rises. Reinterpreting the power station’s brickwork in a radical new way, it is clad in a perforated lattice of 336,000 bricks. This unique façade allows light to filter in during the day and to glow out in the evening, transforming a solid, massive material into a veil that covers the concrete skeleton of the new building. Thin vertical windows in the new galleries echo those in the Boiler House, while also allowing visitors to look out over the landscape or across the Turbine Hall. As visitors journey up through the Switch House, long horizontal windows are also cut across the façade to offer new views and reveal details of the brickwork. The resulting exterior creates both an iconic addition to the skyline and a unified Tate Modern. It also puts environmental sustainability at the heart of its design, with a high thermal mass, natural ventilation, solar panels and new green spaces.
8-inch Columbiad guns sit in their casements at Fort Delaware. Located on Pea Patch Island in the Delaware River. The fort was a harbor defense stronghold for the Union forces during the Civil War and acted primarily as a prison for captured Confederate soldiers who were housed in separate quarters on the island. The structure was designed by chief engineer Joseph Gilbert Totten and opened in 1848. Today the fort is open for self-guided tours and exploring and accessible from the Delaware City side of the river by a ferry service.
Technical Details:
Nikon F4S 35mm film camera. Nikon 35-105mm F3.5-4.5 AIS lens.
Ilford HP5+ 400 ISO B&W film shot at ISO 800.
F11 in aperture priority mode.
Developed in Diafine for 4 minutes (part A) and 4 minutes (part B) @ 20 degrees Celsius in Paterson 3 reel tank. 5 seconds initial agitation with swizzle stick followed by 5 seconds of additional agitation ever minute thereafter.
Negative scanned with Epson 4990 on holders with ANR glass.
The Athabaska glacier creates a great and accessible environment for training. Here the RCMP are taking an opportunity to refresh their skills on how to rescue climbers or hikers should they fall into ice fissures which can run very, very deep. That the tours' visitors are only a couple hundred meters away from the fissures is a stark reminder for tour visitors not to wander out of their designated area.
The Rocca Sanvitale, or Sanvitale Castle, is a fortress residence located in the centre of the town of Fontanellato, near Parma, northern Italy. Construction of the moated block, accessible through a drawbridge, was begun in the 13th century, mostly completed by 15th century, with embellishments continuing through to the 18th century. It is prototypical of the urban castle-houses of the turbulent medieval communes of Northern Italy. Until the 1930s it was the home of the descendants of the Count of Sanvitale.
The crenelated walls and asymmetric towers are surrounded by an arcaded town. Adjacent to the castle are gardens and a courtyard. The optical chamber (camera ottica) has an optical system in place that projects to an inside wall a view of the town through mirrors and a prism. Rocca Sanvitale is now partly a museum and partly offices and conference hall for the town administration.
Inside are the frescoes of Diane and Acteon painted in 1523-24 by Parmigianino for the Count Galeazzo Sanvitale and his wife, Paola Gonzaga.
ENGLISH :
This waterfall, which is not easily accessible, is the largest in the country with its 180 m height. The water comes from the volcano Poas
Ahhh, urban luxury at its finest -- living large on a budget compared to Seattle's [much taller] high rises yet a [slightly close] reminder of the Emerald City's access to poverty and troubled individuals roaming the streets looking for their [temporary yet immediate bliss]. The way how I see it is as follows: such an apartment as depicted serves the function of a reminder at just how close each of us are between comfort and our own personal discomfort...
Photo captured via Minolta AF-Maxxum 16mm Fisheye F/2.8 lens. Chinatown - Industrial District. City of Seattle. Central Puget Lowland section within the Puget Sound Lowlands Region. King County, Washington. Early December 2022.
Exposure Time: 8 sec. * ISO Speed: ISO-100 * Aperture: F/8 * Bracketing: None * Color Temperature: 4000 K * Color Grading: Kodak E100VS
photo rights reserved by B℮n
El Gorgo de la Escalera de Anna is a beautiful nature reserve near the village of Anna, about 70 km from the capital of Valencia. The waters of the River Sellent have formed this impressive gorge. Pools of gorgos in Valencian and several waterfalls have formed on this spot. There is a nice bypass to visit all three waterfalls. About an hour walk. You can hear the roar of the big waterfall, but you can't see it from the road because of the undergrowth. The first waterfall, Cascada del Salto, is directly accessible via 136 steps. Well worth going down the stairs, great for wading in crystal clear water in the summer. Look especially at the fish. In the cold water one can take a bath or just relax with the sight of the landscape and the sound of the water falling in the form of a waterfall into the depths of the ravine, once used for the production of electricity. You can cross the river at various places via stones and tree trunks or further on via a wooden bridge. The second waterfall is Cascada de los Vikingos and the third Gorgo Gaspar. From here you can return the same way you came, or climb a steep trail. The route is not long, but has difficult and slippery spots. Wearing good shoes is recommended. The place is very beautiful, green, humid, a surprising oasis in the steep gorge adjacent to the town of Anna. The corner it is in looks like a mini paradise.
The "Route of the Three Waterfalls" starts in the village of Anna in the province of Valencia. The concrete road turns to dirt as it enters the ravine. Along the way you will find the old "Miguelín factory", dedicated to a prosperous textile industry at the beginning of the 20th century, which benefited from the energy produced by the light factory in next to it. Hundreds of workers walked the same path every day to get to work in these industries. To the right of the bridge is Gorgo Gaspar. This is the first waterfall and pool on the route. From here, the path becomes more difficult and is also not signposted. The impressive Gorgo de los Vikingos is the second waterfall and pool. To follow the route, first, cross to the other side of the pool via the wooden planks. Then climb a steep, half-hidden path to the left of the waterfall. The route continues along the ravine, with the river on the left. At one point you’ll need to cross the wooden bridge over the river. You’ll have these views of Cascada Del Salto waterfall when crossing the bridge. The waterfall has a beautiful turquoise blue pool at its feet, and the huge natural pool. It’s framed by a natural amphitheatre with lush vegetation. Gorgo de la Escalera is a popular spot for water canyoning, hiking and wild swimming. Its double waterfall, the blue water and the natural luscious frame give it a magical air. The gorge is very steep.
El Gorgo de la Escalera de Anna is een prachtig natuurgebied in de buurt van het dorpje Anna, ongeveer 70 km van de hoofdstad van Valencia. Het water van de rivier de Sellent heeft deze indrukwekkende kloof gevormd. Op deze plek zijn poelen gorgo's in het Valenciaans en verschillende watervallen ontstaan. Er is een mooie rondweg om alle drie watervallen te bezoeken. Ongeveer een uur lopen. Je kunt het gebrul van de grote waterval horen, maar je kunt het vanaf de weg niet zien vanwege het kreupelhout. Onderweg vindt u de oude "Miguelín-fabriek", gewijd aan een welvarende textielindustrie aan het begin van de 20e eeuw, en die profiteerde van de energie die werd geproduceerd door de sprong van de trap, die op zijn beurt werd opgewekt door de lichtfabriek in ernaast. Honderden arbeiders bewandelden elke dag hetzelfde pad om naar hun werk in deze industrieën te gaan. De eerste waterval, Cascada del Salto, is gelijk toegankelijk via 136 treden. Zeker de moeite waard om de trap af te dalen, geweldig om in de zomer in kristalhelder water te waden. Kijk vooral naar de vissen. In het koude water kan men een bad nemen of gewoon ontspannen met de aanschouwing van het landschap en het geluid van het water dat in de vorm van een waterval in de diepten van het ravijn valt, ooit gebruikt voor de productie van elektriciteit. Je kan op verschillende plekken de rivier overstekken via stenen en boomstammen of verderop via een hout bruggetje. De tweede waterval is Cascada de los Vikingos en de derde Gorgo Gaspar. Vanaf hier kun je op dezelfde manier terugkeren als je bent gekomen, of een steil pad beklimmen. De route is niet lang, maar heeft moeilijke en gladde plekken. Het dragen van goede schoenen wordt aangeraden. De plek is erg mooi, groen, vochtig, een verrassende oase in de steile kloof die grenst aan de stad Anna. De hoek waarin het zich bevindt lijkt op een miniparadijs.
An early morning trip to Downderry... while the main part of the beach in front of the town is not that interesting, the east end has much more going for it. Shag Rock at the far end (just visible in the distance) is somewhere I really want to get back to, but it's only accessible at low tide. I knew that wasn't going to be possible on this morning but I just fancied revisiting somewhere I've not been for a while!
Yuanyang, Yunnan, China.
The rice terraces built by the Hani nationality in Yuanyang County are a little known scenic wonder in South-West China's Yunnan province. Dropping from near the summits of the 2500 metre Ailao Mountain Range to the deep cleft of the Red River, they are among the world's most spectacular and extensive terraces. Were they in a more accessible part of China these terraces would already have been heavily developed for tourism, and no doubt lost much of their appeal. Perhaps then it is a blessing in disguise that by accident of modern geography they lie in Yunnan, a province so abundant in natural beauty and diverse scenery that these rice terraces have so far been overlooked. Though it's beauty has graced many a Chinese coffee table book, the area didn't even make it into the China-wide Lonely Planet's section on Yunnan.
Unlike many remote areas though, once you actually get there information is not so hard to come by. An NGO called "World Vision" has been based in Yuanyang Old Town for several years. As well as running a great little coffee shop, it sets up fair-trade co-operatives for ethnic arts and crafts, trains villagers in basic English so they can work as mountain guides, lobbies for UNESCO status, and generally tries to set up a sustainable tourism network in the area, one that actually benefits the local minority groups as opposed to Han business and political circles in Kunming or beyond.
