South Queensferry is situated 8 miles west of Edinburgh, on the banks of the Forth Estuary. Its name is thought to have originated from the frequent journeys made by Queen Margaret of Scotland from Dunfermline, in Fife, south to over the estuary towards Edinburgh, in the late 11th century. The burgh prospered and was a leading seaport in the 16th century, as well as being the southern ferry port for the crossings to and from Fife. The town expanded even more in the 1880s during the construction of the Forth Rail Bridge, with its workforce of around 3000.The Navy established a base at the adjacent Port Edgar during the 1st World war. The other famous Forth Bridge, the Road Bridge, was constructed during the 1960s. The central part of the town is still quite old fashioned and retained much of its charm as a protected area. At the western end of the Main Street stands the Jubilee Tower, to comemmorate the 50th year of Queen Victoria's reign. The Hawes Inn lies at the other end of the main street. The Inn has quite a literary heritage. The Scottish novelist, Walter Scott, described the inn in "Antiquary" and Robert Louis Stevenson, another Scottish author, is said to have found the inspiration for his novel "Kidnapped" while a guest at the inn. There is also a 200 year old yew tree in the garden of the inn. South Queensferry is pleasant to visit for a stroll along the main street and to admire the spectacular views of the bridges. In the Summer months tourists can take a ferry to the nearby Inchcolm Island. The town has a good selection of coffee shops and restuarants, several with good views. It can be reached by train from Edinburgh in a few minutes and is around a half hour drive from my home town of Stirling.