Hidden Edinburgh Challenge
Created for the Senior Section
Spectacular 2016
Introduction
The Hidden Edinburgh Challenge is designed for Rainbows, Brownies,
Guides, the Senior Section, Leaders and Trefoil members.
It has been designed by Girlguiding Edinburgh’s ‘Team Spectacular’, to showcase some of Edinburgh’s hidden
treasures, and to give you an opportunity to explore this beautiful city through a range of activities that
can be completed in the unit meeting place, and out and about around the city.
The badge accompanying this challenge is circular, with a 3-inch diameter and gold accenting. It features a
unicorn, Girlguiding Edinburgh’s Senior Section Spectacular mascot. Badges cost £1 each plus P&P.
This challenge has been produced to raise funds for Girlguiding Edinburgh’s Senior Section Spectacular
activities, and to contribute towards further Senior Section activities following 2016.
To earn the badge, Rainbows gain 60 points, Brownies 70 points, Guides 80 points, Senior
Section/Leaders/Trefoil Members 100 points. You should complete at least 10 points from each
of Places and Spaces, Unicorns, and Guiding. The rest of your points can come from sections of your
choice. We have tried to include a range of activities to suit all ages and abilities, but please feel free to
adapt any of the activities to suit participants as needed.
Badges can be ordered using the order form on the last page.
We hope you have fun completing this challenge and exploring our beautiful city.
Please share your photos and stories with us by emailing Team Spectacular at
[email protected]!
Places and Spaces
Edinburgh is full of weird and wonderful places. This section introduces
you to some of them - what else can you find?
• Visit Edinburgh’s own Wild West street in Morningside, or hold a Wild West themed film night with films such
as Toy Story, Back to the Future III, or Rango (10 points)
• Visit Edinburgh Castle, and design your own unit crest (10 points)
• The Edinburgh Seven Hills Challenge is a 14.3 mile long race over the seven hills of Edinburgh, which takes
place in June every year. As a unit, walk this distance. You can find out more about the Edinburgh Seven
Hills Challenge at http://www.seven-hills.org.uk/ (15 points)
• Visit Holyrood Palace or the Scottish Parliament, and have a debate about a current issue that matters to
you (10 points)
• Make a junk sculpture of Arthur’s Seat, Edinburgh’s ancient volcano and highest hill (5 Points)
• Edinburgh is home to many beautiful gardens, including the Royal Botanic Garden, walled gardens, and the
Secret Herb Garden; why not make your own miniature garden (5 point)
• Gilmerton Cove is a series of underground passageways and chambers, hand-carved from sandstone, located
beneath the streets of Gilmerton. Have a go at carving soap or wood (5 Points)
• Visit the Royal Yacht Britannia; or make a boat and sail it on a local river, pond, or in a
bucket of water! (10 points)
• Decorate a cake with a map of Edinburgh or a hidden Edinburgh location (5 points)
Places and Spaces
Useful web links
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
http://www.rbge.org.uk/
Royal Yacht Britannia
http://www.royalyachtbritannia.co.uk/
Holyrood Palace
http://bit.ly/1LIvemU
Scottish Parliament
http://bit.ly/1ULpfC1
Edinburgh Castle
http://www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk/
Wild West street, Springvalley Gardens
http://bit.ly/234zCEl
Secret Herb Garden
http://bit.ly/1U8Yla6
Arthur’s Seat
http://bit.ly/234BgWD
Gilmerton Cove
http://bit.ly/28wWb8G
Unicorns
Unicorns are Scotland’s national animal and, as Scotland’s capital city,
Edinburgh is full of them!
• Make an edible Unicorn – you could try unicorn cake pops or unicorn-shaped rainbow cheese toasties! (5
points)
• Make a paper mache or decoupage unicorn (5 points)
• Design a T-shirt or a bag with a unicorn theme (5 points)
• Make edible glitter and use it to decorate your own biscuits (5 points)
• Invite the Girlguiding Edinburgh Spectacular Mascot to visit your unit – contact Team Spectacular at
[email protected] for more information (5 points)
• Go on a Unicorn hunt around Edinburgh, or find some unicorns in your unit meeting place (10 points)
• Find out the difference between horns and antlers, and make a poster about other animals with horns, such
as Narwhals or Rhinos (5 points)
• Visit Pets at Home or another local pet shop to find out about some other animals – do any of them have
horns? (10 points)
• Have a day out to visit other animals - why not visit Edinburgh Zoo? (10 points)
Unicorns
Useful web links
• Rainbow cheese toasties - http://www.popsugar.com/food/Rainbow-Grilled-Cheese-Recipe-41029936
(You could use a unicorn or horse-shaped cookie cutter to make your sandwich more interesting!)
