My Favourite Holiday: Edinburgh has more than Fringe benefits, says Cornelius Lysaght

CORNELIUS LYSAGHT is well-known to BBC radio listeners as a racing correspondent, usually on 5Live.

Hertfordshire-born Cornelius has just written a book, World Racecourses (£25 hardback).

It’s a beautifully-illustrated guide to 100 major horse racing venues, from Royal Ascot to the state-of-the-art Meydan Racecourse in Dubai.

I’VE travelled the world, but nowhere is as special to me as Edinburgh.

Like so many others, it’s the Edinburgh Fringe that’s the big draw.

My very first experience – many years ago – was when I was actually in it.

I was still at school, or at least I had just done my final exams and I was awaiting the results, and I was in a production of King Lear.

I’ve not missed many years since, and I’ll often come up for three weeks.

Usually I’ll get a flat around Bruntsfield as I like being near The Meadows.

It doesn’t matter to me that August is so busy, it’s the shows that are the attraction.

On occasion I’ve gone to as many as five in a day. Certainly in a week I’ll clock up 12 to 15 and comedy is my big thing.

One of the things I love is that you often catch these big names before they really make it.

I saw Michael McIntyre at The Pleasance when there couldn’t have been more than 50 people there.

Russell Howard, John Bishop, Sarah Millican and Joe Lycett are just as few of the others I saw playing to small crowds in their early days.

I’ve been so often that I know the city incredibly well and have my favourite pubs and restaurants.

One of the few challenging things I’ve found – being English – is finding somewhere to watch the cricket when there’s a Test Match on.

The weather never bothers me. Honestly, it can be dull and wet, but Edinburgh always feels sunny.

And it’s not just the Festival that brings me. If I have a couple of free days, as I did recently, I’ll pop up and spend time at the likes of the National Portrait Gallery.

The other place I took a shine to is Lanzarote, which of course is perfect for a bit of winter sun.

It actually came to my attention because that’s the name of a famous racehorse.

So, when we go it’s never to Lanzarote – it’s to the home of the 1974 Champion Hurdle winner!