Scotland Travel Diary: Part One
Day One
Though England had forever been my dream destination, Scotland was moving further and further up on my travel wishlist. Edinburgh especially seemed like a place that would speak to my heart. Famed for its writers, I had a feeling Edinburgh would inspire me, put me at ease, and create an immediate feeling of contentment.
I took the train from York to Edinburgh Waverly, arriving just after sunset to one of the brightest moons I’ve ever seen. Immediately, the sound of bagpipes welcomed me. It was a sound that gave me goosebumps and nearly moved me to tears because it was just so perfectly timed.
I made my way along Princes Street, my beige suitcase in tow, as my eyes saw Edinburgh Castle soaring over the city. I felt at ease in Edinburgh and excited for all that I would soon explore over the next week.
I checked into my apartment at the stunning and brilliantly designed Eden Locke. I scored such a good deal on my stay there and highly recommend searching this website for their incredible sales.
I was exhausted after a long day of traveling so I made some tea (Eden Locke leaves you a variety of complimentary Pukka tea!), connected my laptop to the TV and streamed Poldark while I did some laundry. Yep, a washer/dryer is even included in every apartment. I certainly chose the right place to stay for the halfway point of my trip. Knowing I’d have access to laundry also meant I didn’t have to pack as much.
Day Two
The next day was all about exploring Edinburgh and getting acquainted with the city. Instead of having a set agenda, I looked at the places I had saved on Google Maps that I wanted to visit and just started walking, a very different approach for this Capricorn Type A personality.
I started off visiting The Writers’ Museum, which takes you through the lives of three of Edinburgh’s most celebrated writers. It’s a lovely little museum in a beautiful building and does not take much time to walk through.
A light drizzle began at that point as I stopped to enjoy more bagpipers on the street and a rescued raven named Evermore. (Edinburgh tourism is really playing up its Harry Potter connections.)
My long walk took me up steep staircases, through old narrow closes, to the very bottom of Edinburgh Castle, along the iconic Victoria Street, and then I decided to stop into The Elephant Castle, the cafe where J.K. Rowling famously wrote some of the Harry Potter series before anyone knew who she was. After ordering a slice of Purple Velvet Cake and a cappuccino, I shared my table by the window with a lovely Scottish woman who had just recently moved to Edinburgh. We shared stories, I wrote off and on while staring out at the street, soaking up the magical, undeniable energy of this city.
I had one more stop to make before meeting my friend later that evening for dinner. As a big fan of the show ‘Outlander,’ I had to make a visit to Jamie’s Printing Shop. Tucked quietly just off The Royal Mile, I was transported back to 18th Century Edinburgh while I snapped a few photos.
I was so excited to finally be meeting my dear friend Jessie that evening. Jessie and I met through our blogs/Instagram and had built a friendship thanks to the Internet. It was so nice to finally hug her and catch up in person. If you’re not already, go follow Jessie on Instagram @untilyoufindit and be sure to check out her incredible blog where she writes about her expat lifestyle as an Aussie living in Scotland.
We had a wonderful dinner at No. 1 The Grange, a beautiful Scottish pub where I ordered one of their delicious daily specials. After hours of chatting, Jessie and I headed our separate ways.
Day Three
I hopped on a train the next morning for a day trip out west to Glasgow. The drizzling rain created the perfect atmosphere for an afternoon spent at the impressive Kelvingrove Museum. This museum had been on my list for so long, especially because of Sophie Cave’s incredible “Floating Heads” installation.
My friend Jessie had mentioned that Glasgow is a great city for food (and donuts) so I did a quick search and found some good spots for the essentials: donuts and haggis.
Once I finished at the museum, I headed off to nearby Tantrum Donuts where I selected a couple of their vegan donuts to take back with me. After a quick break there, I walked over to the stunning campus of the University of Glasgow. If you’re an Outlander fan, you probably remember the beautiful Cloisters which stood in for Harvard. I was absolutely blown away (almost literally because it was such a windy day) by the incredible architecture on campus.
The sun was slowly starting to set. It had been a full day in Glasgow already but I still wasn’t done yet. I enjoyed a nice, leisurely walk from campus to a restaurant called Roastit Bubbly Jocks, whose relaxed retro vibe felt pretty unique.
I had been waiting to try haggis but since the traditional dish contains sheep’s heart, liver, and lungs, I opted for the veggie haggis neeps and tatties. Haggis can be prepared a couple of different ways and the neeps and tatties version comes with turnips and potatoes. It was honestly one of the best meals I’ve ever had. It was fresh, flavorful, and not overly filling.
After dinner, I left the West End and headed back to the city center where I popped into a few shops before they closed for the evening, eventually finding my way back to the train station. As expected, the train ride back to Edinburgh was simple and relaxing, the perfect opportunity to listen to some music, edit some more photos from my trip, and take in all the new memories I was making.
It was a short jaunt in Glasgow but I was able to pack a lot in. As I had imagined, Glasgow felt a lot different from Edinburgh. In fact, it’s almost impossible to compare the two. I’m so glad I took the time to make a day trip there and I can’t wait to return to explore more of the city.
Stay tuned for Part Two of my Scotland adventure and the final chapter of my first UK Travel Diary. (Catch up on my England Travel Diary by reading Part One and Part Two.)
If you’d like to stay in touch and see more of my travels, come follow along on Instagram @ChelseaDinen
