Just for fun, guess where in Edinburgh this is.  Do you where this is?  Answers below or in our twitter stream.

Guess where in Edinburgh

Our guess where #73 remains unanswered.

There have been some additions to the walls of Edinburgh in the last couple of days. Edinburgh College of Art student Joe Caslin is behind the Our Nation’s Son’s art project which will see six pieces of work appear around the capital over the next week or so.

Caslin was involved in last year’s Inside out art project.

Update 17th April – 11pm We’ve just heard from the artist who was fresh back from installing the third piece of art this evening. He’s excited that there’s so much buzz around town for his project. Caslin also confirmed that they are due to stay up until the end of the Edinburgh Festival but it is all dependent on the weather. It’s hoped that they will last 4-6 months in the Edinburgh climate.

Update 29th April – The last piece went up overnight, completing the installation. If you walk from the start of the Cowgate towards Holyrood Road and keep your eyes peeled to the left, to the right and upwards, you’ll come across all six. Alternatively, look at the location of each photo in the captions below.

First piece - Cowgate (also visible from George IV Bridge)

Second piece - Guthrie Street

Third piece - Robertson's Close

Fourth piece - Holyrood Road

Fifth piece - under George IV Bridge

The sixth piece - opposite #4 in Holyrood Road

We first published a picture of this altered street sign last year. We took another picture today and noticed it’s still there, albeit slightly faded. We’re really glad it has not been fixed yet as it brings a smile to our faces every time we pass it.

Altered street sign

Portobello Road at Moira Park

We love the Pentlands Hills Regional park and after the snow yesterday, we headed up a very cold Swanston track to get some wonderful views of Edinburgh. You can download a map of the Pentlands and plan your route according to your fitness.

We parked at the free car park beside the Swanston Golf Club House (open to the public) and followed the track through the picturesque Swanston village.

Approaching Swanston Gold Club House and the neighbouring car park

Choose your route

Walk through the cottages in Swanston Village

Tracks are well marked

It doesn't take long until you look back and get great views of Edinburgh

Looking over to Caerketton Hill

Looking over 'T wood' and Down to East Lothian

Enjoy the view!

Make sure you’re suitably dressed and have enough water and food etc. If you’re doing a long walk, please tell someone where you plan to go and what time you expect to be back.

Adhere to signs in the park with regards to dogs on leads and don’t go into the marked areas if the red MOD flags are up.

There can sometimes be highland cattle in this area, please do not approach.

The latest hotel opened today – the Premier Inn on Princes Street. We took a few snaps of the views from the rooms that face south and over Edinburgh’s famous skyline.

Castle view from second floor restaurant

Looking into Princes Street Gardens from sixth floor room

Ramsay Gardens and The Hub at Castlehill visible

Looking onto the Ross fountain

Ramsay Gardens from the sixth floor corridor window

The first signs of Spring arrived in Edinburgh a couple of weeks ago and one of the best places to see the crocuses in full bloom just now is Melville Drive.  Start at one end and walk the length of the road, taking in the all the flowers that line the outside of the pavements.

The flowers are in batches of all colours, just yellows, purples and whites and are simply stunning to see. Leith Links and Inverleith Park also has a lovely strip of crocuses at the moment and we can’t wait for more to pop up all over town!

White crocuses

Melville Drive

A carpet along Melville Drive

Spring has sprung

Spring in Edinburgh

Just for fun, guess where in Edinburgh this is.  We think this is a little harder than usual, but are sure that one of our eagle-eyed readers will know. Do you?  Answers below or in our twitter stream.

Guess where

Some photos of Edinburgh city centre as the sun was setting this afternoon. We were just wandering around the shops and detoured through Princes Street Gardens to appreciate the city we live in .

Melville Monument St Andrew Square

The Balmoral Clock and the rising moon

The Mound

Edinburgh Castle in shadow

Scott Monument

Sunset through the trees

Edinburgh Castle from St Cuthberts Churchyard

A short stroll around the churches of St John’s & St Cuthbert’s at the West End of Princes Street Gardens today – the November light was very atmospheric.

