Panoramic Views Of The Whole City Edinburgh From Calton Hill

If you are someone who loves panoramic views from atop a hill, Calton Hill Edinburgh is the perfect place to be. Perching yourself on top of the hill and taking pictures, or just drinking in the scenery is a mesmerizing experience. The city of Edinburgh is divided into the Old Town and New Town which you can see from this vantage point. Climb up the 143 steps to the top of the hill for the best views.

If you are savvy with a compass, then to your south-east you will find Arthur’s seat, The Scottish Parliament, Holyroodhouse Palace, and Dynamic Earth. Facing north-east you will find the unfinished National Monument with Leith serving as a brilliant backdrop. Carry a binocular as well to help you identify important buildings which will serve as great pictures to descriptions penned around the magnificent panoramic views. From a pinnacle marker which you will find nearby, you can subject your eyes toa visual treat which includes lower Calton Hill, Firth of Forth, and beyond the docks.

One of the most famous and well-known photographs taken from Calton Hill would be the sunrise and sunset which are brilliant to behold. The best spot to take them would be from the rear side of Dugald Stewart Monument. This building which was modeled with Greek architecture is a memorial for the Scottish humanist and thinker, Dugald Stewart.

With the Edinburgh Castle acting as the backdrop, you can capture the entire Old Town. However, try reaching early as it gets quite busy during sunset with people trying to capture the sunset. You can also capture the other hill from here.

Apart from all of these, there are certain places of interest which feature in the tour highlights of most tourist services you can find in the merry old town of Edinburgh. So without much further ado, let’s dive in to take a look at some of these -

The Old Observatory House is a stark landmark in Calton Hill which also commands breathtaking views from its perch up on Calton Hill. It has been restored by the City of Edinburgh Council with help from the Vivat Trust. Believe it or not, the entire renovation was completed by using the help of only volunteers and local tradesmen. The house was originally built by famed architect James Craig who also created Edinburgh’s New Town. People used to inhabit the structure in the 1980s, but by 2002 the disrepair had made it appear in the city’s “At Most Risk” buildings. However, the restoration work mentioned above began in the latter part of 2007 and it’s now available for short-term holiday stays all through the year.

The City Observatory is another astronomical observatory which is situated on Calton Hill. It is also sometimes known to the locals as Calton Hill Observatory. Nowadays enclosed behind a boundary wall, this also plays host to a monument to John Playfair who was the president of the Edinburgh Astronomical Situation. One of the oldest sections of this observatory would be the Gothic Tower located in the southwest corner of the building. It is also called the James Craig house after its designer. There were two domes, out of which one house a 13-inch reflector which was donated by Robert Cox. Nowadays the dome is used as a lecture theater as the other one fell to disrepair and was removed. Recently in 2009, the Astronomical Society of Edinburgh moved out of the City Observatory and all buildings were returned to the Edinburgh Council. However, in 2018, after nearly a GBP 4.5 million investment, the collective opened the City Observatory as a center for contemporary art, a restaurant, and international artists.

A commemorative building built to honor Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson, it is located on Calton Hill in Edinburgh, Scotland. Providing a dramatic end to the vista which flows along Princess Street from the far west, it was created between 1807 and 1815. Mainly to commemorate the great victory Nelson had over the Spanish and French fleets during the Battle of Trafalgar, he also died in the same battle. However, in 1853, a time ball was added to signal to ships from Leith Harbour. The monument underwent some restoration in 2009 and has the Royal Navy’s White Ensign spelling out Nelson’s famous message that every man should do their duty for England. The monument was initially funded by public subscription while Alexander Nasmyth was the original architect. From Nelson’s statue, you can capture some brilliant panoramic views of the city.

Also known popularly as the New Parliament House, the Old Royal High School is a neoclassical building built in the 19^th century. Originally constructed for the city’s Royal High School, it gained it’s modern name after a proposal was introduced in the 1970s. After the relocation of the Royal High School in 1968, the building became finally available to the devolved legislature of Scotland and massive renovations began. However, in 1979 the devolution referendum failed to provide enough backing. The building has thus far been used as an office for the Edinburgh Council, and the Sports and Outdoor activities unit.

Apart from atop the hill, there are various other places from which the best views of Calton Hill can be surmised. Let’s look at our select few which are absolutely breathtaking.

From the south slope of the hill, you can catch most of the Scottish landscape and views. Although the views are constrained, they are still superb. Arthur’s Seat and Salisbury Craigs more or less dominate everything, but below you can still see the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Scottish Parliament, and Our Dynamic Earth. Much closer st hand from the south slope of the hill would be The Royal High School, which was built way back in 1829 in a classical style known as Grecian. This would reflect the adornments which would then be appearing on top of the hill.

From certain vantage points spread across Calton Hill, you can capture panoramic views of the whole city. Rising beyond the east end, the entire city carries a rather eccentric set of buildings and monuments. Although the principal attraction makes for a magnificent panoramic view, it’s pretty much the same throughout Edinburgh. R.L. Stevenson had also once said of the hill that it was the best viewpoint in Scotland. Rightly said, as you can see both Arthur’s Seat and Edinburgh Castle. The panoramic views get even better if you climb the 143 steps up to the Nelson Monument. The stairway is spiral, so be careful.

From Calton Hill, you can catch views of the famous Arthur’s Seat which is an extinct volcano and is also considered the highest peak of the group. Described by many as a hill of magnitude, it is located east of the city center and is 1.6 km to the east of Edinburgh. Rising above a height of nearly 250m, it provides magnificent panoramic views of the entire city. Relatively easy to climb, this is a very popular area for hill walking. Although everything is easy, beginning your climb from the east-side is the easiest and you can do it even if you are not a regular climber, or very active for that matter.

