Festivals & Fairways: August in Edinburgh
Saturday, July 25th, 2009The Edinburgh International Festival brings the Scottish capital city of Edinburgh alive in a swathe of colors and sounds each August and draws visitors from across the globe to the city, to experience a wealth of diverse entertainment.
The Edinburgh Festival is in reality a collective term for the numerous smaller festivals which take place around the city during the month, bringing a range of theatre, opera, music, comedy and arts to the capital. As you might expect, Edinburgh can become a rather bustling and sometimes noisy city during the festival month so what improved way to escape from the maddening crowds than heading for the fairways of any of Edinburgh’s golf courses?
In fact, numerous people who visit the festival do so on a short golf break and so combine the 2 activities; playing golf in the mornings and then setting off into the city to catch a show and/or a bite to eat. What’s more, numerous of the festival’s shows run until late in the evening and in some cases even the small hours of the morning, so there’s plenty of time to do both.
Take a walk through the Meadows or down the Royal Mile where numerous performances take place all around, from fire-eaters and jugglers to magic acts and street musicians and mimes all competing for attention, while numerous clubs increase their opening hours well into the morning.
If you’re 1 of those people looking to combine the festival with the fairways of Edinburgh on a golf break, then there are plenty of options to select from. If you’re after opulent elegance at a top class golfing venue away from the bustle of the city centre then the Marriot Dalmahoy Hotel and Country Club ought be high on your list. This four-star establishment has 2 golf courses on its estates – the East and West courses – with the East course playing host to the Solheim Cup in 2002. Dalmahoy has also staged the Scottish PGA and Scottish Seniors Open and provides a fair, if long, test for golfers. Dalmahoy is also situated a short bus or taxi ride from Edinburgh International Airport and the Waverley rail station while a regular bus service passes the front gate of the estate each 15 minutes, linking Edinburgh with the nearby town of Livingston.
For those wishing to stay closer to the action of the festival but still tread the fairways then look for Edinburgh golf tours which list such courses as Craigmillar Park Golf Club, Braid Hills and Kings Acre Golf Club among its itinerary.
One of the ideal benefits of combining a golf break in Edinburgh with a visit to the festival, is the guarantee of accommodation as the hotels, hostels and bed and breakfast in and around the capital fill up swiftly at festival time and remain booked throughout the month, meaning bed space is scarce. But with a golf break, you can rest assured you’ll have a place to rest your head at the end of the day.
So, if you’re considering paying a visit to Scotland’s capital for the festival, why not combine it with a golf break to play some of the city’s ideal courses as well as taking in some of the ideal independent entertainment you’ll obtain anywhere in the world.
Brian Healy writes for YourGolfTravel.com (http://www.yourgolftravel.com), an operator of UK golf breaks and golf holidays in Europe and around the world. Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/golf-articles/festivals-fairways-august-in-edinburgh-1066489.html

















