EDINBURGH LIFE
FIVE NATIONS RUGBY Sat 6 Feb Jan. 3pm. Murra field Stadium, info: 346 5000. T is year's Five Nations tournament could have had a somewhat different look about it. but the threatened exclusion of England failed to materialise. The Scotland squad for this curtain-raiser against the once-invincible Welsh includes old favourites such as Kenn Logan, Gregor Townsend, Dod ie Weir and Alan Tait while the home side sweat on the fitness of captain Bryan Redpath. Should he fail to make it. Newcastle Falcons' back Gary Armstrong awaits the call to don the armband. The referee for the da is Ed Morrison who took solid c arge of the 1995 World Cup Final.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Five Nations Rugby Sat 6 Feb. 3pm. Murrayfield Stadium. info: 346 5000. See R2010 caption.
AD Mondays Mon 8 & 15 Feb. 6.30pm. Monboddo. Bread Street. info: 332 0829. The Manifesto Architecture Debates (MAD) continue with the first concerning the ambitions of architects in Scotland and whether the country is big enough to sustain them. while the second asks whether we have the skills and expertise to compete internationally. Momingside Justice And Peace Group Wed 10 & 17 Feb. 10.30am. 50p. Open Door. Momingside Road. info: 445 1628/229 1020. The group‘s spring programme continues with Voting According To Jenkins (Wed 10 Feb) followed by Youth Homelessness In Edinburgh (Wed 17 Feb).
Toughing It Out Thu I I Feb. 7.15pm. George Square Theatre. info: 0141 552 3330. The RSGS talk season continues with the distinguished climber and polar explorer David Hempleman-Adams discussing his methods. He is the first person to climb the highest mountain on each continent and to reach the North and South Geographic and Magnetic Poles. so listen up good.
Edinburgh Printmakers Weekend Course Sat 13 & Sun 14 Feb. £95 (£65). Edinburgh Printmakers Workshop. Union Street. 557 2479. Discover and indulge in the joys of acrylic resist etching. water- based screenprinting and stone
lithogra hy.
Sherry asting Wed I7 Feb. 7pm. £7.50. Queen‘s Hall. Clerk Street. 667 7776. Sherry slurper Peter Green presents an untutored tasting. If you want supper with yam tasting session. it's £17.
e Unknown Face Of Everest Thu 18 Feb. 7pm. £5. Assembly Rooms. George Street. 220 4349. Organised by the Jacobites Mountaineering Club. this slide show and lecture comes from Stephen
82 TI'IEIJST 4-18 Feb 1999
Venables. who in 1988 became the first British climber to reach the top of Everest without bottled oxygen.
PERMANENT ATTRACTIONS
Camera Obscura
Castlehill (Royal Mile). 226 3709. Daily 10am—5pm. Pick up 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 photography on the lower floors.
and booking. Literally. a trip to Edinburgh‘s underworld. Mary King‘s Close is part of a now subterranean network of streets. walled off in the middle ages during an outbreak of the plague. Visit the restored (or at least made stable and safe) street and hear the horror stories of the residents left to die.
Midlothian Ski Centre
Hillend. 445 4433. Mon—Sat 9.30am—9pm; Sun 9.30am—7pm. £6 (£4). EurOpe's longest artificial ski slope is the perfect place to Icam or hone skiing and snowboarding skills. A special deal on Saturday night gives you three hours skiing for the price of one. which can‘t be bad.
Carberry Candle Cottage Musselburgh. 665 5656. Mon—Fri 9am—5pm; Sat noon—5pm. If you‘ve a passion for candles. then take a drive out to this pandora‘s box of all things wax. Their factory shop is full of perfumed. aromatherapy and feng shui candles. plus a bargain clearance corner. Professionals are on hand to demonstrate the art of candle making. or you can try your hand at carving your own.
