A Weekend in Historic Scotland

It is possible that I have a new favourite city. Just over a week ago I travelled the long road from the Midlands to Edinburgh. It was a journey at times battered by rain at others, bathed in sunshine but the A1 through Northumberland, glimpsing Bamburgh Castle on the coast in the evening sun, and over the drizzly border into further sunshine on a deserted dual carriageway, was a delight. When we finally got to Edinburgh it was a hasty check in at the hotel before a race to have dinner before the pubs stopped serving at 10. After a dinner of haggis, neeps and tatties, we walked along Princes Street in full view of the dazzling castle, illuminated in the darkness.

In the morning it was straight to Edinburgh Castle to make the most of it for the day. Tickets were free to us as English Heritage members, they would usually be £15 each, but well worth the money. We explored every part of the castle, with it's exhibitions and towers, the highlights for me included the fascinating exhibition leading up to the great reveal of the Scottish Honours (the Crown Jewells of Scotland), and the One O'clock Gun, which takes you by surprise even when you've been standing waiting for it for ten minutes! A bright morning gave way to thunderous clouds at noon adding an ominous atmosphere to the castle and the thunder began to rumble even as a bride was being led to her ceremony in the chapel by the piper. We left the caslte in the midst of this thunder storm, the thunder rumbled on for much of the afternoon to know great effect until at the end of the Royal Mile, which we had battled down in torrential rain, when outside the Scottish Parliament, there was a collosal clap of thunder and flash of lightening which left me in shock, only to be remedied by a stiff whisky at a nearby pub. A small detour to visit Greyfriar's Bobby, a statue of a skye terrior who sat by his master's grave for the rest of his life, and then on to dinner in the evening. After a disastrous attempt at a meal which had to be abandoned even though we had already paid for it, our evening was rescued by Whiski Bar and Restaurant on the Mound which served incredible food.

Another sunny, beautiful morning and we had a quick look round the National Gallery of Scotland which has an impressive collection of paintings including works by Van Gogh, Monet, Rubens, Di Vinci and Gainsborough among others. We then regrettfully had to leave Edinburgh but I will definately want to come back, it is a city with everything, greenery, scenery, mountains, castles and the sea, as well as history, character, great food, great drink and great shops. It is clearly well looked after.