The sunset and sunrise views are also quite good from the top of Calton Hill. The timings for each can vary from day-to-day but it would be a good idea to check out the local paper or news to pinpoint a certain time and plan accordingly. It’s a good rule of thumb to reach early as by sunset there are a lot of people assembled there which makes it crowded and difficult to click panoramic photos from the spot.

Another magnificent place to click brilliant panoramic pictures would be Salisbury Crags. This is a series of cliffs which are located to the top of the spur of Arthur’s Seat and rise to the west of Holyrood Park. At the foot of these hills, is a steep talus slope and has a track called Radical Road. The track gets its unique name from the war called the Radical War in 1820 and was created then. The cliffs itself are composed of dolerite and columnar basalt. Since time immemorial people have been trying to climb this, and today thousands flock to reach the peak and take pictures. By the early 20^th century the region had already made a name for itself through several traditional climbing and sport climbing activities and tournaments. One of the best-known ways to get to the top is to reach a spot called the Cat Nick’s or Cat’s Nick. This is nothing but a very helpful cleft amongst the rocks which is situated bang opposite the highest point of Crags. From there it will be a relatively easy climb up to the peak from where you can unleash your camera on the magnificent panoramic views of the city available from there.

Here, along with a bit of the region’s history, we chart out some regions on and around Calton Hill which are brilliant to head to with your camera.

History

The economic story of Calton Hill started way back in 1631 when Lord Balmerino gave permission for trade to The Society of The Incorporated Trades of Calton. This also gave them the right to tax other businesses which wanted to operate inside Calton. By 1856, Calton Hill and the village were finally incorporated into the city of Edinburgh. Today Calton Hill Edinburgh is a place everyone heads to for a refreshing hike and is considered one of the best spots to catch panoramic views of the entire city.

Another piece of history which Calton Hill is famous for is having the Nelson Monument which has a rather unique shape. Compared multiple times to an upturned telescope, it was completed in 1816 and commemorates his death in the Battle of Trafalgar back in 1805. An interesting fact is that the time ball which you see now was added way back in 1852 which would help ships moor in the Firth of Forth. The ball is dropped when the clock strikes one, six days of the week.

One of the main highlights of Calton Hill would be its unmistakable Athenian landmark which shoots out into the sky. Believe it or not, this acropolis is actually an unfinished building and holds testimony to Napoleon’s defeat in Waterloo. Initially conceived to commemorate the soldiers who died in the Napoleonic Wars, construction began back in 1816. The actual building, however, was begun only in 1822. Unfortunately, the committee funding the project ran out of money and this stalled the project. The architect, William Playfair, finally didn’t see his creation completed, and interest towards the same waned and hasn’t taken up since then. Today it’s a lot of fun to run up to the unfinished building which is also called the National Monument, and roll down the soft grassy knoll.

Also, home to Waterloo Bridge, it acts as a gully between New Town and Calton Hill. Till the tram arrived in town it was the most expensive piece of construction ever undertaken in 1815.

Other notable pieces of construction and buildings would be the City Observatory which is designed according to Greek styles by William Henry Playfair in 1818. One of the most noteworthy events to take place at this observatory is that it was here in Calton Hill that Thomas Henderson figured out how to calculate the parallax error in measuring the distance of stars.

The region and Calton Hill has been playing a significant role in culture for many centuries. Often known as a spot to relax and unwind, this place played host to pagan rituals in the past. Celebrations around a bonfire and stories of fairies would be shared, told and re-told.

Calton Hill is also famous for playing a part in a boy’s slavery. Known to locals as Indian Peter, he ran away from his home in Huntly and was kidnapped. Transported to the US, he was kept as an indentured servant. After being kidnapped again by Native Indians, he finally escaped and returned back to Calton Hill Edinburgh. He re-surfaced as Peter Williamson and opened the town’s first Penny Post back in 1773.

Calton Hill is located on a hill which is situated in central Edinburgh, Scotland. It is situated beyond the eastern end of Princes Street and has also been recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site. The hill also serves as the headquarters of the Scottish Government and is based out of St. Andrew’s House on the southern slope of the hill. This slope is also perfect to capture panoramic views of the city and beyond. Calton Hill is also the location of various monuments and landmarks, out of which Nelson’s Statue, National Monument, and City Observatory are just a few. The village of Calton is situated on the foot of the hill and has been a part of Scottish culture for hundreds of years now. In the village, the street down below is known mostly as Low Calton, or St. Ninian’s Row. Most of the buildings which once stood here were demolished to make way for Waterloo Palace and the development of the Regent Bridge. This bridge later made crossing the ravine easier and was completed in 1816.

The Calton Hill timings are generally from ten in the morning till four in the evening. You will need around 3-4 hours to properly explore the hill and take pictures so plan accordingly. The best time to visit this place would be anytime between October and March. It gets quite cold with chilly winds blowing all the time so don’t forget to pack something warm. There is no disability access so if you have someone who is disabled, ensure you have someone to stay with them at the foot of the hill. There is a Starbucks and a small café so they won’t be bored as you go about your business.

Calton Hill isn’t a very steep hill so the best way would be to climb up. If you walk eastwards starting from Princes Street, pass by St. Andrew’s house, you will find a small roundabout. This will take you to the entrance of the Old Royal High School, and if you walk a bit more you will reach the entrance of the hill.