Craigmillar Castle
Niddrie Mains. 661 4445. Mon—Wed & Sat 9.30am—430pm; Thu 9.30am-1 pm (closed Fri); Sun 2—4.30pm. For a real taste of history. take a drive out to this ramshackle old castle. which although not quite as intact as Edinburgh Castle. is far more atmospheric and the scene of much plotting during the reign of Mary. Queen of Scots.
Deep-Sea World
North Queensferry. 01383 41 1880. Dain 10am—6pm. £6.15 (£3.55—£4.25). Mon—Fri 10am—5pm; Sat & Sun 10am—6pm. 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.
Edinburgh Castle
Royal Mile. 225 9846. Dain 9.30am—5pm. £6 (£1.50—£4.5()). Although much of the castle's medieval character was lost when it was converted into barracks in the 19th century. continuing excavations aim to redress this. ()ther attractions include James 1V‘s famous cannon. Mons Meg. lots of military silverware and. of course. The Stone Of Destiny. used to crown Scottish kings since time began.
Edinburgh Zoo
Corstorphine Road. 334 9171. Mon—Sat 9am—4.30pm; Sun 9.30am—4.30pm. £6.50 (£3.50—£4.50). Widely accepted as one of the finest zoos Britain has to offer. there‘s plenty here to while away an afternoon. or even a whole day if you take your time. The penguin parade at 2pm is a must and the newly built African plains afford a fantastic view of the city.
Gorgie City Farm
5| Gorgie Road. 337 4202. Daily 9.30am—4pm. Free. Set up in 1982 on a derelict council rubbish site. the fann is now home to a host of fannyard animals and equipment. as well as organic and herb gardens.
Huntly House
142 Canongate (Royal Mile). 529 4143. Mon—Sat 10am—5pm. Free. Packed with historic artefacts. this restored 16th century mansion tells the story of Edinburgh‘s past and its people. Also on show [Io/ii Tusveerein. See Edinburgh Art listings page 78.
Mary King's Close Tours
Meet at Mercat Cross (beside St Giles’ Cathedral). 225 6591. £5 (£4). Tours take place at various times — phone for details
Museum of Childhood
42 High Street (Royal Mile). 529 4142. Mon—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. From antique dolls to 1980‘s computer games. there‘s plenty here to send you off on a trip down memory lane. Also on show Seen But Not Heard. See Edinburgh Art Listings page 78.
gazing sessions take place every Friday night from October to March.
Royal Yacht Britannia
Ocean Drive. Leith. 555 5566. Daily 10.30am—6pm. £6.50 (£3.75—£5). The former royal yacht has recently opened its doors to members of the public after a £25 million refit. The on-shore visitor centre contains historical information on the boat and its furnishings while. on the yacht itself. members of the public can have a good nosy round the royals' former quarters.
The People's Story
163 Canongate (Royal Mile). 529 4057. Mon—Sat 10am—5pm. Free. Situated in the Canongate Tolbooth. the sights. sounds and even smells of Edinburgh folk from the 18th century onwards are faithfully reproduced.
Witchery Tour
Meet outside The Witchery restaurant. Castlehill (Royal Mile). 225 6745. £7 (£4). Nightly at 9pm & 10pm. Take a trip to the dark side of Edinburgh with your guide. Adam Lyal deceased. who will regale you with stories of torture. tnurder and witchcraft.
Museum Of Scotland
Chambers Street. 247 4219. Mon—Sat 10am—5pm: Sun noon—5pm: Tue 10am-8pm. £3 (£1.50); children free. The most recent addition to our national museum selection and the only one dedicated solely to Scotland‘s history and heritage. The building contains five thematically-arranged exhibitions. moving frotn pre-history. through the Industrial Revolution. to the present day.
Old Town Weaving Company
555 Castlehill (Royal Mile). 226 1555. Mon—Sat 9am—5.30pm; Sun 10am—5pm. Free. Watch tartan appear before your very eyes at this weaving wonderland. It’s free to watch. but if you feel like having a go. £3 buys you a shot on the loom and £2 gets you into two mixed-media exhibitions. Story ()1 ll’euving and Highland Dress Through The Ages. And if you're feeling brave you can dress up in ancient Scottish costume and have your photie taken.