Here’s a small gallery of photos:

We’re glad Jenners have kept the tradition of their giant Christmas Tree alive – Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas in Edinburgh without it!

Jenners Christmas Tree

Although it’s probably more famous for being the final resting place of the faithful Bobby, Greyfriars Kirkyard is reputedly one of the most haunted places in Edinburgh.

Whether that’s true or not, what better day of the year to have a wander around the historic graveyard – on the lookout for some of the spookier and more macabre carvings on the tombstones and mausoleums…

Click on the thumbnails to view our photos – and Happy Halloween!

We like a good sunrise (and sunset) as you know, but this morning’s was particularly impressive…

We felt privileged watching it: from the first glowing hint that something special was about to happen; through the constantly-changing colours and patterns as the sun rose; to the last faint embers in the morning sky – better than any firework display!

Click on the thumbnails below to see the rest of the photos.

Dean Cemetery

With Halloween just around the corner, we thought it was the perfect time to take a stroll around one of our favourite graveyards in Edinburgh, Dean Cemetery.

The trees were in their autumn finery; and there was hardly another (living) soul around. It was very atmospheric – and the cemetery is a beautiful, historic and peaceful place to visit at any time of year.

Click on the thumbnails below to view the rest of our photos.

With guests in town, we took a stroll around the city centre today to show them some of the best views of Edinburgh. Blessed with perfect Autumn weather and a gorgeous blue sky, here’s some of what we snapped today.

Started off with a walk through Inverleith Park

Reflections in St Andrew Square and the tents for 'Occupy Edinburgh' protest

View from The Mound

View from the museum roof garden on Chambers Street

Greyfriar's Bobby

Classic shot of Edinburgh Castle from Johnston Terrace

Ramsay Gardens with the tattoo seating dismantled

St Mary's Cathedral from Edinburgh Castle

View from Edinburgh Castle looking north. The trees are the Botanical Gardens,

With the exception of the views taken from within Edinburgh Castle, all the photos and places mentioned are free. You can still take a stroll up to the esplanade and take pictures of outside the castle for free and it well wor-th doing for the panoramic views of Edinburgh.

Edinburgh Castle, early morning

It was a beautiful Autumn morning yesterday and now that the Edinburgh Tattoo seating has been dismantled from the esplanade, there really is no better time to get a picture of Edinburgh Castle.

You just need to get there before 9.15am as that’s when they start allowing the tourists to queue to get in for the 9.30am opening.

Edinburgh Castle and the moon

Just for fun, guess where in Edinburgh. Answers below or in our twitter stream.

Guess where

The flats minutes before the demolition

Going, going, gone

The flats mid-demolition

A zoomed-in view of two of the flats

The last one to fall

Smoke and dust begins to spread

Quite an eerie sight over west Edinburgh

You can read our previous article about the Sighthill demolition.

As part of the excellent Doors Open Days in Edinburgh, Old Observatory House on Calton Hill was opened to the public.

Old Observatory Housethe is the oldest of the buildings on Calton Hill and was designed by James Craig, architect of the layout of the New Town and wascompleted in 1872.  It was intended to be used as the city observatory but due to lack of funds, no equipment could be bought.

Now run by Vivat Trust,  Old Observatory House has been lovingly restored to its former glory and is available to rent for a holiday and/or special events. You can check availability here and prices are reasonable for larger groups with every window offering panoramic views of Edinburgh, Fife and the Lothians.

Here’s some pictures from inside the beautiful property today. Since we were part of a tour, we snapped as many pictures as we could with 15 others present in our allotted time.

Old Observatory House, Calton Hill

One of the lounges

The main dining room

One of the master bedrooms

The view through the window of the bedroom

Another bedroom

Excellent view of Edinburgh from several of the rooms