“Edinburgh is a mad Gods dream” - Hugh MacDiarmid
We recently took a turn out of town to Edinburgh in search of different fancies to tickle our tastebuds and I was amazed at how low key it was to organise, how fair it was on the purse and how wonderful it is in its Winter glory. I hope my diary of how , when and where is helpful and please of course let me know if I missed anything on my mainstream tourist jollyboys outing. I hope to take you through everything we did with links to suppliers, venues and hotels so let me know what you think!
It ‘twas a cold (bloody cold) Winters Monday morning in fair Abington when we made our journey out. After defrosting the poor car at 6am we loaded her up, waved our mittened hands out the window in farewell to our son, his grandmother and the cat we travelled down the A45 and A605 to Peterborough. After a peaceful drive with no traffic (it took 1 hour and 15 minutes) we made our way to Deacon Street Car Park which is just by the QueensGate Shopping Centre and just across from the train station:
We paid in advance for this and we were able to book in the time we were arriving (Mon 7.30am) and also the date and time we were hoping to be back (Weds at 4pm). The car-park was managed by NCP but we made the booking through the ‘Your Parking Space’ Ap and the total to pay was £15.99. This meant that we had peace of mind the car was safe and that if our train was cancelled or delayed then we could amend the booking at any time. The neat thing was that they also had a live chat option on the ap which came in really handy. We were glad we had an early booking as mid-week this car park will be rammed with commuters and shoppers.
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With the steed nicely tucked away we took our luggage and ourselves over the road to the station. It’s worth a mention here that we did not grab any breakfast as we sacrificed that time for some extra snooze, but the plan was to see what we could get at the train station and then settle in for our long journey. As we crossed the road we saw that there was a lovely Waitrose there for your nibbles pleasure but we opted to grab a Starbucks from the platform as you walk in at the station. We opted for Sausage rolls and cappuccinos as well as some pastries for the train as we had no idea what to expect on the train.
As it turns out we need not have worried. We were grabbing the 8.18 train to Edinburgh Waverley station and this was being operated by LNER . We made our way in and found our reserved seats really easy. When we booked the tickets we were given plenty of options and we opted for front facing in a quiet zone which is exactly what we got. The journey was based on a return and cost us (for two travellers) £64 each way, so the total for our return journey was £128. You can choose different times and get a better bargain or you can choose later and still come off better but these times really worked for us so we could arrive, check in and explore. As we were only travelling with a small bag we found space above us in the overhead was sufficient. We had a seat set of two with a nice window view and a much welcome sign on our fold up tray in front of us:
Needless to say that as soon as the train started a very welcome voice updated us that the canteen car (was in our coach) but we could take full advantage of the ‘Eat at your Seat’ facilities which meant you could scan the QR Code and order to your hearts content. Pulling away we were given our journey stops and ETA:
I will be honest it was far fewer stops then I thought it would be and I was immediately glad we didn’t venture to London to only come back on ourselves and double our journey. The journey time would be around 4 hours so with the Kindle fully loaded we settled in for the journey. As it turns out we were to be treated to an incredibly comfortable journey where the four hours felt like one and some of the most beautiful coast line views. Crossing the Tyne is always a modern marvel for me and we took the liberty of ordering what I have to say was the nicest hot chocolate I’ve ever had from the buffet car.
Sadly I was too in awe of the scenery as we went over the boarder that I didn’t get to the camera quick enough to snap the natural beauty we were zooming through, instead I text my travelling companions in another coach that this was where I wanted to live. Typical!!
At 12pm we arrived ahead of schedule and left our comfortable abode wrapped in coats, scarves, gloves and bobble hats, without being poetic the fresh crisp bite was upon our cheeks and me and the hubby made our way up and out of Waverley station to the nearest Tram stop in St Andrews Square which, when you know the route is a 5 minute walk out of the station and up a hill.
Our hotel was situated in Haymarket so we bought two day riders that cost £4.50 and you can use these on multiple journeys within the city centre which is fantastic for sightseeing in the warm!! You need to buy them before you board as you cannot get them on the tram and you can find plenty of info at https://edinburghtrams.com/tickets/ticket-options Also if you are flying in then you can grab the tram into and out of town for a different fare.
At this point we need to advise you that Scotland are following strict COVID-19 guidelines so masks must be worn at all times whilst inside apart from at restaurant tables. All tours we went on were guided so please make sure you book in advance. On public transport you will be asked to wear a mask before travelling. More information can be found here.