Palace of Holyroodhouse
Royal Mile. 556 1096. Daily 9.3()am—4.30pm. £5.30 (£2.60); fatnin ticket £13. Starting life as a 13th century abbey. the palace has evolved into a sumptuous regal residence crammed full of paintings and artefacts dating back primarily to the 17th century. Also on show Queen Victoria is I’d/nil): See Edinburgh Art listings page 78.
Royal Botanic Garden
Inverleith Row. 552 7171. Daily 9.30am—7pm. Free. 9.30am—5pm. A sea of tranquility in the hubbub of the city. the Botanic Garden is home to a wealth of flora and fauna from all over the world. plus some pretty impressive tropical plants in the enormous glasshouses.
Royal Museum of Scotland
2 Chambers Street. 247 4219. Mon—Sat 10am—5pm; Sun noon—5pm; Tue 10am—8pm. £3 (£1.50). A 19th century museum housing international collections of natural history. geology. science. technology and the decorative arts. plus two permanent exhibitions: Art A} IIIt/ll.\'il‘_\' and The In Wu (Jul/er); Also on show Chinese lxlt't/llt‘l' anti Danish 'Iiipeslrv. See Edinburgh Art listings page 78.
Royal Observatory Visitor Centre Blackford Hill. 668 8405. Mon—Sat 10am-5pm; Sun noon—5pm. £2.50 (£1.50). This attraction is a mine of information on the heavens. from the latest interactive CD-Roms on space and astronomy to the observatory's ongoing work in Hawaii and Australia. Public star-
Writers Museum
Lady Stair‘s House
Lady Stair's Close. Edinburgh. 5294901. 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 on show Naomi Mire/iison. See Edinburgh Art listings page 78.
OUTSIDE THE CITIES
SPECIAL EVENTS
Friends Of St Mary's Candlemas Fair Sat 6 Feb. 10am—noon. £1. St Mary's Parish Church. Haddington. 01620
82511 1. Cake. candy. books. plants and the like will be on the stalls while you browse to the sounds of the Haddington Fiddles and the Holy Trinity Handbells. The Fife Wedding Exhibition And Bridal Fashion Show Sun 7 Feb. 11am—5pm. £1.50. Rothes Halls. Rothes Square. Glenrothes.01592611101. Let the Rothes Halls get you to the church on time etcetera . . . This exhibition allows you to meet the experts from all areas of the wedding trade. with fashion shows and lots advice on everything from what the mother-of-the- bride should wear to how best to deal with hecklers during your speech.
Cracking River Ceilidh Sat 13 & Sun 14 Feb. New Lanark World Heritage Village and Falls ()f Clyde Nature Reserve. New Lanark. 01506 656100. A weekend of storytelling. crafts and music as a warm- up for this year's Glasgow Storyfest. Over the two days there are workshops for storytelling — with Ewan McVicar. Gordon Maclellan and Allan Davies — and crafts in love potions. lantern-making and love tokens.
Cat Show Sat 13 Feb. noon—4.30pm. £2 (£1). Rothes Halls. Rothes Square. Glenrothes. 01592 61 1 101. The Shorthaired Cat Club presents a show open to all pedigree shorthaired cats and household moggies. if you‘re allergic to them. don‘t go.
PERMANENT ATTRACTIONS
Abbot House
Maygate. Dunfennline. Dain
l()am~4. 15pm. £3 (£2). Asa medieval capital and favourite burial place for the kings and queens of Scotland (including old Hrucie). 1)unfermline's witness to the events of Scottish history is second to none. The recently refurbished Abbot's House features recreations of important events and people from throughout Scottish history. including the shrine of St Margaret and a bust of suffragette Anna Munro.
—_+_