Edinburgh’s Hogmany celebrations are famous the world over, as Princes Street and Princes Street Gardens transforms into a sea of revelers dancing and singing their way into the New Year. Counting down the bells on Princes Street was my first experience of Edinburgh and one that encouraged me to come and live here some years ago, I am very excited.

As usual organisers have pulled out all the stops to ensure it’s a fabulous event and this year we see the headline acts Primal Scream, Mark Ronson, The Vaccines, Kassidy, Frisky and Mannish and The Cuban Brothers take to the stage to mark Edinburgh’s Hogmany celebrations.

For Edinburgh based band Matt Norris and The Moon, this 2012 Edinburgh Hogmany party will be extra special. After entering the ‘Hog The Street’ competition run by Edinburgh based Leith Records and winning, they will be playing on stage in front of thousands at the New Year celebrations.

With a set of 3 to 4 songs, Dave Law, who plays trumpet for the band, said it will be the biggest crowd they have played to so far, meaning the whole band is hugely excited.  Since forming in 2009 Matt Norris and The Moon have rapidly rose on the Edinburgh gigging scene. As yet unsigned they have gained momentum supporting the likes of Woodenbox, Three Blind Wolves and Villagers as well as their successful own shows at venues such as The Voodoo Rooms.

The band are fresh from the studio where they have recorded their soon to be released EP, and besides practising for this exciting Hogmany gig,  they are getting ready to tour the Highlands of Scotland. “The crowds in the Highlands are so appreciative of bands touring, we love it there” says Dave. “As well as the Highland Tour we’re hoping to play at more festivals next year, we start off in May with the Brew Dog Festival, ‘Brew on the Bog’, which will see us playing alongside some of our favourite Scottish bands, Kitty The Lion and Three Blind Wolves, the line up is amazing!”

“We jumped at the chance to enter the ‘Hog The Street’ competition and although we thought our chances of winning were good, we never imagined we would. It’s the continued support of our fans that have put us here. They got involved in our facebook page, and supported us on judging day, coming down to see us busking on Princes Street,  and giving generously to the chosen charity, Shelter. The Hogmany gig is a different league to what we’re used to, and we’ll enjoy minute of it i’m sure! Then we’re celebrating the rest of the new year together with a big after party!”

Matt Norris and The Moon can be found on Facebook and if you would like to listen to this great Edinburgh band you can do so there.

Standing opposite Edinburgh’s famous Jenners department store and looking out across to Princes Street Gardens, visitors to Edinburgh cannot fail to miss the impressive Victorian designed Scott Monument located at the top of the Gardens.  Visitors to the monument can climb the 287 steps, (yes we counted) to the top and enjoy clear views across Edinburgh and beyond. Open from April through to September the Scott Monument is a popular tourist attraction.

A notable part of Edinburgh city’s famous skyline, The Scott Monument, stands in memory of one of Scotland’s most notable writers, Sir Walter Scott. The 61.11 metre Victorian Gothic design is the largest monument to a writer in the world and it began creation in 1840.

Confusion has often surrounded the monument as to it’s ‘dirty’ appearance and it has received mixed reviews from visitors.  Indeed its 1990′s refurbishment was halted for this reason.  It was intended to undergo a full clean up but arguments were considered that the sandstone used in design, Binny Sandstone, is thought to have been chosen as it attracts dirt quickly to give the monument an ‘aged’ effect. In Victorian Britain this was a common design feature, though perhaps the smoke and soot from industrious Britain was not overly considered at the time.

Self taught architect George Meikle Kemp was appointed to construct the monument and Aberdeen born sculptor John Steell was commissioned for the design of the marble statue of Sir Walter Scott. John Steell’s works are dotted around Edinburgh. Visitors to the city can enjoy his further works including The Duke of Wellington, known locally as ‘The Iron Duke’ opposite the Balmoral Hotel, the Artist Allan Ramsey on The Mound and The Prince Consort in Charlotte Square. John Steell was appointed Sculptor to Queen Victoria in 1898. and shortly after the unveiling of his statue of Queen Victoria’s beloved Prince Albert, he received a knighthood.

Full details of the Scott Monument can be found here on the The City of Edinburgh’s website and with thanks to www.australiaphotos.co.uk

Photo Courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/people/cawa

Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland, is a great city for shopping. Easy accessed by road, rail or plane, our beautiful city has much to offer for weekend shoppers.

