Plan of the Day: Take a long drive to the climb Berwich Law, visit Tantallon Castle, take a short walk along the beach, and return to Edinburgh for dinner at the Top Hat House.

Berwick Law

We started with a steady climb to the top of this old volcanic plug, better known as the ‘Berwick Law’. We were rewarded with amazing views. Starting from the car park, we hit the trail which heads steadily upwards over a mix of broad paths, grassy slopes, and rocky climbs. At first the climb appeared daunting, but when we climbed with a conical spiral the steepness was well reduced. (Karen’s note: On the way down it made me question the direction Randy was taking, but knowing my horrible sense of direction, I followed him anyways. Even though I lost sight of him at the beginning, as usual, he was right.)

Halfway up there is a bench dedicated to a young man who climbed the hill everyday during WWII. He was part of a telecommunication unit and needed the height to boost his signal. When you get to the top, and look across the North Sea it makes you wonder at the proximity of the enemy during that war. You almost imagine that young man have visual cues, not just telephone signals.

The views from the top were superb: Edinburgh, Fife, the Lothian Coast including the distinctive Bass Rock and Tantallon Castle and inland hills are all visible. At the top there are remains of an Iron Age Hill Fort; military buildings from the Napoleonic Wars and WW2; a trig point and panoramic table; plus a replica jaw bone from a whale. The original jaw bone was placed on the summit in 1709, and replaced 3 times before the replica was installed in 2008.

Eventually all that attempted the climb made it..!

Tantallon Castle

A short drive from Berwick Law we arrived at Tantallon Castle. Tantallon Castle is a ruined mid-14th-century fortress, located 3.1 miles east of Berwick Law. It sits atop a promontory opposite the Bass Rock, looking out onto the Firth of Forth. The last medieval curtain wall castle to be constructed in Scotland, Tantallon comprises a single wall blocking off the headland, with the other three sides naturally protected by sea cliffs. The excitement comes with being able to climb all over it thinking about those that it lived behind it’s walls and fought their enemies.

Cold Town Brewery & Coffee

On our return to Edinburgh we found the Cold Town Brewery for lunch. We then headed over to the Edinburgh Gin tasting but on the way found a lovely French pastry/coffee shop and Karen had a mocha and macaron (which she considered her birthday treat), while I had a cappuccino.

Edinburgh Gin Tasting

While we lived in Stuttgart we made a trip to Edinburgh to see the country side and visit the Isle of Skye. During that trip we (mostly Karen) found Edinburgh Gin and enjoyed it immensely. We took a bottle back to the US and looked forward to returning to Edinburgh just to be able to get another bottle. This trip we did just that. We booked the distillery tour and tasting. VERY tasty.