This summer I happened to be on a city hopping tour of Europe for work, ending on a Friday morning in London. I always like to extend a trip to include a new adventure and Scotland has been a destination on my “tack on to another trip” list for some time. Despite some nervousness driving on the opposite side of the car and road, this was a fun little solo road trip abroad. I did not plan this excursion well, as I was coming off back to back trips to Glacier, Germany, London and Italy, and I paid the price in this instance by missing the experience most appealing to me– hiking the highlands. My time in Edinburgh was incredibly short, and in some ways I felt like this visit was a bit of a flop. I like to think of it as a tease and an invitation back to visit again, and better, someday. 

EXPERIENCE

This was a super quick adventure, renting a car from London and heading north through the English countryside into Scotland. I arrived in Edinburgh with only a short time to explore before flying out of the city. Much of my adventure was in the drive itself. The countryside is just lovely, the rolling green hills and grazing sheep are just as I’d imagined from British rom coms. While I’m sure there is much more to do in this city than I was able to experience in my short visit, the Edinburgh Castle is truly the highlight. Just stunning at dusk, this place towers on a rocky loft above the city. The Royal Botanic Garden and Scott Monument are nice stops along this walk as well. The shops and restaurants along the main thoroughfare make for a fun day as well.

My plan was originally to drive up to the Highland of Northern Scotland and experience the beautiful landscapes and fjords. I had planned on getting in some hiking and enjoying the rocky seascapes. My drive north, however, took much longer than anticipated, and I was unable to do this. Kind of a bust of a road trip in some ways, but that’s the lesson in poor planning…

STAY

While here I stayed in the Haymarket neighborhood which was a short walk to the center of town. I stayed at an inexpensive, but super Scottish decked little spot called the Ritz Hotel. This place was very basic, but cute and had a charming little Scottish Bar. I was exhausted, but it made for a great accommodation for the evening. 

EAT

The Scottish cuisine is not top of my list. I got a little adventeous and tried the haggis with my whiskey. I also ate a lot of great cheeses and seafood while here. There are some wonderful restaurants in this city that I did not have the funds or time to explore, but would be eager to check out on my next visit!