Clipmarks | Patty2007's 'edinburgh' clips

Tornado potato

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 16:41:24 GMT

clipped by: Patty2007

Clip Source: londoners.groups.vox.com

Tornadopotato

Tags: food, edinburgh, uk

The ghosts of Mary King's Close

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 16:38:54 GMT

clipped by: Patty2007

Clip Source: heritage.scotsman.com

THE DARK, claustrophobic streets running off the Royal Mile lead away from the light and downhill into the shadows. These half-forgotten reminders of Edinburgh’s insanitary past provide a perfect setting for a suitably spooky atmosphere. Largely built upon the ruins of centuries gone by, it is not just those of a sensitive nature who feel a certain frisson when they walk past.

Picture: Courtesy The Real Mary King's Close" />

You never know who might appear on the close
Picture: Courtesy The Real Mary King's Close

Take a tour of the close, if you dare

Tags: ghosts, scotland, edinburgh

King of fish threatened

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 15:21:44 GMT

clipped by: Patty2007
clipper's remarks: Surveys of the numbers of salmon going out to sea and returning have been carried out on the North Esk since 1964 by Fisheries Research Services staff. Scientists have noted a "marked upward trend in marine mortality rate over the period in which monitoring was carried out" (see graph).

And the new study by Professor Chris Todd of thousands of grilse - young salmon which have spent a single winter at sea - found that over the last ten years, the average weight of the fish fell by 11 to 14 per cent.

Prof Todd, a marine ecologist at St Andrews University who was speaking at an Atlantic Salmon Trust conference on the fate of salmon at sea in Edinburgh yesterday, told The Scotsman: "Our analyses indicate that this is closely linked to ocean climate warming in the north-east Atlantic. Probably we are seeing the effects of a lack of feeding for salmon at sea, arising from temperature-driven shifts in the distribution of the plankton communities upon which salmon depend.

Clip Source: news.scotsman.com

Forty years ago, nearly half the smolts leaving freshwater for salt would return to breed. Now as few as 10 per cent of fish are succeeding in making the same journey.
Picture: Ian Rutherford

THERE are few natural predators capable of catching a fully grown mature salmon. A dolphin is capable of hunting down the king of fish but would probably prefer easier prey; seals are a risk in confined areas where the salmon can be trapped, particularly during colder months. But this powerful creature, when fully grown, is superbly equipped to out-swim almost anything else in the sea.

Humans also pose only a limited threat: it is only "lightly fished" and while a few are caught in nets meant for the likes of mackerel and herring this is not thought to make a significant dent in their numbers.

Tags: scotland, salmon, fish, sea

Secrets kept in store but no Holy Grail

Fri, 19 Oct 2007 17:21:53 GMT

clipped by: Patty2007

Clip Source: heritage.scotsman.com

WATCHFUL EYE: Edinburgh Grand Lodge curator Bob Cooper looks over some of the historic documents kept at the George Street premises.

WITH a deep sigh and a roll of his eyes Bob Cooper leans forward in his chair, clears a small space on his cluttered desk and insists he doesn't actually have the Holy Grail.

"You wouldn't believe the amount of time I spend explaining to people that, no, we don't keep the Holy Grail here and that we don't know where it might be either.

"Honestly," he continues with a smile, "it's almost as if they expect me to open a cupboard and, 'oh yes - there it is!'."

Admittedly, it doesn't seem that likely that the Holy Grail might be found in a grand, yet outwardly rather anonymous, building on George Street.

But then again, this is the Freemasons we're talking about. And doesn't Bob have his office in one of the most mysterious locations imaginable - deep within the Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Scotland?

Tags: scotland, holy grail, legend, myth

Five gems of worship

Fri, 19 Oct 2007 17:17:02 GMT

clipped by: Patty2007

Clip Source: heritage.scotsman.com

Five gems of worship

SCOTLAND'S greatest medieval churches are known all over the world – St Giles' Cathedral, Edinburgh; St Mungo's Cathedral, Glasgow; Iona and Dunfermline abbeys. So too are some Victorian and later buildings – Alexander "Greek" Thomson's St Vincent Street, Glasgow; Crathie Church on Royal Deeside; the Italian Chapel in Orkney. But there are many intriguing churches tucked away in unexpected places.

