Colinton Parish Church

There was a Church on this site since 1095 and the present one was built in 1908 so this is it's Centennary Year. I spent a couple of hours in the area and had a light lunch in 'The Swing' cafe at the Church Hall, it was excellent and very reasonably priced. Robert louise Stevenson often stayed at the manse as a child and would Swing on a huge tree in the garden. This tree can still be seen complete with Swing as it's a Scottish heritage tree and is reckoned to be over 400 years old.

The Swing
by Robert Louis Stevenson

How do you like to go up in a swing,
Up in the air so blue?
Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing
Ever a child can do!

Up in the air and over the wall,
Till I can see so wide,
River and trees and cattle and all
Over the countryside--

Till I look down on the garden green,
Down on the roof so brown--
Up in the air I go flying again,
Up in the air and down!

For more on Robert Louise Stevenson