I spoke with the main organiser of the project in Yuanyang and he told me of the difficulties they face. The NGO's work is done under the perennial threat of the locals they are trying to help deciding to down their tools and leaving for the city, often defaulting on micro-credit loans. There is also the threat of the provincial government finally deciding to pump cash and concrete into the area in the form of huge tourist resorts, or the threat of a change in local politics meaning their presence is no longer welcome in that county. Perhaps most of all, there is the danger that that they may wake up one morning and realise that everything they are trying to achieve may ultimately be futile.
Italien / Südtirol - Pralongià
In the background you can see the Col di Lana and the Monte Civetta.
Im Hintergrund sieht man den Col di Lana und den Monte Civetta.
Pralongià High Plateau
The flower meadows of the Pralongià, the “Amphitheatre of the Dolomites”, are accessible by funicular from Corvara.
Between Corvara, La Villa and San Cassiano there’s a special natural highlight at 2,100 m a.s.l. - the Pralongià High Plateau known as the “Amphitheatre of the Dolomites” for the stunning panoramic views it offers: it includes the Fanes Group with Mt. Piz Cunturines, the Puez Group with Mt. Sassongher and the mighty glacier of Mt. Marmolada. In between there’s the homonymous mountain hut (2,157 m a.s.l.), dating back to 1932, which also offers overnight stays.
The high plateau invites both in summer and winter to beautiful snowshoe tours, MTB rides and hikes: the Alta Badia High Route (6 days) as well as the Dolomite High Route no. 9 pass here. From the wide and easy paths of the highland you can ascend to the peak of Mt. Piz Sorega, the Col Alto and the Piz la Ila. The Pralongià High Plateau is accessible by the homonymous funicular (2 sections) starting near the Alta Badia Golf Club in Corvara.
(alta-badia.org)
The Col di Lana is a mountain of the Fanes Group in the Italian Dolomites. The actual peak is called Cima Lana and situated in the municipality of Livinallongo del Col di Lana (German: Buchenstein) in the Province of Belluno, Veneto region.
History
World War I
During World War I the mountain, alongside the neighbouring Monte Sief, was the scene of heavy fighting between Austria-Hungary and Italy. It is now a memorial to the War in the Dolomites.
During the years of 1915/16, Italian troops from 12 infantry and 14 Alpini companies repeatedly attempted to storm the peak, defended first by the German Alpenkorps and later by Austro-Hungarian regiments. These attempts resulted in heavy losses; 278 Italians died due to avalanches alone. On 8 November 1915 the Italians, under the command of Lt. Col. Giuseppe Garibaldi II conquered the summit but then could only mount a weak defence with rag-tag units against a well orchestrated pincer manoeuvre: the top of the Col di Lana fell back to Austro-Hungarian troops early the next day. A terrible winter then set in, doing its fair share of killing. However this is not the only reason that the Italians dubbed it "Col di Sangue", "Blood Mountain". Like all sides in the First World War, the Italian Army sought to conquer the summit with relatively large forces, paying a high price in casualties.
In 1916, Col di Lana became the site of fierce mine warfare on the Italian Front. Lieutenant Caetani of the Italian engineers developed a plan for mining the peak, which was executed silently using hand-operating drilling machines and chisels. At the start of 1916, the Austro-Hungarian army learned through an artillery observer on Pordoi Pass that the Col di Lana summit had been mined. The Austro-Hungarians began a counter mine, and exploded this on 6 April 1916. The counter mine was, however, too far away from the Italian explosive tunnel. This was laid with five tonnes of blasting gelatin. On the night of 16/17 April 1916, the 5th Company of the 2nd Tyrolean Kaiserjäger regiment was relieved by the 6th Company, under Oberleutnant Anton von Tschurtschenthaler. The struggle reached its zenith on the night of 17/18 April 1916, when at around 23:30 the summit was blasted. The Austro-Hungarians under Tschurtschenthaler then had to surrender the mountain; however they were able to maintain a position on Monte Sief, which is linked to Col di Lana by a ridge, which was cut in two by a mine fired on 21 October 1917 by Austro-Hungarian soldiers, thereby obstructing the Italian breakthrough in the area.
Memorial
Today a memorial chapel stands on the summit as a memorial to the soldiers that fell in battle. The remains of a barracks and decaying gun and communications trenches have been left behind from the war. There is also a small war museum on the mountain.
The route is from Pieve di Livinallongo (1,465 m) via the Rifugio Pian della Lasta (1,835 m); there is a road as far as the hut.
(Wikipedia)
Monte Civetta (3,220 m) is a prominent and major mountain of the Dolomites, in the Province of Belluno in northern Italy. Its north-west face can be viewed from the Taibon Agordino valley, and is classed as one of the symbols of the Dolomites.
The mountain is thought to have been first climbed by Simeone di Silvestro in 1855, which, if true, makes it the first major Dolomite peak to be climbed. The north-western face, with its 1,000-metre-high cliff, was first climbed in 1925 by Emil Solleder and Gustl Lettenbauer. It is historically considered the first "sixth grade" in six-tier scale of alpinistic difficulties proposed by Willo Welzenbach (corresponding to 5.9). Thirty years later UIAA used this as a basis for its grading system.
The famed Svan mountain climber Mikhail Khergiani died in a climbing accident on Monte Civetta in 1969.
(Wikipedia)
Hochebene des Pralongià
Die Blumenwiesen der Pralongià, das “Amphitheater der Dolomiten”, sind von Corvara aus mit der Seilbahn erreichbar.
Zwischen Corvara, Stern (La Villa) und St. Kassian befindet sich auf rund 2.100 m Meereshöhe ein ganz besonderes Ausflugsziel: das “Amphitheater der Dolomiten”. Die wunderschöne Hochebene des Pralongià bietet einen Rundumblick auf die majestätischen Gipfel der Dolomiten, u.a. auf die Fanesgruppe mit der Cunturinesspitze, auf die Puezgruppe mit dem Sassongher und auf den beeindruckenden Gletscher der Marmolata. Mitten auf dem Hochplateau befindet sich seit 1932 die gleichnamige Schutzhütte (2.157 m ü.d.M.), die auch Übernachtungen anbietet.
Die Pralongià-Hochebene lädt Sommer wie Winter zu ausgedehnten Schneeschuh-Touren, MTB-Touren und Wanderungen ein: Hier führt der Alta Badia Höhenweg (6 Tage) und der Dolomiten Höhenweg Nr. 9 vorbei. Von den breiten und leichten Wegen der Hochebene aus geht es zudem weiter zum Gipfel des Piz Sorega, zum Col Alto und Piz la Ila. Erreichbar ist Pralongià mit der gleichnamigen Seilbahn (2 Sektionen), die nahe des Golfplatzes in Corvara startet.
(alta-badia.org)
Der Col di Lana (ladinisch Col de Lana) ist ein 2462 m s.l.m. hoher Berg in der Fanesgruppe in den Dolomiten. Er liegt bei Livinallongo del Col di Lana (deutsch: Buchenstein) in der Provinz Belluno (Italien).
Der Berg war wie der benachbarte Monte Sief im Ersten Weltkrieg zwischen Österreichern und Italienern heftig umkämpft und ist heute ein Mahnmal des Krieges in den Dolomiten.
Kämpfe 1915/16
12 italienische Infanterie- und 14 Alpini-Kompanien unternahmen 1915/16 immer wieder verlustreiche Versuche, den zuerst vom Deutschen Alpenkorps und dann von Österreichisch-Ungarischen Truppen besetzten Gipfel zu stürmen, wobei allein durch Lawinen 278 Italiener ums Leben kamen. Doch nicht nur deshalb bekam der Berg von den Italienern auch den Namen „Col di Sangue“, „Blutberg“. Die italienische Armee versuchte wie alle anderen kriegführenden Parteien des Ersten Weltkriegs, durch den Einsatz von verhältnismäßig vielen Soldaten den Gipfel zu erobern, wobei große eigene Verluste in Kauf genommen wurden.
Der als Pionier eingesetzte italienische Leutnant Gelasio Caetani entwarf schließlich den Plan zur Unterminierung des Berges, die geräuscharm mit Handbohrmaschinen und Meißeln erfolgte. Anfang 1916 erkannten die Österreicher durch einen Artilleriebeobachter am Pordoijoch, dass der Berggipfel unterminiert wurde. Die Österreicher begannen, einen Gegenstollen anzulegen, und sprengten diesen am 5. April 1916. Diese Gegenmine war allerdings zu weit entfernt vom italienischen Sprengstollen. Dieser wurde mit 5 t Sprenggelatine geladen. In der Nacht vom 16. auf 17. April 1916 wurde die 5. Kompanie des 2. Regiments der Tiroler Kaiserjäger durch die 6. Kompanie unter Oberleutnant Anton von Tschurtschenthaler abgelöst. Ihren Höhepunkt fanden die Kämpfe in der Nacht vom 17. auf den 18. April 1916, als der Gipfel um 23:30 Uhr gesprengt wurde. Die Österreicher unter von Tschurtschenthaler mussten den Berg daraufhin aufgeben; sie konnten sich jedoch am Monte Sief, der mit dem Col di Lana durch einen Gipfelgrat verbunden ist, behaupten und so einen italienischen Durchbruch in dieser Gegend verhindern.
Auf dem Gipfel befindet sich heute eine Kapelle zum Andenken an die im Krieg gefallenen Soldaten. Aus der Kriegszeit sind noch verfallene Schützen- und Laufgräben und einige Barackenreste erhalten, und es gibt ein kleines Museum über die Kämpfe.
