Enchanting Edinburgh!

The good thing about living in Yorkshire is that we are nearly equidistant between Edinburgh and London.

A few days in Edinburgh is a real tonic. With trains leaving Leeds and York regularly or a 4 hour drive up the A1, the city is within easy reach.

The city has more of a cosmopolitan feel about it with its mix of international visitors, coffee bars and with the newly installed tram system that runs from the airport right into the city centre and along Princess Street.

The two most visited tourist attractions are Edinburgh castle and the Royal Yacht Britannia at Leith.

A mighty fortress, the defender of the nation and home of the famous Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, Edinburgh castle has dominated the skyline for centuries. On my visit the castle was very busy. In July I was informed that they receive 8,000 visitors per day, rising to 9,000 per day whilst the Military Tattoo is held this month.

Most visitors tend to visit mid-morning so that they can see the famous One O'clock gun signal being fired. It you do not want to hear and see this then it would be a good tip to visit in the afternoon as this is the quieter time to visit. Be aware though that the gun is not fired on a Sunday as I discovered one Sunday a few years ago when stood in the rain waiting in the centre of Edinburgh to hear that famous sound only to be told by a local "they don't fire it on Sunday".

Other highlights in the castle include the Crown Room and Royal Place. The Crown Room contains the Scottish Crown Jewels, they call it a room but you are actually entering into a big safe! Mons Meg is now on display outside - she is one of Europe's oldest siege guns that fired stones weighing 150kg that could be fired over 2 miles!

There are several museums in the castle too such as The Scottish National War Memorial and The National War Museum of Scotland.

The panoramic views from the castle are fantastic: all of Edinburgh stands below you with views over to Arthur's Seat, the Forth of Fife and the Forth Railway Bridge. The visit will take around 3 hours or longer but young and old will be enthralled. Wear sensible shoes as you will do a lot of walking.

Described as Scotland's best visitor attraction, the Royal Yacht Britannia is now moored at Leith - a 10 minute drive or bus ride from the centre of Edinburgh. If the weather is not sunny outside, then this all weather attraction would be ideal.

Situated at the side of a shopping centre - that has free parking. The Royal Yacht was home to Her Majesty The Queen and the Royal Family for over 40 years, sailing a million miles around the world.

The tour around the ship is self guided with an excellent audio guide.

You can see all the living quarters of all the staff, including the small post room! Highlights include the elegant State Dining Room where kings and queens, world leaders and celebrities were entertained. The dinner table was set out with military precision that included measuring things with a ruler.

The Sun Lounge was one of The Queen's favourite places to have breakfast and is one of the brightest rooms on the yacht.

The yacht still has an informal feel about it and none of the rooms seem too fussy.

Half way through the visit you will come across the Royal Yacht Tea Room which serves delicious home made fruit scones with cream. The service is attentive yet discreet making you feel like royalty yourself!

A highly educational and entertaining visit that will not disappoint.

I know it will not be long before I return for a weekend break to the Scottish capital.