MINOR PLEASURES OF THE MODERATELY INTERESTING

Walking along McDonald Road the other day, I was passed by two sightseeing buses. I thought this was odd; we were a long way from any meaningful tourist sights and – no offence to the good people of McDonald Road – what was there to see here? 

I decided to investigate.

I went along to the Edinburgh Bus Tours headquarters, basically that bus lane opposite Princes Mall. I asked around but no one could tell me why McDonald Road was a top tourist destination. I was told I could find out more on the Majestic Tour for the handsome price of £14.

I decided against forking out the cash because my Spurtle expenses forms are always rejected (by the way Spurtle, you’re paying for that Nando’s meal – no one endures that for free, not even for the purposes of hyperlocal investigative journalism).

I decided to go back to McDonald Road and take my own free sightseeing tour. Here’s what I discovered:

• At the top of McDonald Road there is a small view of the Crags but better views can be found elsewhere and it doesn’t warrant a bus trip.
 
• 
  The abandoned ship in McDonald Road Fire Station could be the reason for the bus tour. How did it get there? There’s nothing tourists like better than a mystery.
In fact it's because the Fire Station is home to the Scottish International Fire Training Centre, which also explains the tower. 
• The two stencilled pigeons on either side of the door to The Stack are eye catching but probably not worth the detour.
 
• If you squint whilst looking down Bellevue Road you can just about make out the Castle but again, better views can be found elsewhere in the city.
 
• At the bottom of McDonald Road is one of the ugliest buildings in Edinburgh. The less said about the Powderhall Waste Transfer Station the better.

I have come to the conclusion that McDonald Road is not one of Edinburgh’s top tourist attractions but that’s what makes it interesting. 

What more do you want in an Edinburgh street? McDonald Road is a road better equipped than most. It comes with a fire station, a school, a library, its own cadet force, a mystery ship, some public art as well as other amenities. It has a view of the Castle, a partial view of the Crags, an extremely ugly building and some intriguing buildings with a bit of history. 

I may never find out why buses use the road on their routes. It’s probably just a thoroughfare and a means to get somewhere else more quickly but I’d like to think that the tourists are being told something about the road that we who live in the neighbourhood don't know. Until someone buys me a ticket, I’ll never know.

Perhaps it’s time that Broughton has its very own bus tour, touring the streets that you don’t expect to see. There are plenty of marks on the land that aren’t highlights but mak for an interesting tale. There are plenty of characters in Broughton who aren’t famous but are moderately entertaining and worth sharing with a wider public.

McDonald Road would certainly make it onto my itinerary but what about yours? What would you like to see and where would you like to visit on Broughton’s tour of nowhere in particular? 

Share your ideas with me at @TheLHTD  You can read more musings by the Left-Handed Tea Drinker by visiting thelefthandedteadrinker.wordpress.com.