Wegenetz
Ein Anstieg erfolgt von Pieve di Livinallongo (1465 m) über das geschlossene Rifugio Alpino auf dem Pian della Lasta (1835 m); bis zur Hütte gibt es einen Fahrweg. Die Rundumsicht schließt im Norden die weiteren Gipfel der Fanesgruppe, im Osten die Tofane und die Nuvolaugruppe, im Südosten die Civettagruppe, im Südwesten die Marmolatagruppe und im Westen die Sellagruppe ein.
Wolkenkreuz
Aus dem Jahr 1915 wird eine kreuzförmige Wolkenformation über dem Col di Lana berichtet, die als "Wolkenkreuz vom Col di Lana" ("Nube a forma di croce") bekannt ist. Andere Quellen datieren die Erscheinung mit September 1938 als Vorbote der Katastrophe des Zweiten Weltkriegs, aber auch als Zeichen der Hoffnung auf die Vergänglichkeit der "gottlosen Ideologie des Nationalsozialismus".
(Wikipedia)
Der Monte Civetta – meist nur Civetta (ital. für Eule) genannt – ist ein 3220 m s.l.m. hoher Berg in den Dolomiten und gibt der Civettagruppe ihren Namen, welche in der italienischen Provinz Belluno (Region Venetien) liegt.
Der Berg liegt östlich des Val Cordevole, südlich des Val Fiorentina und westlich des Val di Zoldo und bildet gemeinsam mit einigen kleineren Gipfeln die Civetta-Moiazza-Gruppe. Diese 6 km lange Gruppe bildet eine hohe Felsmauer, die gegen Westen über 1000 m abfällt. Sie bildet folgende Gipfel aus (von Nord nach Süd): Monte Coldai (2396 m), Torre Coldai (2600 m), Torre d’Alleghe (2649 m), Torre di Valgrande (2715 m), Punta Civetta (2892 m), Monte Civetta (3220 m), Piccola Civetta (3207 m), Cime di Mede (2504 m), Torre Venezia (2337 m), Cima delle Busazze (2894 m) und Monte Moiazetta (2727 m).
Der Gipfel selbst wurde in den 1860er Jahren durch den Jäger Simeone De Silvestro erstmals bestiegen. Seine Route, die heute übliche Normalroute (Tivanweg), führt vom Val di Zoldo aus über die SO-Flanke des Berges. Ein anderer Anstieg ist die teilweise gesicherte Via ferrata degli Alleghesi, die über den Ostpfeiler der Punta Civetta und den Nordgrat des Civetta-Hauptgipfels führt. Hier sind immer wieder auch Gehstrecken zu bewältigen. Die Via ferrata Attilio Tissi (diese ist sehr steinschlaggefährdet) und die Via ferrata Costantini (Moiazza) gehören zu den anspruchsvollsten Klettersteigen der Dolomiten.
Nordwestwand
Die Civetta-Nordwestwand stand in den 1920er Jahren im Mittelpunkt des alpinistischen Interesses. Emil Solleder und Gustl Lettenbauer konnten dann die über 1000 Meter hohe Wand am 7. August 1925 erstmals durchsteigen. Sie gilt als eine der schwersten Klettereien ihrer Zeit und wurde mit den 6. Grad eingestuft.
Berghütten in der Civettagruppe:
Rif. Coldài (2132 m; CAI) – im Norden
Rif. Tissi (2262 m; CAI) – in aussichtsreicher Lage am Fuß der Civetta-Westwand
Rif. Vazzoler (1714 m; CAI) – Standquartier im Süden für beliebte Klettertouren (Torre Trieste, Torre Venezia)
Rif. Carestiato (1834 m; CAI) – am Fuß der Moiazza, im Südosten gelegen
Rif. Torrani (2984 m; CAI) – direkt unterhalb des Hauptgipfels
Eine eindrucksvolle Bergwanderung führt vom Val Zoldana (Forcella Staulanza bzw. Palafavera) zur Coldaihütte, von dort vorbei am Coldaisee zur Tissihütte und zum Rif. Vazzoler; über das Rif. Carestiato erreicht man den Passo Duran. Dieser Weg ist zugleich einer der schönsten Abschnitte des Dolomiten-Höhenweges 1.
Wichtigster Talort ist Alleghe am gleichnamigen See im Cordevoletal.
(Wikipedia)
www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/f/fairburnings/index.aspx
About Fairburn Ings
With pond dipping, regular fun events and walks to help you get away from it all, RSPB Fairburn Ings is the ideal place for adults and children to find out more about wildlife.
The three main trails take you through a variety of habitats allowing stunning views of birds such as willow tits and tree sparrows in the woodland, and lapwings, snipe and redshanks in the wet grassland. In winter Fairburn hosts an array of swans, ducks and geese on the main lake, so there is something to see whatever the season.
There is a visitor centre selling hot drinks and a wide range of RSPB products from books and children's toys to birdcare products. The visitor centre, family trail and Lin Dike trail are accessible to wheelchairs and pushchairs
Opening times
The car park is open from 9 am-5 pm every day except Christmas Day and Boxing Day. The visitor centre is open 9 am-5 pm daily from February to October, and 9 am-4 pm from November-January.
Entrance charges
Entrance to the reserve is free but parking costs £2 for non-members (the first 30 minutes is free). Parking is free for members and disabled badge holders.
If you are new to birdwatching...
There are regular events aimed at beginners, not just about birdwatching but also other wildlife like moths and bats, depending on the time of year. We run guided walks around the reserve with RSPB experts, and there will always be someone in the visitor centre who can help you with your wildlife queries. Binoculars can be hired for £2.50 plus a security deposit such as your car keys or a credit card. You can pick up a reserve map in the visitor centre, and our staff and volunteers will be available to help.
Information for families
There are many activities organised for families and children, including family fun days and special children's events throughout the year. Please contact the visitor centre for details. Children will enjoy the Discovery Trail.
Information for dog owners
Dogs are welcome at the reserve and we have facilities such as a dog parking area and a dog bowl. Please keep your dog on a lead while on the trails. Only assistance dogs can be brought into the visitor centre.
Star species
Our star species are some of the most interesting birds you may see on your visit to the reserve.
Chiffchaff
The cheerful song of the chiffchaff is a sign that spring has arrived at Fairburn Ings. Look for them in the trees and bushes around the lakes, even in winter, when one or two see through the cold months here.
Green sandpiper
Late summer and early autumn are excellent times to see small numbers of this migrant wader feeding on the wader scrapes and shallow 'flashes' at the west end of the reserve. The first birds return from their Scandinavian breeding grounds in late June.
Kingfisher
Stay alert for the sight of an electric-blue bullet speeding past over the lakes and pools. Kingfishers are a year-round attraction at Fairburn Ings. In spring and summer, watch out for adults carrying fish back to their nests in their beaks.
Little ringed plover
Little ringed plovers nest on islands in the water here and stop off to feed on migration in spring and early autumn. You may have to look very carefully to pick out these remarkably well-camouflaged birds among the shingle.
Reed warbler
Listen for the monotonous song of this aptly named warbler coming from stands of reeds around the reserve. Look carefully and you may spot one clinging to the reed stems with its feet as it sings.
Seasonal highlights
Each season brings a different experience at our nature reserves. In spring, the air is filled with birdsong as they compete to establish territories and attract a mate. In summer, look out for young birds making their first venture into the outside world. Autumn brings large movements of migrating birds - some heading south to a warmer climate, others seeking refuge in the UK from the cold Arctic winter. In winter, look out for large flocks of birds gathering to feed, or flying at dusk to form large roosts to keep warm.
Spring
Kingfishers are easy to see as they make their flights along their breeding territories. Frogs and toads arrive to breed in their thousands. Reed and sedge warblers return and can be heard singing constantly. Little ringed plovers and garganeys arrive to breed.
Summer
See broods of different types of ducklings, including gadwalls and pochards. The nesting islands are a mass of activity as common tern and black-headed gull chicks hatch. Iridescent dragonflies bask on the boardwalks and handrails and the grasslands are alive with the bright colours of flowers and butterflies.
Autumn
Thousands of wading birds pass through Fairburn Ings on their migration, such as green sandpipers and black-tailed godwits. Large numbers of fieldfares and redwings gorge themselves on berries in preparation for winter.
Winter
Goldeneyes, smews and goosanders can be seen displaying and pairing up. Large flocks of wigeons graze on the wet grassland. Flocks of wintering waders take to the skies when a peregrine appears on the lookout for a meal.
Facilities
Facilities
•Visitor centre
•Information centre
•Car park : Main car park is surfaced with well-rolled gravel and tarmac with dedicated disabled parking bays.
•Toilets
•Disabled toilets
•Baby-changing facilities
•Picnic area
•Binocular hire
•Group bookings accepted
•Guided walks available
•Good for walking
•Pushchair friendly
Viewing points
There are five hides, a viewing platform and two pond dipping platforms.
Nature trails
There are two public trails (one pushchair accessible), boardwalk (wheelchair/pushchair accessible), views from causeway. There is also a 'Discovery Trail' for children to enjoy.
Refreshments available
•Hot drinks
•Cold drinks
•Sandwiches
•Snacks
Shop
The shop stocks:
•Binoculars and telescopes
•Books
•Bird food
•Gifts
Educational facilities
Education visits to Fairburn Ings offer an exciting opportunity for your pupils to explore nature through the first-hand study of birds, other animals and plants. Led by professional RSPB field teachers, the programmes are safe, hands-on, thought-provoking and fun. Fairburn Ings is an oasis for wildlife in the Aire valley. With thousands of ducks and geese in the winter, and dragonflies, terns and swallows in the summer, there is something exciting to see every day of the year. With two large classrooms, a boardwalk, and large bird-viewing and pond-dipping platforms, Fairburn Ings is a marvellous place to bring your class for an unforgettable experience of nature. All the programmes are risk assessed, linked to the National Curriculum, and focus particularly on science and geography. A visit to Fairburn Ings will increase your pupils' knowledge of the environment through experiential learning and help them understand the value of wildlife and natural places.
