Actual Education Interactive Guided Tours

Robert Louis Stevenson's Picturesque Notes
Due Spring 2010

This unique virtual tour CD-ROM gives a whole new look to one of the classic books about Edinburgh. Robert Louis Stevenson's fascinating text is combined with our amazing 'full screen' images to give you a very innovative way to experience some of the classic stories from Edinburgh's history.

Features

• Over 40 panoramic scenes
• Each image taken has 'full screen' capability
• This tour is a perfect way to understand the changes which Edinburgh has gone through
• This tour uses Robert Louis Stevenson's excellent text
• This tour acts as the perfect accompaniment to an actual visit to Edinburgh
• This tour does not have audio
• Each image has been selected because it compliments Stevenson's original "Picturesque Notes"

Picturesque Notes Chapter 1
Introductory

Our tour around Stevenson's Edinburgh begins on the summit of Arthur's Seat with an awesome view of Holyrood Park. We also pay a visit to North Bridge before heading down to the picturesque Ross Bandstand in Princes Street Gardens and also finally on to the historic Grassmarket.

Picturesque Notes Chapter 2
Old Town - The Lands

We turn our attention to the tenements of Edinburgh's Old Town, reputedly the first skyscrapers in the world. We explore some of these towering 'lands' and visit the Castle Crag. No trip to the Old Town would be complete without a visit to Sempil's Close, Carruber's Close and the Heave Awa' House.

Picturesque Notes Chapter 3
The Parliament Close

We now visit the Parliament Close area. Sadly little of the original area remains but it doesn't take much to imagine the bustling heart of Edinburgh's Old Town and our technology lets you see how one of the busiest tourist areas today used to look. We learn about the infamous Tolbooth as well as the other buildings which play a part in Edinburgh's justice system.

Picturesque Notes Chapter 4
Legends

Stevenson was said to have listened to stories of Deacon Brodie when he was a child and this part of his work lets us explore some of the most charismatic places of the Old Town. We learn about a brutal murder in Tweeddale Close, the plague burials on Bruntsfield Links and the ghostly story of Major Weir.

Picturesque Notes Chapter 5
Greyfriars

Greyfriars Kirkyard is a bit of a favourite of ours and we were delighted to see that Stevenson gave it a prominent place in 'Picturesque Notes'. We've added areas to this tour which haven't been seen in our other tours.

Picturesque Notes Chapter 6
New Town - Town and Country

One of Robert Louis Stevenson's most famous works is the story of Jekyll and Hyde and some say that the inspiration for this was Deacon Brodie, respected public figure by day and criminal by night. Stevenson's Edinburgh also had a split personality in the shape of the decaying Old Town and the respectable and affluent New Town. Stevenson was brought up in a New Town house and it is to this part of Edinburgh which we now turn. Princes Street, St Stephen Street, Dean Village and St David Street are all visited as we learn about the New Town.

Picturesque Notes Chapter 7
The Villa Quarters

Our tour around Edinburgh now takes us to the affluent suburb of Morningside. We learn a little of the history of this famously posh area and also visit the fabled 'Bore Stone' - rumoured, probably incorrectly, to be the stone on which the Scots standard was raised before the Flodden campaign.

Picturesque Notes Chapter 8
The Calton Hill

We move on to the third most famous of Edinburgh's seven hills. We are able to explore Calton Hill in some detail as we pay quick visits to Dugald Stewart's monument and the recognisable facade of "Edinburgh's Disgrace". We finish by taking in the views to the north across to Fife and over the south, over Arthur's Seat.

Picturesque Notes Chapter 9
Winter and New Year

A winter visit to Edinburgh can be cold and miserable at times and wonderful at others. This chapter lets us take in some of the splendid winter scenery. We visit Colinton Dell, a place well known to Stevenson because his grandfather was the Minister of Colinton Church. Aside from visiting other locations in Colinton, we also visit the Tron Kirk. This historic building, now sadly disused, played an important role each year. Edinburgh's Hogmanay Street Party, held in Princes Street each December 31 is world-famous but the festivities only moved there towards the end of the twentieth century. The original street party, which would have been well known to Stevenson, was originally held just outside the Tron Kirk. Our chapter finishes with a quick visit to the Old Quadrangle of Edinburgh University where we learn of snowball-fighting students!

Picturesque Notes Chapter 10
To The Pentland Hills

Our final chapter sees us visiting the rolling Pentland Hills to the south of Edinburgh. We first visit the site of the old Boroughmuir where the army of King James IV gathered before their defeat at the Battle of Flodden. We head south, visiting Fairmilehead before going on a little exploration of the picturesque little village of Swanston. Stevenson spent some summers in this charming little village and the views that you will get will be little changed from the ones Stevenson enjoyed.

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You may also be interested in the following Interactive Guided Tours;

The Edinburgh's History Collection - Interactive Guided Tours of Edinburgh's Old Town and other Edinburgh topics.