St Cuthbert’s Parish Church, Dalmeny, Edinburgh

St Mary’s Parish Church, Ladykirk, Scottish Borders

St Andrew's Parish Church, Golspie, Highland

Killean and Kilchenzie Parish Church, A'Chleit, Argyll and Bute

Our Lady and St Meddan’s Catholic Church, Troon, South Ayrshire

Tags: scotland, church

Edinburgh Zoo

Mon, 08 Oct 2007 19:16:49 GMT

clipped by: Patty2007

Clip Source: www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk

Asiatic Lions: a Hard Day at the Office

Flamingos

Jaguar

Polar Bear

Chimp

Rhino

Penguins

Hilltop Safari

African Plains

View from Upper Part of the Zoo

Sea Eagle

Penguin Enclosure

The Zoo Main Entrance

Inside the Reception

Mansion House

Tags: edinburgh, zoo, animals

Factory goes up in smoke

Mon, 08 Oct 2007 19:09:32 GMT

clipped by: Patty2007

Clip Source: heritage.scotsman.com

BLAZING DRAMA: The North British Rubber Mills’ Uniroyal factories in Viewforth after explosions rocked the building, starting a massive fire back in January 1969

Factory goes up in smoke

THICK, pungent smoke belches skywards from the tonnes of flaming tyres set ablaze by a huge explosion in the heart of Edinburgh’s largest factory.

TREADING CAREFULLY: Tyres come off the factory’s production line in 1951

The factory had a long history which began more than 150 years ago when the American indus-trialist Henry Lee Norris sailed a merchant ship loaded with skilled workers across the icy Atlantic to Edinburgh.

It’s January 1969, and the frosty air is soon to be fractured by three more explosions, further calami-ties caused by the dropped oxy-acetylene torch that had sparked the first.

THE END: The last remaining piece of the factory during demolition in 1971

GROUND CONTROL: An aerial view in 1966 when the factory was in its heyday shortly after winning a belting order of 600,000

Tags: north british rubber mills, ediburgh, scotland

The magician whose greastest illusion was death

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 16:40:09 GMT

clipped by: Patty2007
clipper's remarks: Lafayette was somewhat misanthropic, avoiding close relationships with anyone other than his dog Beauty. A pit bull given to him by the escape artist Harry Houdini, Beauty lived in luxury, enjoying her own suite of rooms and eating sumptuous five-course meals. A sign in Lafayette's London home made clear to visitors the importance of Beauty to her master:
Tragedy struck the very next day when Beauty died of a stroke. Lafayette was inconsolable.
Beauty's grave rests at the foot of the gravestone of her master.
So ended the life of one of the world's greatest illusionists. Whether he really foresaw his own death or whether it was just spectacular coincidence can never be known. What is without doubt is that in death The Great Lafayette pulled off one of the most

Clip Source: heritage.scotsman.com

THIS is the story of magic and illusion, doppelgangers and death, creativity and confusion. It is the true story of a magician who died as he had lived, surrounded by mystery.

Lafayette was somewhat misanthropic, avoiding close relationships with anyone other than his dog Beauty. A pit bull given to him by the escape artist Harry Houdini, Beauty lived in luxury, enjoying her own suite of rooms and eating sumptuous five-course meals. A sign in Lafayette's London home made clear to visitors the importance of Beauty to her master:

Picture: Source unknown" />

The funeral cortège processed down Princes Street where the crowds were eight to twelve deep, before arriving at Piersfield Cemetery.
Picture: Source unknown

Beauty's grave rests at the foot of the gravestone of her master.

Tags: edinburgh, magician

Napier´s wizard roots

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 16:18:54 GMT

clipped by: Patty2007

Clip Source: heritage.scotsman.com

Napier's wizard roots

HE WAS considered a brilliant man. His role in Scotland and the impact he had across the Continent were great. He was a mathematician, inventor, laird, as well as a devoted and deeply religious family man.

He was also a noted wizard.

In fact several members of John Napier’s family – respected and wealthy participants of Edinburgh society - were commonly known to be wizards or sorcerers. Their necromantic power was feared by nobles as well as peasants from far and wide.

Picture: By permission of Napier University" />

Digging through the digital archive of The Scotsman, one comes across a story from 1910 that is steeped in mystery, magic and intrigue. It involves the Napier family of the 16th and 17th centuries, a time in Scotland’s history when superstitions and the occult were popularly accepted. The newspaper account of the Napiers' magical links makes for interesting reading, even if it was written more than 200 years after the fact.

Tags: scotland, wizard, napier

Corstorphine Hill

Thu, 23 Aug 2007 14:09:23 GMT

clipped by: Patty2007

Clip Source: www.youredinburgh.info

Corstorphine Hill

Look closely at the glacial pavement and you can see evidence of early dwellers - these circular indentations are called "cup and ring" markings and were formed 2,000 -1500 years BC.

Less often seen are the animals who live on Corstorphine Hill but look closely and you may find evidence of badgers, rabbit or fox. The animal most often seen is the grey squirrel as it hops from tree to tree hunting for the nuts and seeds it eats.

Much of the hill is woodland - mainly sycamore with ash beech and lime. There is about 20% scrub including gorse, birch and rowan. This means a variety of places for birds to nest in including woodpecker, kestrel and song birds. They feed on the insects, seeds and berries.

