Normally I like visiting the main hall of the original part of the National Museum of Scotland during the day, as the Victorian glass and steel roof means this large space is flooded with natural light, even on an overcast, cloudy day (several galleries along the railings are well served by this light, especially a row of sculptures). Still, it has a certain charm after nightfall too:

I was zooming in on this handsome old wrought-iron drinking fountain with its elaborate surround. I had the camera on a tripod and used a (fairly short!) long exposure, the result was this very clear image of the fountain while the visitors around it were all motion blurred ghosts. It wasn’t a deliberate plan but I quite like the sort of quality it brought to this pic:

Looking straight cross the main hall to the stairs ascending and descending at the opposite end:

Meanwhile, a little earlier I had been on the roof terrace of the modern part of the museum, a free to visit spot that many seem to miss, but which offers splendid views out across Edinburgh’s Old Town in all directions, including eastwards to Athur’s Seat, the huge extinct volcano which sits in the Royal Park of Holyrood (by the palace) and gives us a chance for a country hill walk without leaving the town. Here is Arthur’s Seat and Salisbury Crags catching the final half hour of golden light on a winter’s afternoon:

Flocks of birds swooping around in tight formation over the rooftops of the Old Town as dusk falls on the short winter day:

Spires and minarets of Heriot’s School silhoutted by the setting winter sun:

Looking north from the roof terrace across the Old Town:

And of course you get a terrific view of the Castle:

And Outlook Tower, part of the Camera Obscura, which has been a visitor attraction in the city since the 19th century and still draws them in, sitting right in front of the entrance to the Castle Esplanade, again catching the last few minutes of winter daylight:

And this one was an impulse shot – the east side of the roof terrace has a white wall, with a large section cut out. As the sun was rapidly reclining in the west it cast a gorgeous golden light, throwing shadows onto the white wall and that lovely, warm colour. Along with the cut-put viewing space in the wall acting like a picture frame with the dome of Old College (a distinctive landmark on the Old Town’s skyline) I thought I’d try a pic, quite pleased with how it came out, given it was a spur of the moment thing when I noticed how the light was hitting the wall: