May is traditionally seen as the month that brings with it a promise of sunshine and warmth. Stuck in the often-rainy month of April, we are truly hoping this promise will come true this year. We cannot wait for the summer months to begin! So what shall we do with all the sunshine hopefully starting to come out in May?
The Beltane Fire Society celebrates a colourful, pagan welcome to the month of May on the night of 30 April. The Beltane Fire Festival goes on until the early hours of the 1 May on Calton Hill (only a 20 minute walk from the guest house). For more information on this event, please read our previous blog post.
May in Edinburgh is a month in which sport and the outdoors dominate life in the city. Here at The Walton we think of May in Edinburgh as the ‘Marathon Month’. The last weekend in May sees runners from all corners of the British Isles and abroad take part in the Edinburgh Marathon. On Friday 25 May, the 10K, 5K, and Junior Races are scheduled as part of the Edinburgh Marathon Festival. The starting/end point for those runs is the EMF Hub at Dynamic Earth. On Saturday 26 May, the Edinburgh Marathon and the Scottish Half Marathon will take place in the capital (more than the one starting point). You may still enter for one of those runs – just visit the Edinburgh Marathon Festival’s website.
For those of you who love spending as much time as possible in the spring sunshine, but may be less inclined to run a marathon, the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh offer a beautiful alternative. On a tour entitled “The Magic of Spring” the Curator of the Gardens takes you on a journey visiting the breathtaking displays of the early summer season. This tour is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, 8 May. The Royal Botanics are a mere 15 walking minutes away from the guest house, a regular local bus connection also exists (Lothian Buses Nos. 23 & 27)
And of course, I cannot write about fun things to do out in the May sunshine without mentioning Arthur’s Seat. Arthur’s Seat is the famous hill overlooking Edinburgh’s city centre. It is one of the capital’s landmarks most conveniently enjoyed in warm, sunny weather. The hill climb is refreshing and the views are stunning!
