EDINBURGH LIFE
A quick look at Britannia
Within the first year alone.
home.
forbidden.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Alba Adventure Company Thu 22 Oct: Wed 28 & Thti 29 Oct; Wed 4 & Thu 5 Nov. l0am—4pm. £6 (£4.50/£l.50). Edinburgh Castle. info: 668 8830/8686. The Historic Scotland season continues with more performances of living history. drama and comedy. Alba Ad‘. enture Company close ()ctoher with .-l Rei/t'out Soldier OfKing (ieorqe. with stories of life in the Castle in the aftermath of the Jacobite Uprising. November brings on A Scottish Cluttsntun who will describe the clothing and the weaponry at his disposal.
Big Cats Extravaganza Until Fri 23 Oct. Education Centre. Edinburgh '/.oo. Corstorphine Road. 334 4803. To raise funds for the Lions & Tigers Appeal. the zoo has laid on a series of workshops and lectures to celebrate our feline friends. The roaring climax on Friday starts at 7pm with mulled wine. followed by a guided tour of the big cats exhibits. supper and various entertainment at a £25 fee per person. hrliaaow. purr. hiss. scratch and so forth.
CD 8: Record Fair Sat 24 ()ct. lOam—4pin. £1 (70p). Assembly Rooms. George Street. info: 01360 440546. Dealers from across Scotland and the UK will be displaying their aural wares in disc. vinyl and cassette format. There are specialists in Country. blues. indie. imports and classical with very rare vinyl products.
Edinburgh Dolls House & Miniature Fair Sun 1 Nov. l0ain-4pni. £2.50 (£1.50). Hopetoun House. Shore Road. South ()ueensferry. 331 2451. A vast range of handcrafted dolls houses and miniatures which make the ideal Christmas present for the doll lover in your life.
Fireworks Extravaganza Thu 5 Nov. 7pm. £1.80 stand ticket & £1.50 ground ticket. Meadowbank Sports Centre. London Roatl. 661 5351. The Radio Forth roadshow kicks off the night‘s fun at 6.15pm. The display itself starts at
98 THE lIST 8—22 Oct 1998
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What is it? The Former Royal Yacht Britannia is one of the world's most famous ships and is the Jewel in the crown of Britain’s maritime history.
Who has sailed in her? World leaders such as Nelson Mandela, Bill Clinton, Tony Blair and Mahatma Ghandi have all been aboard the 412 ft yacht.
How many people will see her? Around 200,000 Visitors should be attracted
How many miles has she sailed? Britannia arrived in Leith in May having travelled more than one million miles in her role as a Royal residence and setting for engagements by the Queen during State and other visits overseas and at
Things you may not know Noel Coward has played the draWing-room piano; a special mahogany Windbreak was built on the Royal Bridge to prevent sea breezes from blowing up the Royal skirts; silence was golden when Royals were aboard — the ship’s company wore soft—soled plimsoles and shouting was
an: Britannia, Port of Leith, info 555 5566, 70.30am—6pm (last admission 4.30pm). £6. 50 (f5/f3. 75) family ticket [18.
7pm and should last a siz/ling 45 minutes.
Greenpeace Ceilidh Sat 24 ()ct.
8pm— midnight. £7 (£4). Assembly Rooms. George Street. 220 4349/346 2161. Hing yourself around for a good cause with The ()ccasionals providing the sounds and a prize is on offer for the best fancy dress.
Heritage Events Company Sun 25 ()ct & Sun 1 Nov. 1pm. 2pm. 3pm. £6 (£4.50/£l.50). Edinburgh Castle. info: 668 8830/8686. The Heritage Events Company take a look at classic author Sir Walter Scott. in The Regalia. distinguished councillor by day and cunning cat-burglar by night William Brodie — Deacon to his mates »— in The Coin/tony (Zl'lieggurs and one of Burke and Hare's less well-remembered victims. Mary Paterson in Creepers. Morningside Justice And Peace Group Wed 28 ()ct & Wed 4 Nov. 10.30am. 50p. ()pen Door. Morningside Road. info: 445 1628/229 1020. The group's autumn season of talks on topics of local. national and global concern continues with Forum: Who! I.\ ()n Your Ali/til." (Wed 28 Oct) followed by Alternative Energy Now: ll’inil In The ll’il/oii's (Wed 4 Nov).