Accessibility
Car parking
Main car park is surfaced with well-rolled gravel and tarmac with dedicated disabled parking bays.
Access to visitor centre
The visitor centre is 70 m from the car park, accessed via a crushed limestone path. There is a ramp into the visitor centre.
Binoculars can be hired for £2.50 plus a security deposit such as your car keys or a credit card. You can pick up a reserve map in the visitor centre, and our staff and volunteers will be available to help.
Toilets
Male and female toilets, and an adapted unisex toilet with baby-changing facilities.
Picnic areas
Two tables which are accessible to wheelchairs.
Shop
The shop is located in the visitor centre and is accessible to wheelchairs.
Classroom/exhibition area with views of bird-feeding station is accessible at weekends, unless being used for an event or meeting.
Access to trails
There are 250 m of boardwalk with passing places.
Hides and viewpoints
There are two viewing screens close to the visitor centre, and from the car park a wheelchair-accessible viewing platform overlooking main lake.
How to get here
By train
The closest train station is Castleford, three miles away.
By bus
Buses run - infrequently - to Fairburn and Ledstone villages.
By road
Leave the A1 at junction 42 for the A63, and follow signs for Fairburn village on the A1246. Once in the village turn right at Wagon and Horses public house. At the T-junction turn right, and the visitor centre is 1.5 miles on the left.
Our work here
Fairburn Ings protects a complex of wetland habitats created by subsidence in a former coal mining area.
They include open water, wet grassland, reedbed and wet woodland. Other habitats, including dry grassland, deciduous woodland and lagoons, have been restored on the former coal spoil heaps.
The reserve is important for waterfowl and waders, farmland birds and other wildlife. The RSPB is working to maintain and enhance biodiversity, while developing the reserve as a local centre for nature conservation and environmental education.
Grassland gains
Wet grassland on the reserve supports breeding waders such as lapwings, redshanks, snipe and curlews, and is important for breeding and wintering wildfowl - especially gadwalls. We are managing this habitat by grazing it with cattle and maintaining the high water levels.
We plan to restore more grassland by cropping for hay and cutting back scrub.
Making water work
Our freshwater system holds breeding wildfowl, water voles and other wildlife.
We are coppicing willows to enhance the fen vegetation around open water areas. We are also maintaining islands and rafts used by water birds, including breeding common terns.
We are expanding the reedbed for the benefit of birds such as breeding reed buntings and wintering bitterns, as well as harvest mice and invertebrates.
Restorations
We are working with our partners to manage the restored coal tip. Measures include mowing and grazing the dry grassland to help breeding skylarks, grey partridges and lapwings; improving the shingle around lagoons for breeding little ringed plovers, ringed plovers and lapwings; and enhancing the farmland areas for passerines such as tree sparrows and linnets.
We are also improving water control, introducing fencing, conducting patrols, and monitoring plants and invertebrates.
Reaching people
The reserve attracts up to 100,000 visitors per year. Its popularity helps us get across key conservation messages to the public and demonstrate best practice management to target audiences.
We are working to develop our excellent visitor facilities, maintain good relations with the local community and increase our advisory potential. Our programme of lifelong learning includes environmental education for visiting schools. We are also continuing to develop our voluntary wardening scheme.
Southbank Skate Space, in the Undercroft beneath Queen Elizabeth Hall, is a world-famous skateboarding spot and free creative space, accessible 24 hours a day.
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Just railroad east of Kinross the SOO/WC rounded a nice curve that was readily accessible from the highway and in SOO days unlike a good part of the track(which used to be pit run) east of Trout Lake had been lifted with clean white crushed rock Being it was easy to get to and the track structure looked good I always favorited it over the curve south of Dafter that I posted a couple days ago. CN doesn't run an evening westbound in this area and I haven't shot either curve in close to 15 years. I'd guess like most everything else they probably are grown in with brush. WC 6501 and 2500 sail west with SOGLA on June 10, 1997. The SOGLA symbol didn't last long soon becoming SOGBA and oddly when the westbound SOGLA was running its eastbound counterpart was GBSOA as far as I remember. You can see the WC had done some serious track work in the area with a couple lifts of gray rock mixed in with the old SOO white rock that was used on this curve back in the early 80's.
Visitrainier.com: Some of the prettiest and most easily accessible falls in Mt. Rainier National Park, Christine Falls offers a charming intimate setting for viewing the powerful falls. This signature view of the lower falls is framed by the historic, arching Christine Falls Bridge. The falls drop 69 feet in drops of 32 and 37 feet respectively and are notorious for being nearly impossible to photograph together. Since the lower drop of the waterfall is spanned by a bridge it most often photographed – and photographed often. The upper tier of the fall is not as easily viewed. Find this little gem on the road to Paradise. Limited parking at the falls is available.
Named by P.B. Van Trump after his daughter, Christine.
Wikipedia: Philemon Beecher Van Trump was an American pioneering mountaineer and writer who lived in the state of Washington. He is best known for the first documented ascent of Mount Rainier in 1870.
1931a
anamorphic lens
OBSERVE Collective
All images are © Copyrighted and All Rights Reserved
germanstreetphotography.com/michael-monty-may/
at Cramond Causeway (1 of 3)
The first came last in this set of 3 from Cramond. Here the tide is out and you have access the "Cramond Island" 1/3 of a mile from the mainland.and the anticipation of what was to come as the tide came in
To mark International Day for Persons with Disabilities 2021, Dublin Bus supported #PurpleLights21 with a specially wrapped bus.
This year, Clontarf Garage EV 84 was wrapped up, this is the third year that the company has wrapped one of their buses to support the day.
Previously EV 23 in 2020 & GT 5 in 2019.
The theme of the day is 'Leadership and participation of persons with disabilities toward an inclusive, accessible, and sustainable post-COVID-19 world'
This is #InternationalDayofPersonswithDisabilities
Mount Faber
Mount Faber is a hill about 105 metres (344 ft.) in height, located in the town of Bukit Merah in the Central Region of Singapore. It overlooks the Telok Blangah area, and the western parts of the Central Area. The summit is accessible by Mount Faber Road or Mount Faber Loop via Morse Road, but there are many footpaths or trails leading up the hill. The main paths are: Marang Trail which leads from Marang Road at the Harbourfront MRT station (Exit D) and the Southern Ridges Park Connector which connects you from Telok Blangah Hill Park, Kent Ridge Park and Henderson Waves.
It is a frequent tourist destination, as it provides a panoramic view of the increasingly dense central business district within the Central Area. Its slope includes a tower that is part of the Singapore cable car system that connects to HarbourFront and Sentosa. It is accessible from the HarbourFront MRT Station.
Low tide respite from the pounding surf of the Pacific Ocean, the carcass of the Peter Iredale gets a rinse from a winter rain squall at midnight. Once a two-thousand ton four-masted steel barque, this bow section is all that remains of the sailing vessel that ran aground on 25 October 1906. Nikon D700, Nikon MF Nikkor 28mm f/2 AI. AJH_121020_9124.
Rauðufossar (Red Waterfall) is one of Iceland's lesser-known 60-meter waterfalls, undoubtedly due to its more challenging accessibility.
Cramond island is a tidal island in the Firth of Forth, which is easily accessible on foot from the mainland at low tide, through a paved causeway that connects to Cramond Village.When the tide rises, completely covering the causeway. Today the island is uninhabited. For those interested in World War history, there are several buildings and barracks that were used for the defense of Firth of Forth. Passing the causeway path, the concrete triangles of the submarine defence are the most obvious military sights.
ESPAÑOL:
Pasarela de la Isla de Cramond (Escocia)."
Cramond Island es una isla mareal en Firth of Forth, que es fácilmente accesible a pie cuando la marea es baja a través de una pasarela pavimentada que conecta con el pueblo de Cramond. Cuando la marea sube, cubre la pasarela por completo. Hoy en día la isla está deshabitada. Para aquellos a los que le interesa la historia de la Segunda Guerra mundial, hay numerosas estructuras militares que se emplearon para la defensa de Firth of Forth. De hecho, los peculiares pilones que se alzan a lo largo de la pasarela se construyeron para impedir que las embarcaciones aprovechasen la marea alta para cruzar al otro lado y como defensa ante un posible ataque submarino.
Esta foto tiene derechos de autor. Por favor, no la utilice sin mi conocimiento y autorización. Gracias.
Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission. © All rights reserved.
The brightest and most accessible to photography cluster in the constellation of Coma Berenices.
336 million light years from earth. Contains over a thousand different galaxies (most of them are elliptical) and huge amount of dark matter.
One of the few places in the sky where most objects are galaxies and not stars
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• Sky-Watcher BK P2001 with TS Optics 2" Dual Speed Focuser
• EQ6-R Pro
• ZWO ASI1600MM-Pro
• ZWO L: 167x120s
• ZWO R, G, B: 60x120s bin2
(total integration 7.5h)
• -20° sensor temp., Gain 0 (HDR)
• Baader MPCC Mark III coma corrector
• 60x240 guide scope, ZWO ASI290Mini guide cam
Captured with ZWO EFW, ZWO EAF, ZWO ASIAIR, Pegasus Astro Powerbox
Saint Petersburg, Russia. Red light pollution zone, balcony
Milwaukee Art Museum Locked Down; MAM behind bars; chanined and locked down from public access, Milwaukee, WI USA
Local fundraising efforts were pushed and enough funds were in the bank in the city of Lake Worth Beach to begin construction of the new library in 1940. Architect Edgar S. Wortman received the commission for the library building. His design was a Mediterranean-style building that would complement other buildings in the downtown Lake Worth area. Just as construction began, two longtime winter residents, twin brothers James D. Strait and William S. Strait, made a $10,000 donation to the library board for the erection of a museum. A museum wing was added to the library plans, and the Strait Museum added to the cultural offerings of the town.