• Unicorn cake pops – check out some of these designs for inspiration http://www.craftsy.com/blog/2013/06/unicorn-cakes/
• Paper mache unicorn instructions - http://bit.ly/1cxNKwv
• Hobbycraft decoupage unicorns - http://bit.ly/29Oqd1H
• Edible glitter recipe - http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Edible-Glitter
• Check out this list of animals with horns as a starting point to help you with your research:
http://modernfarmer.com/2014/08/10-best-horns-animal-world-definitive-list/
• Find out the difference between horns and antlers at these useful links:
https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/kidsyouth/ahdiff.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horn_%28anatomy%29
• Pets at Home – http://www.petsathome.com/
(Some stores offer sessions for youth groups – you can organise this through the website or
by contacting your local store – look for the pets at home badge logo!)
• Edinburgh Zoo - http://www.edinburghzoo.org.uk/
Unicorns
Edinburgh City Centre, particularly the Royal Mile and the Meadows, has
lots of unicorns for you to find. If you can’t get out and about with your
unit, you could hide pictures of unicorns around your meeting place or
outside for the rest of the group to find. Here is a picture of a unicorn for
you to copy, print, and hide!
Girlguiding
The Senior Section is open to girls and young women aged 14 to 25,
and in 2016, The Senior Section turns 100!
• Have a look at some old Senior Section uniforms - how have they changed? Design a uniform for the future
(5 points)
• Find out about Senior Section opportunities and make a display or a game to help others find out what
members of The Senior Section can do (5 points)
• Visit the Girlguiding Edinburgh archives and find out about the history of Girlguiding in Edinburgh (10 points)
• Trefoil School was established in 1939 to give evacuees with disabilities access to an education. Try making
a jam sandwich blindfolded, or one handed (5 points)
• As a member of Girlguiding, you made a promise to serve the Queen and your community, and to help other
people. Fundraising is a great way to do this. As a unit, try to raise £100 for a local Edinburgh charity. You
could organise a sponsored walk, or have a fancy dress day; you could do a crazy shoe or hair day; you could
contact your local supermarket and ask if you could do bag packing with some of the older units; or you
could even hold a Girlguiding or Unicorn themed bake sale. (15 points)
• Invite someone from your local Trefoil Guild group to speak about guiding when they were younger
(5 points)
• Join up with another unit and take part in some Hidden Edinburgh Challenge activities
(5 points)
• Visit the Museum of Childhood - can you find the Guide doll? (10 points)
Girlguiding
Useful web links
• Poster about different Senior Section uniforms - http://bit.ly/1PXgdTJ
• Edinburgh County Archives - http://www.girlguiding-edinburgh.org.uk/our-activities/archives.html
(Contact Irene Lang at [email protected])
• Senior Section Spectacular Archives Pack - http://bit.ly/29HQwH8
• Trefoil School - http://www.trefoil.org.uk/about.html
• Senior Section Opportunities - http://www.girlguiding.org.uk/seniorsection/whatcanido/index.html
• The Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home - http://www.edch.org.uk/
• Edinburgh Sick Kids Friends Foundation - http://www.edinburghsickkids.org/
• Simpson’s Memory Box Appeal (SiMBA) - http://www.simbacharity.org.uk/
• Museum of Childhood - http://www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk/venues/museum-of-childhood
Sport
Sport has played a big role in Edinburgh’s history, and today is still
home to lots of successful sportswomen and men!