Phoenix Books Bookfair Sat 24 ()ct. 10am—4pm. Free. Methodist Central Hall. West Tollcross. info: 01361 883318. Thousands of fiction and non-fiction hardback and paperback titles for the antiquarian collector or general reader. Scottish International Storytelling Festival Fri 23 ()ct Stiii I Nov. Netherbow Arts Centre. 43 High Street. 556 9579. £5 (£3.50). Annual festival featuring tales for all ages from Scottish and international storytellers. See Kids listings.
Scottish Knitting And Needlecraft Fayre Fri 23—Sun 25 ()ct. l0am—5pm. £5 (£4). Royal Highland Centre. lngliston. info: ()1 17 907 1000. The twelfth fayre has over 100 exhibitors covering all aspects of knitting and needlecraft including patchwork. embroidery.
quilting. sewing and crochet. A major feature is four fashion shows staged each day by international producer Paul Baccara. Kids under sixteen can get in free if accompanied by an adult. Scottish Wildlife Trust Abseil Sat 31 Oct 8: Sun 1 Nov. 9am—5pm. £5 registration fee. Edinburgh Napier University Sighthill Campus. info: 0141 427 3305. Prizes are oti the table for the wackiest costume and the most sponsorshi i raised in this SWT abseil. The Worl '5 Best Kept Secret? Sat 24 ()ct. 7.30pm. £5 (£2.50). St John's Church. Princes Street. info: 557 2957. Poetry and prose celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights from Edwin Morgan. loy Hendry. Angus Calder and Hamish Henderson. In aid ofAmnesty International.
PERMANENT ATTRACTIONS
Edinburgh Castle
225 9846. Daily 9.30am--5pm. £6 (£1.50»—£4.50). The castle's witness to the events and people who shaped Scotland's past is second to none: it also houses The Stone of Destiny. used to crown kings since history began.
Camera Obscura
Castlehill (Royal Mile). 2263709. Daily l0aiii—-6piii ( l0am-—5pm from Sun 1 Nov). Pick tip a pedestrian in your hand at this attraction. which gives visitors a real-time. 360 image of the city. There is also an exhibition devoted to holographs and photograth on the lower floors. Deep-Sea World
North Queensferry. Fife. 01383 411880. 10am-6pm (From Tue 3 Nov Mon—Fri l0am—5pm; Sat 84 Sun 10am—6pm). £6.15 (£4.25. £3.55). Famous for its underwater tunnel. which brings visitors face to face with a huge collection of fish native to our coastlines. Deep-Sea World also houses an Amazonian rain forest display. a touch-pool and educational facilities. Expert staff are on hand to answer questions and. thanks to the latest communications technology. visitors can even talk to divers as they feed the animals in the aquarium.
Georgian House
7 Charlotte Square. 225 216(1. Mon—Sat 10am—4.30pm: Sun 2—4.30pm (closed for winter from Sun 1 Nov). £4.20 (£2.80). Experience a period Georgian house. giving a taste of life in Edinburgh when the New Town was built.
Gladstone’s Land
4771) High Street. 226 5856. Mon -Sat 10am—4.30pm; Stm 2—4.30pm (closed for winter from Sun | Nov). £3 (£2 ). Restored to the splendour enjoyed by the merchant classes in the 17th century. Gladstone's Land gives an authentic representation of life in the medieval ()ld Town at this time.
Huntly House Museum
142 Canongate. 5294143. Mon Sat l0am—5pm. Free. Packed with historic artefacts. this restored 16th century mansion tells the story of Edinburgh’s past and its people. Also showing Hopes Am/ Dreams (Ithf/llg’l’t’x‘ In .S't‘oiltmt/ - see Edinbuth Art listiiws. page 94. Museum of Childhoo
42 High Street. 5294142. Mow-Sat 10am—5pm. Free. Founded in 1955. the museum has five public galleries with all manner of archive material and old toys relating to childhood through the ages. Also showing Alpha/rely - see Edinburgh Art listings. page 94. People’s Story
Canongate 'l‘olbooth. 163 Canongate. 529 4057. Mon- Sat I0atn~5pni. l‘i‘ee. Situated in the Canongate Tolbooth. the sights. sounds and even smells of Edinburgh folk from the 18th century onwards are faitltfullv reproduced.