Ground was broken on October 7, 1940; by February, 1941, the building was substantially complete. Although funds were not available for air-conditioning the building was constructed to allow for its eventual installation with ducts and a small room for the plant. The dedication took place on August 12, 1941.
The Lake Worth Art League took up residence in the Strait Museum, and patrons enjoyed may years of art instruction and exhibitions. The design of the building, with its high ceilings and open spaces, also made it a wonderful venue for paintings and other forms of art, including the R.Sherman Winton collection of paintings, and many other paintings depicting historic and colorful subjects.
During the 1950's the Lake Worth Library had the highest number of patrons and circulation among all Palm Beach County libraries by a wide margin, and seasonal patrons especially enjoyed its spacious rooms and customer service.
By the early 1960s, sufficient funds were collected to install a heating and air-conditioning plant. This would keep patrons more comfortable, especially in the hot Florida summers, but more importantly allowed the book collection to be kept under better conditions for preservation.
As the decades passed, the library kept up with the needs of patrons. LP vinyl records were replace by cassettes and CDs; books on tape became books on CD. Lake Worth installed one of the first library security systems to reduce theft of library materials, and in 1982 the library became handicapped accessible. In the 1990s, computers for patron use were introduced, and soon the Internet became a service the library offered its patrons.
As the City of Lake Worth celebrated it centennial in 2013, the library played a central role in the festivities. A groundbreaking look into the city's hidden history revealed the town's original inhabitants, Samuel and Fannie James, and resulted in the publication of Pioneers of Jewell. All proceeds from the book benefited the library.
The evolution continues into the twenty-first century. Most recently the library opened its "CreatE-Lab" were children and teens can study and explore technology to support their studies and interests.
Over its more than one hundreds years, the Lake Worth Public Library has served thousands of patrons, from locals to winter residents. The library building is the focal point of downtown Lake Worth, as it has been for more than seven decades, and it will continue to serve its patrons with information and services for education, entertainment, and enjoyment that only a good book, or new knowledge, can bring.
Credit for the data above is given to the following websites:
friendsoflwbl.org/history-of-the-library
www.pbcgov.org/papa/Asps/PropertyDetail/PropertyDetail.as...
© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.
This very accessible and stunning waterfall 12km from Catemaco, Veracruz is where part of Mel Gibsons film "apocalypto" was filmed. Its no wonder that crowds of tourists and locals alike, flock here at weekends to appreciate this waterfall and the lush scenery that surrounds it. #veracruz #mexico
Accessible from the Pilatusbahn funicular railway, Mount Pilatus towers above Lucerne, covered in a light dusting of snow the day I visited, with the mountaintops rising above the thick clouds and drizzle of rain below
Explore more photos or shop prints, canvas, etc. at andrewwebbcurtis.com
Returning from 2022 (when I couldn't go), Lightscape transformed the Royal Botanical Gardens of Melbourne/Naarm.
In past light exhibitions (I specifically recall their fire events), the art displays have been somewhat interactive. This exhibition kept you on a specific path you could not wander off from. Therefore I felt detached from the artworks. Whilst there were a couple of highlights in the first half (starting from the main gate entrance), I felt the real excited began after the midway point.
I went to the relaxed session, but their idea of lower numbers, is ridiculous. we started the trail right on go time, but within 45mins, the grounds were swarming with people. There should have been a much longer lead time for the relaxed session - lower numbers is the biggest draw card for people with disability and neurodiversity. PLUS the volume of the music playing was not at relaxed levels. Accessibility isn't hard, so why do so many venues continue to fail?! Not that buying an accessible ticket was accessible - Ticketek is really a sh!t show when it comes to accessibility - it took six weeks to book a ticket that could have been purchased in 15mins (not to mention the stress involved in having to get someone to organise to take a call at a time that suited all parties - with my brand of autism I do not speak over the phone).
The official blurb: "Be mesmerised by a six metre orb made of thousands of LEDs, singing trees and a flickering fire garden amongst colour-changing installations, soundscapes and large-scale illuminated sculptures. Experience the new two kilometre trail around the lake and celebrate the beauty of nature after dark."
The Basodino is the vastest, most studied and most accessible of the approximately 90 glaciers in Ticino. It represents a precious heritage of a glacier's natural evolution South of the Alps. The glaciological trail (an itinerary that requires good training) offers an insight to discover this spectacular high altitude region, an exclusive environment with very rich flora and fauna. The Alpe Robiei (Robiei Pasture) tells a remote and recent tale of Bavona: a beautiful valley that can be crossed all the way to San Carlo, departure station of the cableway that goes up to Robiei.
The cableway that leads to Robiei was designed by the hydroelectric company of Maggia. More than half a century ago the company also built the dams that accumulate the water necessary for the region's hydroelectric power plants.
The glacier of Basodino has a surface of 2 square kilometers and it is located at an altitude between 2,500 and 3,120 meters. As with most Alpine glaciers, we are witnessing a rapid reduction of their surface and volume. They are shrinking so much that, according to experts, their time is ticking. In approximately twenty years – they claim – only a few residues of ice will remain on the highest mountain crests.
The ideal time to enjoy the rich flora of the area is between the months of July and August. The region is populated by numerous animals: ibexes, chamois, groundhogs, hares, ermines (rare), country mice and numerous birds including the Royal Eagle. Some mountain huts, farmsteads and sprügh (spaces obtained under large boulders) remind us of the vital importance of pastures on these mountains. Also the glaciers exercise their charm. In fact, already at the end of the 19th century Federico Balli ordered the Hôtel du Glacier to be built in the village of Bignasco. Located at the doorstep of the valley it was meant for tourists attracted by the Alps and the perennial snows of Basodino.
source: www.ticinotopten.ch/en/trekking/robiei-glaciological-trail
One of the many advantages we enjoy at our cottage near Little Girl's Point in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan is having nearby access to beautiful sunsets over Lake Superior. This was taken only about a 1/4 mile away from our place.
A cool way to view mine or anyone else's photostream is on fluidr.
- High density before the car, higher density after the car.
- 20-mi city for bipeds, 20-storey city for mopeds and non-peds
-- A COMPOSITE IMAGE
Ok, next up are my Monument Valley shots. I actually did two paid photography tours with Phillips Photography while we were there. It's the first time I've ever done a guide photography tour and I'd highly recommend them. Our guide, Ray Begay, knew great spots to shoot from based on the time of day, knew a lot about photography, and he had access into areas not open to the public and accessible only by 4 wheel drive vehicles.
One of the many advantages we enjoy at our cottage near Little Girl's Point in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan is having nearby access to beautiful sunsets over Lake Superior. This was taken right across the road from our place.
A cool way to view mine or anyone else's photostream is on fluidr.
The Viru Bog Study Trail is an accessible bog in Estonia, where you can experience the diverse landscapes typical of Lahemaa National Park.
Berat Castle is a fortress overlooking the town of Berat, Albania. It dates mainly from the 13th century and contains many Byzantine churches in the area and Ottoman mosques. It is built on a rocky hill on the left bank of the river Osum and is accessible only from the south. After being burned down by the Romans in 200 B.C., the walls were strengthened in the 5th century under Byzantine Emperor Theodosius II, and were rebuilt during the 6th century under the Emperor Justinian I and again in the 13th century under the Despot of Epirus, Michael I Komnenos Doukas, cousin of the Byzantine Emperor. The castle was under the rule of John Komnenos Asen in the mid-14th century The main entrance, on the north side, is defended by a fortified courtyard and there are three smaller entrances.
The fortress of Berat in its present state, even though considerably damaged, remains a magnificent sight. The surface that it encompasses made it possible to house a considerable portion of the cities inhabitants. The buildings inside the fortress were built during the 13th century and because of their characteristic architecture are preserved as cultural monuments. The population of the fortress was Christian, and it had about 20 churches (most built during the 13th century) and only one mosque, for the use of the Turkish garrison (of which there survives only a few ruins and the base of the minaret). The churches of the fortress were damaged through years and only some have remained.
Edinburgh Castle is a historic castle in Edinburgh, Scotland. It stands on Castle Rock, which has been occupied by humans since at least the Iron Age, although the nature of the early settlement is unclear. There has been a royal castle on the rock since at least the reign of David I in the 12th century, and the site continued to be a royal residence until 1633. From the 15th century, the castle's residential role declined, and by the 17th century it was principally used as military barracks with a large garrison. Its importance as a part of Scotland's national heritage was recognised increasingly from the early 19th century onwards, and various restoration programmes have been carried out over the past century and a half.