Tags: scotland, edinburgh, corstorphine hill

Corstorphine Hill Tower

Thu, 23 Aug 2007 14:05:34 GMT

clipped by: Patty2007
clipper's remarks: Also known as Clermiston Tower or the Scott Tower) is a memorial to Sir Walter Scott. The tower, built on glaciated dolerite, is square in plan, with buttressed corners; it has a corbelled, battlemented parapet surmounted by a small tower. It is built of coursed whinstone, likely to be from quarries on the hill, with dressed sandstone for the openings, parapets and plaques, probably from one of the large Edinburgh sandstone quarries

Clip Source: www.corstorphinehill.ukf.net

also known as Clermiston Tower or the Scott Tower) is a memorial to Sir Walter Scott. The tower, built on glaciated dolerite, is square in plan, with buttressed corners; it has a corbelled, battlemented parapet surmounted by a small tower. It is built of coursed whinstone, likely to be from quarries on the hill, with dressed sandstone for the openings, parapets and plaques, probably from one of the large Edinburgh sandstone quarries

Tags: scotland, sir walter scott, edinburgh, corstorphine hill

Friends of Corstorphine Hill

Thu, 23 Aug 2007 14:03:18 GMT

clipped by: Patty2007
clipper's remarks: an interesting site about the Corstorphine Hill, in Ediburgh.

Clip Source: www.corstorphinehill.ukf.net

Friends of Corstorphine Hill

Last year was the Tower's 130th anniversary. This year sees another milestone in the Tower's history: the 70th anniversary of its official handing over to the then Edinburgh Corporation. The Tower was repaired and opened to the general public after agreement with the owners of the land around the Tower that they would give ground for access, free, provided the Corporation would erect an iron fence to separate it from their property. This year saw another repair and re-opening, this time after vandals damaged the Tower in April 2002. It was carefully restored, at an approximate cost of £5,000. The doors were opened to visitors again in June this year. Corstorphine Hill Tower takes its rightful place among the 180 buildings / monuments owned by the City of Edinburgh Council. It may jostle for prominence on the hill these days but it justifies a prominent place in our hearts.

Edinburgh, Scotland

Tags: scotland, edinburgh, corstorphine hill, volunteer work

Edinburgh Ghost

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 19:23:07 GMT

clipped by: Patty2007

Clip Source: heritage.scotsman.com

The village of Corstorphine, now a suburb of Edinburgh, also has its own colourful female ghost – the White Lady of Corstorphine. She was Lady Christian Nimmo, who was married to an affluent merchant but was rather fond of meeting her lover, James Forrester, under the local sycamore tree – a landmark which survived until storms in 1998.

Lady Nimmo killed Forrester with a sword, after an argument sparked by his drunkenness. She was beheaded in 1679, but has apparently been seen wandering around wearing a white robe and carrying a sword covered in blood.

Another of Edinburgh's most famous spooks is that of Major Thomas Weir, a preacher and captain of the Town Guard who was burnt at the stake in 1670 after confessing to crimes including witchcraft and incest with his sister, Grizel. After his death, it is claimed he appeared in Victoria Street, riding on a headless black horse engulfed with flames. A ghost of Grizel has also been spotted, her face set in a hideous silent scream.

Tags: corstorphine, scotland, edinburgh, ghost

Culloden home to spookiest car park

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 18:58:06 GMT

clipped by: Patty2007

Clip Source: heritage.scotsman.com

Culloden home to spookiest car park

A CAR park at Edinburgh Airport has been chosen as the third-best in Britain, while one at Culloden Moor has been placed tenth - and also the most haunted.

Judges praised the airport car park for its security, generous parking-bay widths and lack of broken glass.

The survey for AA Insurance found the car park at the Culloden battlefield, near Inverness, to be the most haunted, because it is rumoured to be home to the ghosts of slaughtered soldiers. The survey said: "The car park is surrounded by grassy mounds with spooky views across the moors."

The St James car park in King's Lynn, Norfolk, was named as overall winner. It was described as "adorned with beautiful red brickwork".

The winners came from a sample chosen by Kevin Beresford, head of the Car Park Appreciation Society.

Tags: scotland, culloden, ghosts

Ghoul vibrations

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 18:35:51 GMT

clipped by: Patty2007

Clip Source: heritage.scotsman.com

Ghoul vibrations

EVER had the feeling that someone just walked over your grave? Ever sensed an eerie presence nearby that made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up? Don't worry, if you live in the capital these experiences are easily explained - for Edinburgh is perhaps the most haunted city in the world, its past blacker than murkiest black. How could you fail to feel a shiver down your spine when around every dark corner in the Old Town there's an old hanging, witch ducking or plague site? And, thanks to the likes of body-snatching double act Burke and Hare, there's now a cottage industry of tours specially designed to give you the heebie-jeebies.

If you're a fan of this kind of thing, Edinburgh Ghost Fest, the city's ultimate celebration of the ghoulish and spooky, is for you. This annual event - this year, taking place from 11 to 20 May - has been growing since its first incarnation in 2004, steadily adding venues and events.

Tags: scotland, ghosts