Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home Open Day
Edinburgh’s Pipefest
Borders Railway means Scotrail service alterations
Summer at the National Museum of Scotland
Flowers in the woods at Dreghorn
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On Sunday, 9th August 2015 the bands taking part in Pipefest will form up on Johnstone Terrace from 11:30am and the parade will then start from the top of Johnstone Terrace at 1:00pm
There are many vantage points to view the parade, including the Lawnmarket (around the top of the Royal Mile), near St Giles Cathedral.
Fundraising: The nominated charity for Pipefest 2015 is Marie Curie Cancer Care.
They have already set out the music to be played. The list is here.
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At the beginning of the week, the Scottish Government announced that Her Majesty The Queen will officially open the new Borders Railway on Wednesday 9 September – the same day she becomes Britain’s longest-reigning monarch.
The Queen’s visit will follow a weekend of celebrations, with a community-focussed ‘Golden Ticket’ day on Saturday 5 September, and the beginning of passenger services on Sunday 6 September.
Then, on Thursday 10 September, the first passenger steam train will operate on the Borders Railway – one of 17 to make a return journey between Edinburgh Waverley and Tweedbank.
In order to deliver these exciting events, ScotRail is advising customers that some alterations will be made to timetabled services.
Rob Shorthouse, ScotRail’s client and communications director said, “We are honoured that Her Majesty The Queen will open the new Borders Railway on Wednesday 9 September.
“Her visit, along with the Golden Ticket day and steam excursions, will make it an exciting time for Midlothian and the Scottish Borders – and the country as a whole.
“These events will have an impact on our scheduled services, but we have tried to limit the inconvenience to our passengers, and sincerely thank everyone for their understanding.”
He added, “Timetable alterations may not show in online ticket purchasing systems for a few days, so customers should check closer to the time before making any plans to travel on the Borders line in the first few weeks after opening.”
SATURDAY 5 SEPTEMBER
All services between Edinburgh Waverley and Newcraighall from 05:55 until 15:15 will be replaced by a bus service (which will also call at Brunstane).
WEDNESDAY 9 SEPTEMBER
On Wednesday, 9 September – the day of Her Majesty’s visit – the following five services will not operate:
10:54 & 13:54 Edinburgh – Tweedbank09:59, 10:28 & 14:59 Tweedbank – EdinburghOther services will start from/terminate at Gorebridge, and some will omit calls at other stations. Full information on these cancellations and alterations can be found at www.scotrail.co.uk/borders-service-alterations
THURSDAY 10 SEPTEMBER – SUNDAY 18 OCTOBER
Passenger steam services due to take place on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays from 10 September will also result in some service alterations.
Wednesdays and Thursdays
The following services will not operate:
10:54 & 14:24 Edinburgh – Tweedbank11:59 & 14:59 Tweedbank – EdinburghOther services will be altered, and some journey times may be extended. Sundays
No services will be cancelled on Sundays, but some services will have slightly longer journey times.
Full information on these alterations can be found here.
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Life goes on as normal this summer at the National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, but they also have some additional entertainment on offer during the Festival.
Photography: a Victorian Sensation, a series of concerts featuring musicians from Scotland and beyond, and three special “after hours” Fringe events feature in a packed programme of Edinburgh festival events.
On 14, 21 and 28 August, the National Museum of Scotland presents Museum After Hours: Friday Fringe Takeover, a unique opportunity to explore the Museum’s collections and its Photography: a Victorian Sensation exhibition after hours, with bars, music and performers in the Grand Gallery and beyond.
Artists from across the globe will perform at these unmissable events, including 360 ALLSTARS, a radical urban circus; Seed: Advancement, an award-winning Japanese taiko drumming, and swordplay group; Danza del Caribe, one of Cuba’s most prestigious dance companies; and an original and entertaining science show will be presented by Festival of the Spoken Nerd. To keep things fresh, the line-up changes each week.
In addition to enjoying the programmed acts, Fringe-goers can put on their best poses in a Victorian-themed photo booth, enjoy music from vintage DJ Lord Holyrude and explore activities tailored around the Museum’s exhibitions. There will be bars open throughout the night and the Museum’s Brasserie will be open for those wanting to combine dinner with their night of entertainment.
Guests at the Museum After Hours event will also enjoy another treat on the night with free access to Photography: a Victorian Sensation, which will enable them to meet the pioneers of photography and discover how the Victorian craze for the photograph transformed the way we capture images today as well as mirroring our own modern-day fascination for recording the world around us.
Tickets cost £16 (£14 concessions) and are on sale now at www.nms.ac.uk/afterhours. The events, which feature acts hand-picked by media partners at The List, will take place on Fridays 14, 21 and 28 August, from 7.30pm to 10.30pm.
Free Fringe Music, in association with Live Music Now Scotland, will showcase some of the best contemporary talents from across Scotland and beyond – for free. Every day at 2pm from 8-30 August, visitors to the Museum will be invited to enjoy a different talent each day, from bold brass and fabulous fiddlers, to soprano soloists and singer-songwriters.
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A magnificent display of wildflowers is adding summer colour to Scotland’s First World War Centenary Wood in the Pentland Hills.
Millions of seeds from flowers including poppies, cornflower and mayweed were scattered by local cadets and scouts last November to form two large meadows.
Alan Mitchell from the Woodland Trust Scotland said: “The wildflower meadows have exploded into life in the last few weeks. There’s a wide range of wildflowers in the mix that flower at different times, so they are changing almost every day at the moment.
“We’ve included a number of flowers that will take another year or two to flower including foxgloves, vipers bugloss and meadow cranesbill, so the meadows will continue to change over time.”
The Woodland Trust Scotland is working in partnership with the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) to create Scotland’s First World War Centenary Wood at Dreghorn and Castlelaw Ranges near Edinburgh.
More than 50,000 native trees will be planted over 100 acres, connecting existing woodland and proving new habitat for wildlife. Members of the public can dedicate a tree within the new woodland at www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/fww
The Trust is planting millions of trees to mark the centenary of the conflict with the support of lead partner Sainsbury’s, key individuals, landowners, schools and community groups.
We spotted some lovely flowers on the John Muir Way the other week too. Much prettier than just grass as well as all the other benefits flowers like this bring. Have you spotted any wildflowers around Edinburgh? Then share them with us!
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Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