As one of the most important strongholds in the Kingdom of Scotland, Edinburgh Castle was involved in many historical conflicts from the Wars of Scottish Independence in the 14th century to the Jacobite rising of 1745. Research undertaken in 2014 identified 26 sieges in its 1,100-year history, giving it a claim to having been "the most besieged place in Great Britain and one of the most attacked in the world". Few of the present buildings pre-date the Lang Siege of the 16th century when the medieval defences were largely destroyed by artillery bombardment. The most notable exceptions are St Margaret's Chapel from the early 12th century, which is regarded as the oldest building in Edinburgh, the Royal Palace, and the early 16th-century Great Hall, although the interiors have been much altered from the mid-Victorian period onwards. The castle also houses the Scottish regalia, known as the Honours of Scotland, and is the site of the Scottish National War Memorial and the National War Museum of Scotland. The British Army is still responsible for some parts of the castle, although its presence is now largely ceremonial and administrative. Some of the castle buildings house regimental museums which contribute to its presentation as a tourist attraction.
The castle, in the care of Historic Environment Scotland, is Scotland's most and the United Kingdom's second most-visited paid tourist attraction, with over 2.2 million visitors in 2019 and over 70 percent of leisure visitors to Edinburgh visiting the castle. As the backdrop to the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo during the annual Edinburgh Festival, the castle has become a recognisable symbol of Edinburgh in particular and of Scotland as a whole.
The castle stands upon the plug of an extinct volcano, which is estimated to have risen about 350 million years ago during the lower Carboniferous period. The Castle Rock is the remains of a volcanic pipe, which cut through the surrounding sedimentary rock before cooling to form very hard dolerite, a type of basalt. Subsequent glacial erosion was resisted by the dolerite, which protected the softer rock to the east, leaving a crag and tail formation.
The summit of the Castle Rock is 130 metres above sea level, with rocky cliffs to the south, west, and north, rising to a height of 80 metres above the surrounding landscape. This means that the only readily accessible route to the castle lies to the east, where the ridge slopes more gently. The defensive advantage of such a site is self-evident, but the geology of the rock also presents difficulties, since basalt is extremely impermeable. Providing water to the Upper Ward of the castle was problematic, and despite the sinking of a 28-metre deep well, the water supply often ran out during drought or siege, including during the Lang Siege in 1573.
Archaeological investigation has yet to establish when the Castle Rock was first used as a place of human habitation. There is no record of any Roman interest in the location during General Agricola's invasion of northern Britain near the end of the 1st century AD. Ptolemy's map of the 2nd century AD shows a settlement in the territory of the Votadini named "Alauna", meaning "rock place", making this possibly the earliest known name for the Castle Rock. This could, however, refer to another of the tribe's hill forts in the area. The Orygynale Cronykil of Andrew of Wyntoun (c. 1350 – c. 1423), an early source for Scottish history, names "Ebrawce" (Ebraucus), a legendary King of the Britons, as having "byggyd [built] Edynburgh". According to the earlier chronicler, Geoffrey of Monmouth (c. 1100 – c. 1155), Ebraucus had fifty children by his twenty wives, and was the founder of "Kaerebrauc" (York), "Alclud" (Dumbarton) and the "Maidens' Castle". The 16th-century English writer John Stow (c. 1525 – 1605), credited Ebraucus with building "the Castell of Maidens called Edenbrough" in 989 BC. The name "Maidens' Castle" (Latin: Castra or Castellum Puellarum) occurs frequently up until the 16th century.[16] It appears in charters of David I (r. 1124–1153) and his successors, although the reason for it is not known. William Camden's survey of Britain, Britannia (1607), records that "the Britans called [it] Castle Myned Agned [winged rock], the Scots, the Maidens Castle and the Virgins Castle, of certaine young maidens of the Picts roiall bloud who were kept there in old time". According to the 17th-century antiquarian Father Richard Hay, the "maidens" were a group of nuns, who were ejected from the castle and replaced by canons, considered "fitter to live among soldiers". However, this story was considered "apocryphal" by the 19th-century antiquarian Daniel Wilson and has been ignored by historians since. The name may have been derived from a "Cult of the Nine Maidens" type of legend. Arthurian legends suggest that the site once held a shrine to Morgain la Fee, one of nine sisters. Later, St Monenna, said to be one of nine companions, reputedly invested a church at Edinburgh, as well as at Dumbarton and other places. Similar names are shared by many other Iron Age hillforts and may have simply described a castle that had never been taken by force or derived from an earlier Brittonic name like mag dun.
An archaeological excavation in the early 1990s uncovered evidence of the site having been settled during the late Bronze Age or early Iron Age, potentially making the Castle Rock the longest continuously occupied site in Scotland. However, the extent of the finds was not particularly significant and was insufficient to draw any certain conclusions about the precise nature or scale of this earliest known phase of occupation.
The archaeological evidence is more reliable in respect of the Iron Age. Traditionally, it had been supposed that the tribes of central Scotland had made little or no use of the Castle Rock. Excavations at nearby Dunsapie Hill, Duddingston, Inveresk and Traprain Law had revealed relatively large settlements and it was supposed that these sites had been chosen in preference to the Castle Rock. However, the excavation in the 1990s pointed to the probable existence of an enclosed hill fort on the rock, although only the fringes of the site were excavated. House fragments revealed were similar to Iron Age dwellings previously found in Northumbria.
The 1990s dig revealed clear signs of habitation from the 1st and 2nd centuries AD, consistent with Ptolemy's reference to "Alauna". Signs of occupation included some Roman material, including pottery, bronzes and brooches, implying a possible trading relationship between the Votadini and the Romans beginning with Agricola's northern campaign in AD 82, and continuing through to the establishment of the Antonine Wall around AD 140. The nature of the settlement in this period is inconclusive, but Driscoll and Yeoman suggest it may have been a broch, similar to the one at Edin's Hall near Duns, Scottish Borders in the Scottish Borders.
The castle does not re-appear in contemporary historical records from the time of Ptolemy until around AD 600. Then, in the epic Welsh poem Y Gododdin there is a reference to Din Eidyn, "the stronghold of Eidyn". This has been generally assumed to refer to the Castle Rock. The poem tells of the Gododdin King Mynyddog Mwynfawr, and his band of warriors, who, after a year of feasting in their fortress, set out to do battle with the Angles at "Catreath" (possibly Catterick) in Yorkshire. Despite performing glorious deeds of valour and bravery, the poem relates that the Gododdin were massacred.
The Irish annals record that in 638, after the events related in Y Gododdin, "Etin" was besieged by the Angles under Oswald of Northumbria, and the Gododdin were defeated. The territory around Edinburgh then became part of the Kingdom of Northumbria, which was itself absorbed by England in the 10th century. Lothian became part of Scotland, during the reign of Indulf (r.954–962).
The archaeological evidence for the period in question is based entirely on the analysis of middens (domestic refuse heaps), with no evidence of structures. Few conclusions can therefore be derived about the status of the settlement during this period, although the midden deposits show no clear break since Roman times.
The first documentary reference to a castle at Edinburgh is John of Fordun's account of the death of King Malcolm III (1031–1093). Fordun describes his widow, the future Saint Margaret, as residing at the "Castle of Maidens" when she is brought news of his death in November 1093. Fordun's account goes on to relate how Margaret died of grief within days, and how Malcolm's brother Donald Bane laid siege to the castle. However, Fordun's chronicle was not written until the later 14th century, and the near-contemporary account of the life of St Margaret by Bishop Turgot makes no mention of a castle. During the reigns of Malcolm III and his sons, Edinburgh Castle became one of the most significant royal centres in Scotland. Malcolm's son King Edgar died here in 1107.
Malcolm's youngest son, King David I (r.1124–1153), developed Edinburgh as a seat of royal power principally through his administrative reforms (termed by some modern scholars the Davidian Revolution). Between 1139 and 1150, David held an assembly of nobles and churchmen, a precursor to the parliament of Scotland, at the castle. Any buildings or defences would probably have been of timber, although two stone buildings are documented as having existed in the 12th century. Of these, St. Margaret's Chapel remains at the summit of the rock. The second was a church, dedicated to St. Mary, which stood on the site of the Scottish National War Memorial. Given that the southern part of the Upper Ward (where Crown Square is now sited) was not suited to be built upon until the construction of the vaults in the 15th century, it seems probable that any earlier buildings would have been located towards the northern part of the rock; that is around the area where St. Margaret's Chapel stands. This has led to a suggestion that the chapel is the last remnant of a square, stone keep, which would have formed the bulk of the 12th-century fortification. The structure may have been similar to the keep of Carlisle Castle, which David I began after 1135.
David's successor King Malcolm IV (r.1153–1165) reportedly stayed at Edinburgh more than at any other location. But in 1174, King William "the Lion" (r.1165–1214) was captured by the English at the Battle of Alnwick. He was forced to sign the Treaty of Falaise to secure his release, in return for surrendering Edinburgh Castle, along with the castles of Berwick, Roxburgh and Stirling, to the English King, Henry II. The castle was occupied by the English for twelve years, until 1186, when it was returned to William as the dowry of his English bride, Ermengarde de Beaumont, who had been chosen for him by King Henry. By the end of the 12th century, Edinburgh Castle was established as the main repository of Scotland's official state papers.
A century later, in 1286, on the death of King Alexander III, the throne of Scotland became vacant. Edward I of England was appointed to adjudicate the competing claims for the Scottish crown, but used the opportunity to attempt to establish himself as the feudal overlord of Scotland. During the negotiations, Edward stayed briefly at Edinburgh Castle and may have received homage there from the Scottish nobles.
