If you were in Edinburgh for three days in the summer....

[Calgacus]

The Firth of Forth is an estuary, but in geological terms it's a fjord. It's basically an arm of the North Sea, so I'd say you're right.

From the summit of Arthur's Seat you can see a number of mountains including Ben Vane (Campbell country) 66 miles away on the west coast, Ben More (Macnab country), Ben Lawers (Campbell again), and even the summit of Lochnagar (Farquharson country) some 70 miles to the north. You can also see right out into the North Sea proper beyond the Firth to the north east.

[JonathanB]

From the top of the Castle, you can see the Lammermuir Hills to the South and the hills in Fife to the North, which by my suburban standards are mountainous!

You also get a view from the Camera Obscura http://www.camera-obscura.co.uk/ which I've just remembered. It was awesome. That would be my must-see, on the basis I discovered it on my own and there's nothing else like it.

[Calgacus]

You can still see out to sea, Ben Vane and Ben More, which at 3,852 feet high is one of Scotland's higher peaks, from the castle.

[JonathanB]

I really must get to Edinburgh again.

[cessna152towser]

It turns out that there are a few tickets still available for the weightlifting venue at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on July 25th! AAAAAAGGGGHHHH.....not sure if the Luminous Joan wants to sit through a weightlifting tourney, but that would be very cool to see!
I spotted the Commonwealth Games in your signature, Alex...thanks for that!

At the moment it seems likely that I will be driving a vintage bus on some of the games days ferrying people between Glasgow city centre and the games venues.

we hope to see you this year in Stirling, perhaps we'll have a pint at the Portcullis

I'll be co-hosting the Clan Cunningham tent at Bannockburn.
As accommodation in the area is going to be at a premium I plan to travel home to Hawick on the Friday and Saturday nights and staying over at the Robert the Bruce hotel at Banockburn on the Sunday night.

If you want to do a bit a bit of family research, you could try the ScotlandsPeople Centre on Princes St.

For families from the south of Scotland (Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway) and north of England (Cumbria and Northumberland) there is an excellent genealogy resource at Hawick Heritage Hub.

[Alan H]

Dates are probably July 8, 9, 10 but could be July 27, 28, 29

Inverness Highland Games are July 19th, so I know where I'll be, then! Inverary is the following Tuesday, so we'll be driving across on the 20th. Then four days in Inverary.

[Jock Scot]

Right! July 19th Inverness, right I have that noted Alan.

[vmac3205]

I'm an Englishman (with a French surname) living in London and I've only been to Edinburgh a few times.

What I find breathtaking (and I don't think anyone has mentioned) is what the Michelin guides would call the "site" of Edinburgh.

It is the only major city I know in the UK where you can see sea and mountains from the City Centre. (I suppose technically the Forth of Firth isn't sea, but it sure looks like it to me.)

The National Gallery of Scotland is a nice collections of old masters, although very little Scottish. It is a much more managable size than the National Gallery in London. And it has an oil painting of a Dandie Dinmont terrier which was on display because some important paintings were bequeathed by the dog's owner, on condition his pooch would be permanently on display.

And the Scottish National Portrait Gallery is interesting as well.

Jonathan,

If it is wet and salty, and there are ships on it. it's probably a sea.

[Sturdy]

Not far from Edinburgh; my wife and I suggest Culloden and the Clava Cairns only 6 KM from Culloden - ancient history at the cairns, and if you can find them the brochs (Norse for fort), are ancient holdings! Lots to do in Edinburgh and around - just search the web!

[tpa]

Hope you are not too confused by all these excellent suggestions, Alan. Best make that 3 days into 3 weeks.