I'M not the biggest fan of heights.
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It's not an over-the-top fear, but as long as I'm not reminded about how far away from the ground I actually am, things are usually OK.
So climbing a 287-step, 61.1-metre Victorian Gothic monument is something that would seem to be completely out of character for someone such as myself.
But in my quest to find the best view of Edinburgh, the end result justified any illogical fear of being away from solid ground.
This is the Scott Monument in Scotland's capital Edinburgh, and the views from up here are simply breathtaking of this wonderful city.
The monument, which has been standing since 1844, is a tribute to author Sir Walter Scott, the Scottish historical novelist, playwright, and poet.
It looks something like a space ship, but inside it is a structure that very much has its roots in the past.
A past that was obviously made for people of the short variety.
Being a tall man made this climb even more interesting.
Think very tight and narrow stairwells, with several moments of low ceilings. For 287 steps.
For those views, I would have climbed another 287.
But in this one day in Edinburgh I discovered one thing - this wonderful, high-energy city has many places where you can perch yourself to find a view you won't forget.
One of these is at the one location that you simply MUST stop by - Edinburgh Castle.
In so many ways it is what makes Edinburgh, and that's not just because of the One'o'Clock gun that is fired each day that reverberates around the city.
I don't profess to be an expert on castles, but there is something that just makes this one stand out in comparison to others in this part of the world.
It overlooks the city, in a protective mode, a structure that has a history as a military headquarters, a royal home and the location of the monarch's crown jewels.
From the moment you walk through the Portcullis Gate, past the Lang Stairs and up to the Argyle Battery, you are whisked straight into this country's past.
Built on a volcanic rock, it is such a vast location you can be there for hours and feel that you only scratched the surface of what is on offer.
Scotland's military history is on full display in the Scottish National War Memorial, which commemorates those who died during World War I and World War II and military conflicts since.
To see this documentation of those - and it is obviously not a short list - who sacrificed everything in the ultimate way is a sombre experience indeed.
Stepping into the Prisons of War and Military Prison leaves you with a similar feeling.
The Prisons of War, which are beneath the Great Hall and Queen Anne Building, are stone vaults that first housed prisoners in 1758, while the Military Prison was built in 1842 for "defaulting soldiers from the garrison".
However, the real "wow" moment is when you enter the Great Hall.
Completed in 1851, it was built with the aim of housing great celebrations, and while it never really lived up to that plan, it has that real "grand" feeling to it.
The other aspect of the castle is the one looking away from it, with stunning views back over the beautiful city it watches over.
They do not reach the visual heights that you get from the Scott Monument, but are very impressive.
Ditto for those you get at Calton Hill.
Known as the headquarters for the Scottish government, the site has many of the significant monuments for both the country and the city.
These include the National Monument, the Nelson Monument, the Dugald Stewart Monument, the old Royal High School, the Robert Burns Monument, the Political Martyrs' Monument and the City Observatory.
The most intriguing of these is the National Monument, which is dedicated to Scottish soldiers and sailors who died in the Napoleonic Wars, found at the top of Calton Hill.
Modelled on the Parthenon in Athens, the funny thing is it is actually unfinished, not that this detracts from its wonder.
The Nelson Tour and the Dugald Stewart Monument are two other eye-catching features of this area, where you look one way and see monuments that reflect the past of this city and another to the modern vibrancy of Edinburgh.
Edinburgh is a city of contrasts in many ways.
So much of it is a reminder of its past, not only through its castle and monuments but its architecture, with the mediaeval feel of Old Town and the Georgian-inspired New Town.
But at the same time it always reminds you - or gives you the perfect view as such - of a modern vibrancy, that is very infectious.