In March 1296, Edward I launched an invasion of Scotland, unleashing the First War of Scottish Independence. Edinburgh Castle soon came under English control, surrendering after a three days long bombardment. Following the siege, Edward had many of the Scottish legal records and royal treasures moved from the castle to England. A large garrison numbering 325 men was installed in 1300. Edward also brought to Scotland his master builders of the Welsh castles, including Thomas de Houghton and Master Walter of Hereford, both of whom travelled from Wales to Edinburgh. After the death of Edward I in 1307, however, England's control over Scotland weakened. On 14 March 1314, a surprise night attack by Thomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Moray recaptured the castle. John Barbour's narrative poem The Brus relates how a party of thirty hand-picked men was guided by one William Francis, a member of the garrison who knew of a route along the north face of the Castle Rock and a place where the wall might be scaled. Making the difficult ascent, Randolph's men scaled the wall, surprised the garrison and took control. Robert the Bruce immediately ordered the slighting of the castle to prevent its re-occupation by the English. Four months later, his army secured victory at the Battle of Bannockburn.
After Bruce's death in 1329, Edward III of England determined to renew the attempted subjugation of Scotland and supported the claim of Edward Balliol, son of the former King John Balliol, over that of Bruce's young son David II. Edward invaded in 1333, marking the start of the Second War of Scottish Independence, and the English forces reoccupied and refortified Edinburgh Castle in 1335, holding it until 1341. This time, the Scottish assault was led by William Douglas, Lord of Liddesdale. Douglas's party disguised themselves as merchants from Leith bringing supplies to the garrison. Driving a cart into the entrance, they halted it there to prevent the gates closing. A larger force hidden nearby rushed to join them and the castle was retaken. The 100 English men of the garrison were all killed.
The 1357 Treaty of Berwick brought the Wars of Independence to a close. David II resumed his rule and set about rebuilding Edinburgh Castle which became his principal seat of government. David's Tower was begun around 1367, and was incomplete when David died at the castle in 1371. It was completed by his successor, Robert II, in the 1370s. The tower stood on the site of the present Half Moon Battery and was connected by a section of curtain wall to the smaller Constable's Tower, a round tower built between 1375 and 1379 where the Portcullis Gate now stands.
In the early 15th century, another English invasion, this time under Henry IV, reached Edinburgh Castle and began a siege, but eventually withdrew due to lack of supplies. From 1437, Sir William Crichton was Keeper of Edinburgh Castle, and soon after became Chancellor of Scotland. In an attempt to gain the regency of Scotland, Crichton sought to break the power of the Douglases, the principal noble family in the kingdom. The sixteen-year-old William Douglas, 6th Earl of Douglas, and his younger brother David were summoned to Edinburgh Castle in November 1440. After the so-called "Black Dinner" had taken place in David's Tower, both boys were summarily executed on trumped-up charges in the presence of the ten-year-old King James II (r.1437–1460). Douglas' supporters subsequently besieged the castle, inflicting damage. Construction continued throughout this period, with the area now known as Crown Square being laid out over vaults in the 1430s. Royal apartments were built, forming the nucleus of the later palace block, and a Great Hall was in existence by 1458. In 1464, access to the castle was improved when the current approach road up the north-east side of the rock was created to allow easier movement of the royal artillery train in and out of the area now known as the Upper Ward.
In 1479, Alexander Stewart, Duke of Albany, was imprisoned in David's Tower for plotting against his brother, King James III (r.1460–1488). He escaped by getting his guards drunk, then lowering himself from a window on a rope. The duke fled to France, then England, where he allied himself with King Edward IV. In 1482, Albany marched into Scotland with Richard, Duke of Gloucester (later King Richard III), and an English army. James III was trapped in the castle from 22 July to 29 September 1482 until he successfully negotiated a settlement.
During the 15th century the castle was increasingly used as an arsenal and armaments factory. The first known purchase of a gun was in 1384, and the "great bombard" Mons Meg was delivered to Edinburgh in 1457. The first recorded mention of an armoury for the manufacture of guns occurs in 1474, and by 1498 the master gunner Robert Borthwick was casting bronze guns at Edinburgh. By 1511 Edinburgh was the principal foundry in Scotland, supplanting Stirling Castle, with Scottish and European smiths working under Borthwick, who by 1512 was appointed "master melter of the king's guns". Their output included guns for the Scottish flagship, the "Great Michael", and the "Seven Sisters", a set of cannons captured by the English at Flodden in 1513. Sir Thomas Howard, England's Lord Admiral, admired their graceful shape and brilliant finish, declaring them the most beautiful [cannon] for their size and length that he had ever seen. From 1510 Dutch craftsmen were also producing hand culverins, an early firearm. After Flodden, Borthwick continued his work, producing an unknown number of guns, of which none survive. He was succeeded by French smiths, who began manufacturing hagbuts (another type of firearm) in the 1550s, and by 1541 the castle had a stock of 413.
Meanwhile, the royal family began to stay more frequently at the Abbey of Holyrood, about 1 mile from the castle. Around the end of the fifteenth century, King James IV (r.1488–1513) built Holyroodhouse, by the abbey, as his principal Edinburgh residence, and the castle's role as a royal home subsequently declined. James IV did, however, construct the Great Hall, which was completed in the early 16th century. His daughter Margaret Stewart was lodged in the castle with her servant Ellen More.
James IV was killed in battle at Flodden Field, on 9 September 1513. Expecting the English to press their advantage, the Scots hastily constructed a town wall around Edinburgh and augmented the castle's defences. Robert Borthwick and a Frenchman, Antoine d'Arces, were involved in designing new artillery defences and fortifications in 1514, though it appears from lack of evidence that little of the planned work was carried out. Three years later, King James V (r.1513–1542), still only five years old, was brought to the castle for safety. Upon his death 25 years later, the crown passed to his week-old daughter, Mary, Queen of Scots. English invasions followed, as King Henry VIII attempted to force a dynastic marriage on Scotland. When the English burnt Edinburgh in May 1544 the gunner Andrew Mansioun firing from the castle destroyed an English cannon placed to bombard the forework. In 1547 disaffected members of the garrison who resented Regent Arran came to Norham Castle and offered to let the English in.
Refortification in 1548 included an earthen angle-bastion, known as the Spur, of the type known as trace italienne, one of the earliest examples in Britain. Brunstane Castle the home of the traitor Alexander Crichton was demolished to provide building materials. The Spur may have been designed by Migliorino Ubaldini, an Italian engineer from the court of Henry II of France, and was said to have the arms of France carved on it. James V's widow, Mary of Guise, acted as regent from 1554 until her death at the castle in 1560.
The following year, the Catholic Mary, Queen of Scots, returned from France to begin her reign, which was marred by crises and quarrels amongst the powerful Protestant Scottish nobility. In 1565, the Queen made an unpopular marriage with Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, and the following year, in a small room of the Palace at Edinburgh Castle, she gave birth to their son James, who would later be King of both Scotland and England. Mary's reign was, however, brought to an abrupt end. Three months after the murder of Darnley at Kirk o' Field in 1567, she married James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell, one of the chief murder suspects. A large proportion of the nobility rebelled, resulting ultimately in the imprisonment and forced abdication of Mary at Loch Leven Castle. She escaped and fled to England, but some of the nobility remained faithful to her cause. Edinburgh Castle was initially handed by its Captain, James Balfour, to the Regent Moray, who had forced Mary's abdication and now held power in the name of the infant King James VI. Shortly after the Battle of Langside, in May 1568, Moray appointed Sir William Kirkcaldy of Grange Keeper of the Castle.
Grange was a trusted lieutenant of the Regent, but after Moray's murder in January 1570 his allegiance to the King's cause began to waver. Intermittent civil war continued between the supporters of the two monarchs, and in April 1571 Dumbarton Castle fell to "the King's men". Under the influence of William Maitland of Lethington, Mary's secretary, Grange changed sides, occupying the town and castle of Edinburgh for Queen Mary, and against the new regent, the Earl of Lennox. The stand-off which followed was not resolved until two years later, and became known as the "Lang Siege", from the Scots word for "long". Hostilities began in May, with a month-long siege of the town, and a second short siege in October. Blockades and skirmishing continued meanwhile, and Grange continued to refortify the castle. The King's party appealed to Elizabeth I of England for assistance, as they lacked the artillery and money required to reduce the castle, and feared that Grange would receive aid from France and the Duke of Alba in the Spanish Netherlands. Elizabeth sent ambassadors to negotiate, and in July 1572 a truce was agreed and the blockade lifted. The town was effectively surrendered to the King's party, with Grange confined to the castle.
The truce expired on 1 January 1573, and Grange began bombarding the town. His supplies of powder and shot, however, were running low, and despite having 40 cannon available, there were only seven gunners in the garrison. The King's forces, now with the Earl of Morton in charge as regent, were making headway with plans for a siege. Trenches were dug to surround the castle, and St Margaret's Well was poisoned. By February, all Queen Mary's other supporters had surrendered to the Regent, but Grange resolved to resist despite water shortages within the castle. The garrison continued to bombard the town, killing a number of citizens. They also made sorties to set fires, burning 100 houses in the town and then firing on anyone attempting to put out the flames.
In April, a force of around 1,000 English troops, led by Sir William Drury, arrived in Edinburgh. They were followed by 27 cannon from Berwick-upon-Tweed, including one that had been cast within Edinburgh Castle and captured by the English at Flodden. The English troops built an artillery emplacement on Castle Hill, immediately facing the east walls of the castle, and five others to the north, west and south. By 17 May these batteries were ready, and the bombardment began. Over the next 12 days, the gunners dispatched around 3,000 shots at the castle. On 22 May, the south wall of David's Tower collapsed, and the next day the Constable's Tower also fell. The debris blocked the castle entrance, as well as the Fore Well, although this had already run dry. On 26 May, the English attacked and captured the Spur, the outer fortification of the castle, which had been isolated by the collapse. The following day Grange emerged from the castle by a ladder after calling for a ceasefire to allow negotiations for a surrender to take place. When it was made clear that he would not be allowed to go free even if he ended the siege, Grange resolved to continue the resistance, but the garrison threatened to mutiny. He therefore arranged for Drury and his men to enter the castle on 28 May, preferring to surrender to the English rather than the Regent Morton. Edinburgh Castle was handed over to George Douglas of Parkhead, the Regent's brother, and the garrison were allowed to go free. In contrast, Kirkcaldy of Grange, his brother James and two jewellers, James Mossman and James Cokke, who had been minting coins in Mary's name inside the castle, were hanged at the Cross in Edinburgh on 3 August.