Royal Museum Of Scotland
2 Chambers Street. 247 4219. Mon-Sat 10am-‘5pm (8pm Tue. free admission from 4.30pm); Sun noon—5pm. £3 (£1.50); children free; season ticket £5
(£2.50). A 19th century museum housing international collections of natural history. geology. science. technology and the decorative arts. Also showing Chinese Lllt‘qllc’l‘ . Photographic Display. Jewellery Moves and Making Weaves — see Edinburgh Art listings. page 92. Royal Observatory Visitor
Centre
Blackford Hill. 668 8405. Mon—Sat 10am—5pm; Stiii noon-5pm. £2.50 (£1.50). This attraction is a mine of information on the heavens. from the latest interactive CD-Ronis on space and astronomy to the observatory's ongoing work in Hawaii and Australia. Public star-gazing sessions take place every Friday night from October to March. Royal Yacht Britannia
10.30am—6pm (last admission 4.30pm). £6.50 (£5/£3.75) family ticket £18. Port of Leith. info: 555 5566. See photo capuon.
Scottish Telecom World Of Communications
Saltire Court. 10 Cambridge Street. 473 3939. Tue—Sat 10am—5pm; Sun 2—5pm. Free. This fully interactive exhibition looks at the history of communication featuring everything from Morse Code and old style telephones to computerised dis )lays.
Writers’ Museum
Lady Stair's House. Lady Stair's Close. 529 4901. Mon—Sat 10am—5pm. Free. A treasure-house of items relating to three of Scotland’s most famous writers: Robert Louis Stevenson. Robert Burns and Sir Walter Scott. Also showing Travels With/1 Donkey — see Edinburgh Art listings. page 92.
AROUND SCOTLAND
Aberdeen Alternative Festival Until Sat 24 Oct. Various venues in Aberdeen. info: 01224 635822. Now regarded as the country‘s biggest festival outwith that
. one in August. this year's event is
rounded off with the aid of folks like Stereophonics (Thu 22 ()ct). Jackie Clune (Fri 23 ()ct) and Bernard Butler (Sat 24 Oct).
Arthur’s Seat: A Storytelling Walk Sun 25 ()ct. 2pm. Holyrood Palace Car Park. ()131 557 5724. £3. Donald Smith imparts some stories. myths and legends surrounding Holyrood and the Queen‘s Park. Meet at Holyrood Palace Car Park. North Lanarkshire Cultural Festival Until Sat 24 Oct. Various venues in North Lanarkshire. info: 01698 267515. This year's festival concludes with the likes of footie/dance extravaganza Goal! (Thu 22 Oct). Lanarkshire Little Theatre’s Poros- ()l'c’l' The [forms (Thu 22—Sat 24 Oct) and the Fantasy Football Art League Exhibition (until 22 Nov).
Scottish Nature Photography Fair 98 Sat 24‘8110 25 ()ct. Battleby Centre. Retlgorton. 1’c‘l'111.01738 621818. mam—5.30pm. £15. Some of the big names in the world of landscape and wildlife photography offer helpful tips on catching that action shot. plus stalls and demonstrations.
The Secret Bunker Until Sat 31 Oct. 10am—5pm. £5.95 (£4.95/£3.25) family ticket £16.50. The Secret Bunker. Crown Buildings. St Andrews. ()1333 310301. The threat of a nuclear holocaust seems to have abated in recent times. though when blokes like Sadaam get that glint in their eye. you never know what might happen. Here is a chance to see where our beloved leaders would have fled to in the event of such nlobal devastation. Spooky Happenings Until Sun 25 Oct. 10am-5pm. £2.20 (£1.10) family ticket £5.50. Almond Valley Heritage Centre. Millfieltl. Livingston Village. 01506 414957. This event is billed as one which ‘may disturb some parents of a nervous disposition. btit will be enjoyed by children of all ages.‘ The trail of terror will uncover strange secrets. gruesome ghouls and. at little notice. the white lady of Livingston Mill should appear.