• In January 1970 the Royal Commonwealth pool was opened – go for a swim in your local pool (10 points)
• Golf has been part of Edinburgh’s history since the 15th-century, when it was banned so King James II could
encourage archery practice. Leith Links is also the site of some of the first golf injuries recorded! Make
your own crazy golf course, and challenge other members of your unit to a game (10 points)
• In 1457, King James II wanted everyone to practice archery. Invite someone to teach the unit archery, or
have a go at target practice (5 points)
• Edinburgh has a dry ski slope at Hillend. Try making an igloo using ice cubes and salt (5 points)
• Edinburgh is the home of Scottish Rugby, with its famous stadium at Murrayfield. Find out the game’s
history, or have a go at the sport (5 points)
• Many sporting events have taken place in Edinburgh, including the Commonwealth Games in 1986. Make a
display about a famous Edinburgh sports-person, such as Kirsty Balfour or Gordon Strachan (5 points)
• Jamie Andrew is an Edinburgh-based mountaineer who became a quadruple amputee in
1999 after a climbing accident. After rehabilitation, his passion for mountaineering
continued, and he has completed numerous challenges around the world. Have a shot at
climbing at the Edinburgh International Climbing Arena, Ratho (10 points)
• Edinburgh is located next to the Firth of the Forth, which is an ideal space for water
sports, such as sailing. Make a list of what you would need to take on a round the world
sailing trip (5 points) or have a go at some different water sports at Longcraig (10 points)
Sport
Useful web links
• Swimming pools in Edinburgh - http://www.edinburghleisure.co.uk/venues
• Make your own mini-golf course - http://www.mykidsadventures.com/build-your-own-mini-golf-course/
• Girlguiding Edinburgh Archery - http://www.girlguiding-edinburgh.org.uk/our-activities/archery.html
(Contact Sandra Hill-Smith at [email protected])
• Ice cube igloo - http://www.ehow.com/how_12019858_make-mini-model-igloo-out-ice-cubes.html
• Midlothian Snow Sports Centre, Hillend
http://www.midlothian.gov.uk/info/200131/snowsports_centre
• BT Murrayfield Stadium - http://www.scottishrugby.org/bt-murrayfield-stadium
• Jamie Andrew - http://www.jamieandrew.com/
• Edinburgh International Climbing Arena, Ratho - http://www.eica-ratho.co.uk/
• Longcraig, South Queensferry - http://sesscouts.org.uk/our-centres/longcraig/
Culture
Edinburgh is home to some of the biggest cultural festivals and
events in the UK – we love any excuse to celebrate!
Music
• The Royal Military Tattoo take place every year in August, with mass pipe bands, military bands and highland
dancers coming to Edinburgh from around the world. Why not have a go at Highland dancing (5 points)
• The Bay City Rollers were a Scottish pop band which was popular in 1970. They were known as the ‘tartan
teen sensations from Edinburgh’. Listen to some of the band’s music, make up a dance routine to one of
their songs, and perform it for the rest of your unit or to your parents! (10 points)
Film
• Sean Connery is well known for playing James Bond seven times, between 1962 and 1983. Bond is well
known for drink cocktails - why not have a go at making some of your own mocktails (5 points)
• The Railway Man is a film that looks at the effects of World War Two. In your unit, find out about rationing
and make a meal from the rations that would have been given out during war time (10 points)
Design
• Tartan is the symbolic national dress of Scotland, and can be found all around Edinburgh.
Design your own tartan and use it to make a tartan bookmark (5 points)
• Make something you could use every day out of old clothes (5 points)
Culture
Edinburgh is home to some of the biggest cultural festivals and
events in the UK – we love any excuse to celebrate!
Theatres
Edinburgh is host to many theatres, including the Edinburgh Playhouse, The Churchill Theatre, The Lyceum,
The Festival Theatre, and King’s Theatre. Thousands of productions have taken place on these stages,
including The Edinburgh Gang Show and Girlguiding Edinburgh’s County Show.
• In small groups, prepare a show and perform it for others in your unit. You could make up your own play, or
use a script from a famous story (10 points)
• Make homemade theatres from old boxes and put on a puppet show for the parents (10 points)
• Watch the Edinburgh Gang Show, or visit another Edinburgh theatre – perhaps you could get a behind-thescenes tour! (10 points)
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe was started after World War Two, when eight groups turned up to perform
(uninvited) at the Edinburgh International Festival. The Fringe is still a place for budding actors and musicians,
but also for established comedians and theatre companies.
