Sidetracked

There was no reason or conscious desire to climb Calton Hill when I was only out to buy some muscovado sugar, but one thing lead to another and there I was, with not only the sugar in my rucksack but also a few kitchen accessories from Poundland in a deserted Princes Street, on top of the hill, up and close with Edinburgh’s Disgrace Monument.
The last time I was there at the end of April I only saw 2 people, today it was 4 people and 2 dogs.

Without the Asian tourists who seem to have a predilection for this particular spot I could appreciate the space and the view stretching from the Queensferry Bridges in the west to Berwick Law in the east, and from the artificial ski slope in the south to Fife in the north. The columns of Edinburgh’s Disgrace were clear to see , untrammelled by bodies.
The view over the centre of the city at the moment is dominated by the cranes resurrecting the New St James Centre from the ashes of the old one as it were.

Having had my fill of wandering, I set off back home feeling that the temperature had gone up several degrees since leaving the house. It was possible to remove my scarf and gloves without risking frost bite. I doubt I will see a mass of bodies soaking up the heat in the Meadows this afternoon. It seems that indeed every cloud has a silver lining.