Robert Louis Stevenson's novel "Kidnapped" ends with a daring ferry crossing across the Firth of Forth, allowing the hero, David Balfour, to confront his duplicitous uncle; if the events of the book had taken place 150 years later, David might have had an easier journey via the Forth Bridge. The cantilevered Forth Bridge is indeed an engineering marvel, and when it opened in 1890, provided the first alternative to a ferry crossing. The railway bridge was one of the first major structures in the United Kingdom to be built of steel, and its red-painted spans are well-recognized. I first saw the Forth Bridge during a tour of Scotland in 2009; after it was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 2015, I made sure to visit again that fall. I drove to downtown South Queensferry, outside Edinburgh, and parked near the water's edge not far from the base of the bridge. This vantage point provided a great view of the bridge, as well as rail traffic transiting the bridge. I'm excited to hear there are plans for a visitor center in North Queensferry with a bridge walk to South Queensferry, and may have to return one day when the project is completed.

Logistics: The Forth Bridge can be transited by rail by taking the train from Edinburgh to North Queensferry. To see the bridge up close, you can also park in either North or South Queensferry.