• Why not take a trip to the Fringe Society Headquarters and find out what makes the festival
so special, or go and see a show during the Fringe (10 points)
• Design a poster for the Festival Fringe - to make it tricky try designing the poster for the
first ever Festival Fringe after World War Two (5 points)
Culture
Useful web links
• Royal Military Tattoo - http://www.edintattoo.co.uk/
• Highland Dance Steps - http://highlanddancesteps.tumblr.com/
• Bay City Rollers (link to YouTube videos – please check content before playing to girls!) http://bit.ly/29OBcI4
• Mocktail recipes - http://bit.ly/29xo3QN and http://bit.ly/29SsvuP
• World War Two rations - http://bbc.in/29ElpIC and http://bit.ly/2a9XpOT
• Make your own tartan - http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/make-your-own-tartan-craft
• Ideas for upcycling old clothes - http://www.allfreesewing.com/Refashioning-and-Upcycling
• Cardboard box theatre instructions - http://bbc.in/2a9Z9HU and http://bit.ly/29EmznC
• Edinburgh Gang Show - http://www.edtheatres.com/gangshow#
• Edinburgh Festival Fringe - https://www.edfringe.com/
• History of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe - https://www.edfringe.com/about-us
People
Lots of famous people, and some less famous people, come from our
wonderful city – have you heard of all of these people?
• Edinburgh has very few statues of women. Think of a woman that inspires you and make a statue of her
(5 points)
• One of the first women’s suffrage societies was started in Edinburgh in 1867. In 1907, the first suffragette
procession was held in Edinburgh, which led to other protests in different cities. Find out more about the
suffragettes and present your findings to the rest of your group. This could be in the form of a play, a
poster, a speech or a video! (10 points)
• Ronnie Corbett was a stand-up comedian, well known for being one half of the Two Ronnies. Have a go at
re-enacting one of their famous sketches, such as the four candles or mastermind sketches (5 points)
• Ian Rankin is a Scottish crime writer who studied literature at the University of Edinburgh. Hold a (murder)
mystery night or make up your own cryptic puzzle for a friend to guess (10 points)
• Arthur Conan Doyle is a writer well known for Sherlock Holmes. Try writing secret messages using invisible
ink (5 Points)
• JK Rowling famously wrote the Harry Potter series in the Elephant House Café. Make your own Harry Potter
themed treats (5 points)
• Robert Louis Stevenson is famous for writing the novel Treasure Island about pirates. Hold a
unit meeting where everyone has to talk like a pirate (5 points)
• Gordon Brown, former UK Prime Minister, studied History at the University of Edinburgh.
Have a discussion about what you would do if you were Prime Minister for a day (5 points)
People
Useful web links
• Mapping Memorials to Women in Scotland project - http://www.womenofscotland.org.uk/
• Edinburgh Museums info sheet about women’s suffrage in Edinburgh - http://bit.ly/29IyzVI
• Sketches by The Two Ronnies – Four Candles sketch - http://bit.ly/29VkPcF
• Sketches by The Two Ronnies – Mastermind sketch - http://bit.ly/1pMXIFu
• Cryptogram maker - http://www.kidzone.ws/puzzles/cryptogram/
• Invisible Ink – http://www.wikihow.com/Make-an-Invisible-Ink-Message
• Harry Potter treats - http://www.harrypotterrecipes.net/
• Butter Beer - http://bit.ly/2a5eHAv
• Dumbledores Pensieve - http://bit.ly/29P7leK
• Golden snitch cake pops - http://bit.ly/29Q1O8k
Food
You can find food from all over the world in Edinburgh – this is your chance
to try something new and tasty!
• Make your own cook book, and include some traditional Scottish recipes such as Edinburgh Fog (5 points)
• Edinburgh has an original award-winning Farmers’ Market, held with the backdrop of Edinburgh Castle. It is
the only Scottish market accredited by FARMA. Take a trip to your local farmer’s market (10 points)
• Take part in a chocolate workshop at a local Thorntons store (10 points)
• Have a pizza party and compare different types – you could compare national companies (such as Dominos
or Pizza Hut) to a local pizza house, or your own homemade pizza (10 points)
• Edinburgh has lots of allotments, where residents can grow their own fruits, vegetables and beautiful
flowers. Try growing your own vegetables and make a delicious salad (10 points)
• The Biscuit Factory is an arts and fashion hub, housed in the former Crawford’s biscuit factory in Anderson
Place. Why not take a tour of the factory, or have a go at making your own biscuits – make it more
challenging by using a gluten free and/or dairy free recipe! (5 points)
• The Marshmallow Lady is famous in Edinburgh for making gourmet marshmallows. Visit the world’s first
(and only) marshmallow street, and have a go at making your own marshmallows (10 points)
• Haggis, neeps and tatties are the traditional Scottish meal. Try eating them with
chopsticks! (5 points)
• Find out about the work of your local food bank, and collect tins and packaged food to
donate to them (5 points)
Food
Useful web links
• Edinburgh Fog recipe - http://www.rampantscotland.com/recipes/blrecipe_fog.htm
• Edinburgh Farmers’ Market - http://www.edinburghfarmersmarket.co.uk/
• Thorntons chocolate workshops (contact Thorntons on Frederick Street) –
http://www.thorntons.co.uk/custserv/locate_store.cmd
• The Biscuit Factory - http://www.biscuitfactory.co.uk/
• Gluten free and dairy free biscuit recipes - http://www.yummly.com/recipes/gluten-free-dairy-free-biscuits
• The Marshmallow Lady - http://www.burghbakes.com/
• Marshmallow recipes - http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/marshmallow
• Trussell Trust foodbanks - https://www.trusselltrust.org/get-help/find-a-foodbank/
Innovation and Discovery
Edinburgh has one of the oldest universities in the UK, and has been a
centre of innovation and discovery for centuries!