Nova Scotia and Civil War
Much of the castle was subsequently rebuilt by Regent Morton, including the Spur, the new Half Moon Battery and the Portcullis Gate. Some of these works were supervised by William MacDowall, the master of work who fifteen years earlier had repaired David's Tower. The Half Moon Battery, while impressive in size, is considered by historians to have been an ineffective and outdated artillery fortification. This may have been due to a shortage of resources, although the battery's position obscuring the ancient David's Tower and enhancing the prominence of the palace block, has been seen as a significant decision.
The battered palace block remained unused, particularly after James VI departed to become King of England in 1603. James had repairs carried out in 1584, and in 1615–1616 more extensive repairs were carried out in preparation for his return visit to Scotland. The mason William Wallace and master of works James Murray introduced an early Scottish example of the double-pile block. The principal external features were the three, three-storey oriel windows on the east façade, facing the town and emphasising that this was a palace rather than just a place of defence. During his visit in 1617, James held court in the refurbished palace block, but still preferred to sleep at Holyrood.
In 1621, King James granted Sir William Alexander the land in North America between New England and Newfoundland, as Nova Scotia ("New Scotland"). To promote the settlement and plantation of the new territory, the Baronetage of Nova Scotia was created in 1624. Under Scots Law, baronets had to "take sasine" by symbolically receiving the earth and stone of the land of which they were baronet. To make this possible, since Nova Scotia was so distant, the King declared that sasine could be taken either in the new province or alternatively "at the castle of Edinburgh as the most eminent and principal place of Scotland."
James' successor, King Charles I, visited Edinburgh Castle only once, hosting a feast in the Great Hall and staying the night before his Scottish coronation in 1633. This was the last occasion that a reigning monarch resided in the castle. In 1639, in response to Charles' attempts to impose Episcopacy on the Scottish Church, civil war broke out between the King's forces and the Presbyterian Covenanters. The Covenanters, led by Alexander Leslie, captured Edinburgh Castle after a short siege, although it was restored to Charles after the Peace of Berwick in June the same year. The peace was short-lived, however, and the following year the Covenanters took the castle again, this time after a three-month siege, during which the garrison ran out of supplies. The Spur was badly damaged and was demolished in the 1640s. The Royalist commander James Graham, 1st Marquis of Montrose, was imprisoned here after his capture in 1650.
In May 1650, the Covenanters signed the Treaty of Breda, allying themselves with the exiled Charles II against the English Parliamentarians, who had executed his father the previous year. In response to the Scots proclaiming Charles King, Oliver Cromwell launched an invasion of Scotland, defeating the Covenanter army at Dunbar in September. Edinburgh Castle was taken after a three-month siege, which caused further damage. The Governor of the Castle, Colonel Walter Dundas, surrendered to Cromwell despite having enough supplies to hold out, allegedly from a desire to change sides.
After his Restoration in 1660, Charles II opted to maintain a full-time standing army based on Cromwell's New Model Army. From this time until 1923, a garrison was continuously maintained at the castle. The medieval royal castle was transformed into a garrison fortress, but continued to see military and political action. The Marquis of Argyll was imprisoned here in 1661, when King Charles II settled old scores with his enemies following his return to the throne. Twenty years later, Argyll's son, the 9th Earl of Argyll, was also imprisoned in the castle for religious Nonconformism in the reign of King James VII. He escaped by disguising himself as his sister's footman, but was recaptured and returned to the castle after his failed rebellion to oust James from the throne in 1685.
James VII was deposed and exiled by the Glorious Revolution of 1688, which installed William of Orange as King of England. Not long after, in early 1689, the Estates of Scotland, after convening to accept William formally as their new king, demanded that Duke of Gordon, Governor of the Castle, surrender the fortress. Gordon, who had been appointed by James VII as a fellow Catholic, refused. In March 1689, the castle was blockaded by 7,000 troops against a garrison of 160 men, further weakened by religious disputes. On 18 March, Viscount Dundee, intent on raising a rebellion in the Highlands, climbed up the western side of the Castle Rock to urge Gordon to hold the castle against the new King. Gordon agreed, but during the ensuing siege he refused to fire upon the town, while the besiegers inflicted little damage on the castle. Despite Dundee's initial successes in the north, Gordon eventually surrendered on 14 June, due to dwindling supplies and having lost 70 men during the three-month siege.
The castle was almost taken in the first Jacobite rising in support of James Stuart, the "Old Pretender", in 1715. On 8 September, just two days after the rising began, a party of around 100 Jacobite Highlanders, led by Lord Drummond, attempted to scale the walls with the assistance of members of the garrison. However, the rope ladder lowered by the castle sentries was too short, and the alarm was raised after a change of the watch. The Jacobites fled, while the deserters within the castle were hanged or flogged. In 1728, General Wade reported that the castle's defences were decayed and inadequate, and a major strengthening of the fortifications was carried out throughout the 1720s and 1730s. This was the period when most of the artillery defences and bastions on the north and west sides of the castle were built. These were designed by military engineer Captain John Romer, and built by the architect William Adam. They include the Argyle Battery, Mills Mount Battery, the Low Defences and the Western Defences.
The last military action at the castle took place during the second Jacobite rising of 1745. The Jacobite army, under Charles Edward Stuart ("Bonnie Prince Charlie"), captured Edinburgh without a fight in September 1745, but the castle remained in the hands of its ageing Deputy Governor, General George Preston, who refused to surrender. After their victory over the government army at Prestonpans on 21 September, the Jacobites attempted to blockade the castle. Preston's response was to bombard Jacobite positions within the town. After several buildings had been demolished and four people killed, Charles called off the blockade. The Jacobites themselves had no heavy guns with which to respond, and by November they had marched into England, leaving Edinburgh to the castle garrison.
Over the next century, the castle vaults were used to hold prisoners of war during several conflicts, including the Seven Years' War (1756–1763), the American War of Independence (1775–1783) and the Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815). During this time, several new buildings were erected within the castle, including powder magazines, stores, the Governor's House (1742), and the New Barracks (1796–1799).
19th century to the present
Drawing of the castle surrounded by crowds
King George IV waves from the battlements of the Half Moon Battery in 1822, drawn by James Skene
A mass prison break in 1811, in which 49 prisoners of war escaped via a hole in the south wall, persuaded the authorities that the castle vaults were no longer suitable as a prison. This use ceased in 1814 and the castle began gradually to assume a different role as a national monument. In 1818, Sir Walter Scott was given permission to search the castle for the Crown of Scotland, believed lost after the union of Scotland and England in 1707. Breaking into a sealed room, now known as the Crown Room, and unlocking a chest within, he rediscovered the Honours of Scotland, which were then put on public display with an entry charge of one shilling. In 1822, King George IV made a visit to Edinburgh, becoming the first reigning monarch to visit the castle since Charles II in 1651. In 1829, the cannon Mons Meg was returned from the Tower of London, where it had been taken as part of the process of disarming Scotland after "the '45", and the palace began to be opened up to visitors during the 1830s. St Margaret's Chapel was "rediscovered" in 1845, having been used as a store for many years. Works in the 1880s, funded by the Edinburgh publisher William Nelson and carried out by Hippolyte Blanc, saw the Argyle Tower built over the Portcullis Gate and the Great Hall restored after years of use as a barracks. A new Gatehouse was built in 1888. During the 19th century, several schemes were put forward for rebuilding the whole castle as a Scottish baronial style château. Work began in 1858, but was soon abandoned, and only the hospital building was eventually remodelled in 1897. Following the death of Prince Albert in 1861, the architect David Bryce put forward a proposal for a 50-metre keep as a memorial, but Queen Victoria objected and the scheme was not pursued.
Edinburgh Castle, waxed-paper negative by Thomas Keith, c. 1855. Department of Image Collections, National Gallery of Art Library, Washington DC
In 1905, responsibility for the castle was transferred from the War Office to the Office of Works, although the garrison remained until 1923, when the troops moved to Redford Barracks in south-west Edinburgh. The castle was again used as a prison during the First World War, when "Red Clydesider" David Kirkwood was confined in the military prison block, and during the Second World War, when downed German Luftwaffe pilots were captured. The position of Governor of Edinburgh Castle, vacant since 1876, was revived in 1935 as an honorary title for the General Officer Commanding in Scotland, the first holder being Lieutenant-General Sir Archibald Cameron of Lochiel. The castle passed into the care of Historic Scotland when it was established in 1991, and was designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument in 1993. The buildings and structures of the castle are further protected by 24 separate listings, including 13 at category A, the highest level of protection for a historic building in Scotland, and special care was taken when installing 31 kW solar panels on the roof of the War Memorial, obscured by its parapet. The Old and New Towns of Edinburgh, a World Heritage Site inscribed by UNESCO in 1995, is described as "dominated by a medieval fortress".
The 25th Alton Bus Rally & Running Day took place in Anstey Park on July 21st 2019. Over 150 visiting buses and coaches, both new and preserved, descended on the Hampshire market town for what turned out to be another great event.
Seen in Anstey Park is Alexander Dennis Enviro200 demonstrator YX19OWA.