During the winter months, Edinburgh’s Princes Street is without a doubt one of the nicest and easiest city centres to shop. All shops are located to one side with the pretty Princes Street Gardens on the other. Along Princes Street you will find typical High Street stores River Island, Next, Gap, H&M, The Disney Store, Build A Bear Factory, Office, BHS, Waterstones, The Levi Store, Urban Outfitters, HMV, Barratts, All Saints, USC, Zara, Boots, Game, Currys Digital, Whittards of Chelsea, Lush, The Body Shop, Thorntons, Monsoon, Accessorise and Russell and Bromley.

Edinburgh’s oldest department store, Jenners, which opened it’s doors in 1838, is located towards the east end of Princes Street. Jenners is known as the ‘Harrods of the North’ due to it’s royal association. The Queen visited in 1988 on it’s 150th anniversary and it has held a Royal warrant since 1911. Jenner’s has everything you require from a department store. It also has a very much revered Father Christmas and children will delight in a visit to the magical grotto. Stocking, to my excitement, a large collection of high street fashion pioneers, Biba, no visit to Edinburgh is complete without a walk through it’s doors.

Shopping in Edinburgh stepped up a further notch with the arrival of its very own Harvey Nichols department store in 2002. A weekend trip to Edinburgh is much more of a designer experience since the luxury brand stockist opened its doors.

Photo Credit http://www.flickr.com/photos/dennajones/

Stocking far too many designer brands to list  on this post at least Harvey Nichols evokes a sense of style and designer flair. Walking through it’s impressive glass door held opened by one of its attired doormen, can never fail to excite this shopper!

The downstairs floor houses every make-up counter you will ever need, and ones you do not even know you did. From Laura Mercier to Estee Lauder every cosmetic requirement is catered for. You can even book to get your nails done at the exclusive nail and champagne bar, a place most girls make a beeline for. The subsequent floors house beautifully designed creations that most Edinburgh residents can only covet from afar. The fourth floor in particular houses a great restaurant and a food store with delights from all over the world.

Located at the edge of Multrees Walk, where elite brands such as Emporio Armani, Ted Baker, Links Of London, Mulberry, Louis Vitton, Reiss, Kurt Geiger, Replay, Firetrap, Calvin Klein, and Bravissimo take up space, Multress Walk also has a Sassoon salon and cafe.

There are two further department stores located along Princes Street, John Lewis and House of Frasers, (who also own Jenners). Both are located at opposite ends of the street and between all four department stores you will find everything you need.

Princes Street also benefits from two shopping malls, the St James Centre and Princes Mall. Both are located at the East end of Princes Street, close to the majestic Balmoral Hotel. The St James Centre has a very big John Lewis and is connected to Multrees Walk. St James Centre houses most High Street Brands such as River Island and Next, as well as a cafeteria area and internet cafe. Princes Mall houses a few high street brands such as KooKai and New Look, as well as a several mixed designer shops and Scottish tourist shops.

Running parallel with Princes Street is George Street. George Street is an eclectic mix of cool bars, restaurants and mid to luxury range of branded shops. Here you will find a broad selection of fashion retailers including Jo Malone, Cath Kidston, Karen Millen, Pepperberry, Whistles, Jack Wills, Cruise, Thomas Pink, Jaegar, Jigsaw, Coast, The White Stuff, Space NK and Hobbs.

The most exciting news since Harvey Nichols joined Edinburgh’s vibrant shopping scene and something that has been keeping fashionistas in Edinburgh on tender hooks with its opening date, is not the trams, (don’t get us started on that just yet!) but the huge Primark store. Just in time for the expected hordes of Christmas shoppers, Primark is set to open it’s doors this winter. In the mean time shoppers have had to trek to Stirling, Glasgow or Dunfermline  to get their hands on the fast fashion label. But this winter, Edinburgh will be the one stop shop for visitors and residents alike.

Enjoy Edinburgh, Enjoy!