• Phones and communications have changed dramatically since the first telephone was invented by Alexander Graham
Bell in the 1870s. Make a tin can telephone, and pass a message to a friend (5 points)
• Buses are an easy way to get around the city. Plan a journey (without a leader’s help) using online or paper
timetables (5 points). With your unit or a small group, try travelling on every Lothians bus in one day, or travel from
one end of a route to the other. Write a story or draw a map to show what you saw on your adventure (20 points)
• The Flying Scotsman was the first locomotive to travel non-stop from Edinburgh to London, in 1862. During the
journey, the drivers swapped over in a secret tunnel so the train didn’t need to stop! Find out the train’s history,
and play a game that involves swapping places with someone else (5 points)
• Camera Obscura is a huge pinhole camera, which uses lights and mirrors to project live images of Edinburgh onto a
white table. Find out how it works, and make your own pinhole camera see page (5 points). Visit Edinburgh’s
Camera Obscura and World of Illusions, or take a look at different optical illusions (5 points)
• Dolly the sheep was the first ever cloned mammal, and the science to be able to do this was developed in
Edinburgh. It was made possible due to DNA, which contains chromosomes. Make a DNA model out of beads or
sweets (5 points)
• Edinburgh University changed the way forensic evidence was gathered from a crime. Finger prints are often used in
forensic investigation, as everyone’s fingerprints are different. Have a look as the different fingerprints
in your unit by making a fingerprint record sheet (5 points)
• Lauchlin Rose patented the method used to preserve citrus juice without alcohol in 1867, creating
Rose’s Lime Juice Cordial. Try different brands of lime cordial, and make your own (5 points)
• Digestive biscuits were created in Edinburgh by Sir Alexander Grant and Richard McVitie. Place a
digestive biscuit on your forehead - try to get it in your mouth without using your hands! (5 points)
Innovation and Discovery
Useful web links
• Tin can phone instructions - http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Play-Telephone
• Lothian Buses - https://lothianbuses.co.uk/
• The Flying Scotsman - http://www.flyingscotsman.org.uk/
• Edinburgh’s Camera Obscura and World of Illusions - http://www.camera-obscura.co.uk/
• Pinhole camera instructions – http://bit.ly/1rjoi61 or http://bit.ly/29Qd1bA
• Optical Illusions - http://slodive.com/inspiration/optical-illusions-for-kids/
• Dolly the Sheep - http://www.nms.ac.uk/explore/stories/natural-world/dolly-the-sheep/
• DNA model instructions - http://bit.ly/29IGO3N or http://bit.ly/2a2xk6L
• Fingerprinting - http://www.creative-chemistry.org.uk/activities/fingerprinting.htm
• Raspberry cordial recipe - http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2252647/raspberry-cordial
Branding Approval
Order Form
Please send your completed order form and cheque to Hidden Edinburgh
Challenge, Girlguiding Edinburgh, 33 Melville Street, Edinburgh, EH3 7JF
Unit Name
Contact Name
E-mail address
Number of badges
______ @ £1.00 each = £________
Postage (UK)
1-6 Badges - £ 0.75
7-50 Badges - £ 1.25
Total cost
£
51-100 Badges - £ 1.60
100+ Badges - £ 3.00
Delivery address
Payment can be made by cheque (payable to Girlguiding Edinburgh) or by bank transfer to
Girlguiding Edinburgh. Sort Code 80-11-20, Account no. 00169825 using your initials and
‘Spectacular’ as reference. Badges will be posted when payment has cleared.