“Always follow your dreams, even if they lead you down a few dark alleys.” – Teresa Mummert

What better way to have a taste of Edinburgh than to walk through its most famous main street…the Royal Mile. This street runs through the heart of Edinburgh connecting the Edinburgh Castle with the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

So let me start with a visit to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Her Majesty The Queen’s official residence in Scotland. Standing at the end of Edinburgh’s historic Royal Mile. This magnificent palace is the home of Scottish royal history.

On the entrance of the gatehouse of the Holyrood Palace you will see this panel with a unicorn and the little plaque below it says: “This heraldic panel was originally over the entrance of the gatehouse which stood here. It bears the Royal Arms and ‘IR5’ for King James V.

For Jo’s Monday Walk, Ludwig’s Monday Windows

Please click image to enlarge.

The Queen’s Gallery is an art gallery in Edinburgh, Scotland. It forms part of the Palace of Holyroodhouse complex. it opened in 2002 to celebrate the Queen’s Golden Jubilee. It houses the events and exhibitions from the Royal Collection.

The large stone lettering of the Queen’s Gallery above the entrance are cut from single piece of stone. It sits below Scotland’s heraldic lion.

The entrance doors are made of oak with gilded bronze hinges. The main hinges are decorated with the Scottish lion and unicorn.

The quadrangle centre court was so perfect and beautifully groomed.

Holyrood began not as a royal palace, but as an abbey, and the abbey ruins form part of the Palace grounds.

Walking out the Holyroodhouse we saw the Scottish Parliament house which is a modern building designed by architect Enric Miralles. And then of course it was time for lunch.

The Royal Mile has numerous fashion stores, antique shops, whisky shops and of course souvenir shops.

Some photo opportunities…and even having a Scottish bagpiper playing Australia’s iconic song “Waltzing Matilda”.

When I think of laneways, (aside from Melbourne with its streetart of course), there’s no other place I can think of, other than Edinburgh. The Royal Mile is so full of alleyways, courtyards, courts and closes.

Some of these alleyways lead to open courtyards and some lead to private properties and we were surprised every time at what we discovered.

This is The World’s End restaurant with an appropriate mural outside its facade. Sadly I think it doesn’t exist anymore as seen in Google maps. I wonder why they painted over it?

Some gorgeous buildings …

Markets found in the Royal Mile.

Further on, we passed the St Giles Cathedral, with its impressive architecture and glass windows.

A view from the top over the ledge opposite the castle.

And now we have reached the other end of the Royal Mile with the Edinburgh Castle. Edinburgh Castle is a world famous icon of Scotland and part of the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh’s World Heritage Site. …The castle now serves as a military station and is home to the Scottish National War Memorial.