‘Anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve.’ —Ginny Weasley
I originally wasn’t going to go to Scotland, my plan was to visit Liverpool/Manchester. Due to Liam Gallagher announcing a 30th Anniversary Tour of Oasis’ Definitely Maybe for the summer, I altered my plans (that blog will be up later this year). I decided change up the back half of my trip, so I looked at the map and decided to hit up Edinburgh, Scotland. I had been to Scotland before but not since I was but a wee Kels. I literally spent 12 hours in the city but crammed a lot of stuff in!
I took the train from London but there were a lot of rail line issues and my original train actually ended in the north of England not Edinburgh as originally scheduled. Fortunately, I got to St. Pancreas Station early so was able to snag a seat on an earlier one. The ride is about 6 hours and it was a dreary day. My hotel was right near the station, less than a mile. HOWEVER, when doing directions (I use Apple maps) to your destination, make sure you select avoid stairs. There are A LOT of stairs in Edinburgh and I for one do not want to shlep my suitcase up them. It didn’t add too much to my time and I didn’t have to haul luggage up step stairs, just a few hills.
I was a bit too early to check into my hotel, so I stored my luggage. A big travel tip…if I know I am arriving early but check in is later in the afternoon, I only book if they have luggage storage. Not all do, so don’t assume they have it if it is not listed. My room was near the Royal Mile, the historic area of the city. Just down the street was the oldest pub in Scotland, dating from 1360, the Sheep Heid Inn. I am not going to say I looked great, I didn’t but I figured I probably wouldn’t see them again so I came in with no makeup, wild hair, and joggers. I had a hard cider and some mac ‘n’ cheese. It was delicious. I also sat next to a lovely gentleman who frequents the bar with his pup. The dog and I had a great time!
After, I checked in, I freshened up and headed out. First up, the Royal Mile! When J.K Rowling was writing the first Harry Potter book in the city, it is reportedly the inspiration for Diagon Alley. There is a Harry Potter themed shop on the road (the cafe Rowling crafted the first story is currently closed) but mostly Scottish wool and whiskey. Then I headed to the main event of the evening…Edinburgh Castle!
When I was on the train to Edinburgh, I looked at what I should do in Edinburgh. One of the things that popped up was ‘Castle of Light,’ a special holiday lighting extravaganza at Edinburgh Castle. You could wander the castle and learn about the mythical history of Scotland. You could also explore parts of the castle. I took this to mean that the castle would be open like it would be during the day, it was not. Some rooms were open to explore, including an area to meet Father Christmas, but the foundation stone (used during coronations) was not. I do love a light display and it was actually a lot of fun. I paid about $30 and was truly impressed with the quality of the displays and sounds. Plus spectacular views of the area below.
Once I was done with the castle on the hill, I headed down it. There was a Christmas festival going one (a smaller version of what I did in London), bought a Nutella waffle and coffee, walked around and grab some takeaway from Marks and Spencer. Then moseyed back to my hotel and crashed. Overall, I really enjoyed my evening in Edinburgh but not so much getting up for my 6 am flight to Dublin, although I had no issue getting a cab to take me to the airport at about 3:30 am. Edinburgh is always a great idea!