The Homeless World Cup takes place in Paris, August 21st-28th, with 64 nations competing against each other. The introduction of it’s own Web Tv project means, for the first time ever, the matches can be viewed by a much wider audience. Almost 400 teams will take to the turf in fast paced matches, 14 minutes in total, and you can watch all the action from your desk on The Homeless World Cup website 

Looking down onto Princes Street Gardens from Edinburgh Castle, note the railway transecting the gardens

[Image credit: anotherformofrelief]

The Topography Of Princes Street Gardens

Princes Street Gardens is an expansive public space which features walking paths and grass lawns in the summer, where locals gather to enjoy the long hours of Edinburgh’s summer sunlight and meet up with friends. The eastern end of the gardens is primarily field space, and the garden is broken in half by the Mound and the Scottish National Galleries (part of a huge and recent renovation which builds restaurants and gallery entrances directly into the side of the Mound).

Princes Street Gardens, locals and tourists alike soak up the long hours of summer sunshine

On the other side of the Mound, beneath Edinburgh Castle, there are several fountains and pathways. Train tracks run through the garden, emerging from underground and continuing through the gardens until they reach Waverly Station in the East: Edinburgh’s major transportation hub.

The unique feature of Princes Street Gardens is that it is set deep into the earth, with rich, fertile soil accumulated over decades (if not centuries) of being used as the sewage system for the Old City. This results in beautiful foliage and stunning flowers which bloom in abundance thanks to Scotland’s wet weather and fertile soil.

[Image credit: duncan]

Princes Street Gardens, Summer & Winter

In the summer, the western end of Princes Street Gardens features small fairs and a carousel, great rides for teens and children alike, with access to the old city. During the winter, an ice rink is set up in the east end of the garden, below a German Market offering seasonal treats and trinkets.

Princes Street Gardens is transformed to a winter wonderland every December

There are a number of parks in Edinburgh, but Princes Street Garden is the crown jewel which offers the experience of the outdoors as well as the convenience of its city center location.

Central Edinburgh in Summer

Even in the centre of Edinburgh there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the summer sun, whether in one of the numerous parks or on a pavement cafe or pub.

Princes Street Gardens lies between Edinburgh Castle and Princes Street, it is the perfect place in the centre of Edinburgh to catch the summer sun.

Central Edinburgh's perfect summer location - Princes Street Gardens

[Image credit: thecnote]

The view of Princes Street Gardens looking down from Edinburgh Castle

[Image credit: robeeena]

Dissecting Princes Street Gardens is the Mound which leads you from Princes Street up onto the Royal Mile. Here you will be lead past two beautifully maintained flower beds.

The Mound, bathed in Edinburgh's summer sun

[Image credit: thecnote]

Elevated Summer Views Of Edinburgh

Edinburgh Castle is of course the focal point of our city and the views from it in summer are simply breathtaking, we’re sure you will agree!

On a clear summer's day you can look North and peek into Fife from the safety of Edinburgh Castle

[Image credit: robeena]

Calton Hill is a beautiful vantage point from which to view Edinburgh Castle in the West

[Image credit: Pip R. Lagenta]

Of course there are many hills in Edinburgh, not only Castle Rock and Calton Hill, the summer view from Arthur’s Seat is magnificent too!

Beautiful views are the reward for those fit enough to get to the top of Edinburgh's Arthur's Seat

[Image credit: Twm™]

Edinburgh Parks To Enjoy The Summer In

Edinburgh has loads of public parks to enjoy the summer sun in, whether for a picnic, frisbee or just sunbathing! The Meadows is a vast expanse of parkland which is very popular amongst locals and tourists alike:

The Meadows, with Arthur's Seat in the background - both perfect places for a summer's day in Edinburgh

[Image credit: hettie mcfarlane]

A beautiful summer's day in the Meadows despite clouds over Edinburgh

[Image credit: 0olong]

At the foot of the Royal Mile lies Holyrood Park, which is often overlooked by locals and tourists alike and as such is often quiet even on the most gorgeous summer days.

A summer evening in Edinburgh's Holyrood Park

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Holyrood Park also sits at the foot of Arthur’s Seat, Edinburgh’s second volcano

Edinburgh's Arthur's Seat as seen on a summer's day from Holyrood Park

Summer Sunset On Edinburgh

Of course this article would not be complete without a fabulous Edinburgh summer sunset to end with!

A summer sunset in Edinburgh

[Image credit: ewanmcdowall]

We hope you enjoyed this summer gallery of Edinburgh, are there any places you feel we should have added too?