A trip to 'The Ferry'

The name Queensferry explains itself. Once upon a time, circa 1050, Margaret Canmore was Queen of Scotland, Dunfermline was the capital, and there were no bridges to Edinburgh across the Firth of Forth. Now there are three: a magnificent piece of 19thC engineering for trains; a road bridge opened in 1964 but too weak for endless streams of traffic in the early 21stC; and the Queensferry Crossing opened in 2017 to carry that load. The name was chosen by public vote.

I'd almost forgotten how magnificent the rail bridge is - three main spans, 6.5 million rivets, 640,000 cubic feet of granite, the height of 48 London buses, and now a Unesco Heritage Site.

South Queensferry (also self explanatory) sits under the bridge - a town of contrasts with historic buildings and 20thC brutalist architecture set side by side.

 

It also seems to be where Nessie goes for her summer holidays. 

 

I wonder how dearly the grateful inhabitants paid the kind laird for a bleaching green and water supply in 1817. 

Back in Edinburgh, it's a bit of a driech day up at the castle, so some creature comforts are called for.

With more than 90 gin distilleries to keep the supply flowing, who needs whisky?

Slàinte mhath!