Incredible pictures show socially distanced tourists watching one o’clock gun firing at Edinburgh Castle

Historic Environment Scotland come up with innovative solution to allow visitors to watch cannon firing while keeping a safe distance from others.

Edinburgh Castle reopened to visitors at the beginning of August – after its longest period of closure since World War Two.

Visitors are currently only able to see the castle's external spaces, with a one-way system put in place.

But that hasn't put people off visiting the country's most popular tourist attraction – as incredible new pictures of socially-distanced tourists witnessing the firing of the famous one o’clock gun show.

Visitors at Edinburgh Castle can be seen social-distancing while watching the one o'clock gun show.

A spokesperson for Historic Environment Scotland (HES) told the Evening News: “The firing of the one o’clock gun is an most iconic moment at the castle, however with social distancing we needed to look at innovative solutions to allow visitors to watch while keeping a safe distance from others.

“We decided to mark the ground with a series of socially distant circles painted on the ground, one and half metres in diameter with two metre spacing between them throughout the area around the cannon.

“The rings are working well and look very striking from above, especially when each is filled with families, group of friends or individuals holding their breath waiting for the final few seconds before the clock strikes one.”

A message from the Editor:

Visitors at Edinburgh Castle stand socially distanced in marked out circles as they watch the daily one o'clock gun ceremony.

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