Having dumped our bag my phone beeped to say we had lost the race and our friends had found a cosy stop gap for us to have lunch, sending us their location details we headed out, back on the tram and made our way to the ‘Worlds End’ Pub on the old High Street at the beginning of the Royal Mile. Entering with blustery red faces convinced we had walked across the arctic for miles our friends quickly pointed to the one thing that would make me happy again..the bar. Pronto a glass of whisky was provided and this set the tone for the rest of our two days. The staff were amazingly welcoming and in such a cute, rustic and small dining area they made room for us to move from the small cosy alcove we were in to a table of four and presented with a menu. We did the courteous thing and read the menu, the mash lovers of the table wanted sausage and mash but we unanimously all opted for the divine ‘Balmoral Burger’ which was a 6oz aged shin and rib beef burger, haggis, Ayrshire dry-cured bacon, Cheddar, whisky sauce, with a few more pints of local.
After a few hours of laughing, drinking and eating we ventured out for a walk up the mile so I could peruse the many MANY tourist shops and buy all the stuff I love to: Tea towels, magnets…tartan hats. I wanted it all!!
We eventually thought we should do some sightseeing and found ourselves at the stunning Edinburgh Castle now rather late in the day so you will not be surprised to know that you realllly need to book in advance for this, we being numpties..did not and there were no more visits available that day but the view was epic from up here!
So after marvelling at a T-Rex dressed in a kilt (don’t ask) we followed the sound of bagpipes (this really happened) back down the mile to The Real Mary Kings Close.
Due to the age of the establishment and the need to preserve the building, photos cannot be taken but they do provide a theme park opportunity to have a standard one taken at the end amongst a brill backdrop. The photos I’m about to share with you are from their website so full credit to them on those.
The Real Mary Kings Close lets you take a step down into Edinburghs hidden story and tours depart every 15 minutes with audio guides to boot and last around 1 hour. Our tickets cost £18.95 each and our guide was a marvellous storyteller; they take the form of local residents from the 17th century for ultimate submersion into the tour and you descend into a maze of streets underneath the royal mile that were built on top of and long forgotten. There are a lot of steps so make sure you are ok with that but it is truly worth it especially since there is a gift shop and a tea shop at the end!
On the whole it was a great afternoon and we learnt much, being history geeks it ticked our boxes and was something different to visit. It also helped us walk off that Balmoral burger because it was..yep that’s right..DINNER TIME!
With the twinge of evening frost upon us now as we exited the depths of Mary Kings Close into an evening sky we felt the need for substance and whisky. We had so many merry plans to eat at a wide range of eateries we had researched but when it came dow to it our merry mood opted for the The Mitre Pub on the Mile.
We found a cosy table and begun the evening with what was only meant to be one drink..that turned into a plethora of Czech beers, Local whiskies and then a drunken array of side dishes that were extremely nice. Even now when I look back at it we had so much fun I cannot now tell you what we ordered but I took a picture of our collection:
At some late point in the evening we rolled out and back to our respective abodes, merry and eager for day two.
When the morning came we had every intention of having a lazy lie in and even though I thought I would be hanging from the previous evening, it wasn’t too bad and we wanted to get out and about!! Just after 8 am we ventured out and caught the tram back into town looking for a place to settle in for some morning grub. We sauntered along as the city still slept and the old town really came to life. We turned a wee corner and came across a jolly little cafe called the Southern Cross. We were seated on a table at the back and happily lodged in to eat and people watch. Still very much on the ‘Haggis’ fad we opted for what needed to be done, Although I thought my hubby would go for the ‘Big Belter’ he went for my subtle choice also of a Bacon, Egg and Haggis Breakfast Roll and it was heavenly. I actually uttered the words “Please may I have another one”…sadly I did not.
With full bellies we wrapped up and headed back out on our continued stroll in the still asleep city. We found a wonderful collection of twists and turns, vistas and alleys all with so much to see. Shops of all kinds and cafes every two doors.
With plans to meet our travelling buddies at noon we spent the morning trying to find anything in my families Tartan..and failed. Apparently their is a drought of tartan at the moment which meant that the less popular tartans were out of print so to speak which was sad to hear but we found an amazing kilt maker in a small little alleyway called The Celtic KiltMaker . They were wonderfully helpful and I have to tell you the inside of this shop was magical, we will be back to give measurements in the new year!
I found my friend buying THE most wonderful Harris Tweed bag and full of jealousy we split up with our respective other halves for two separate adventures! The boys were off to the Ray Harryhausen - Titan of Cinema exhibition at the National Gallery whilst me and my good buddy had bagged a wonderful afternoon stuffing our faces at The Balmoral, Palm Court.
And what a sublime treat this was, we arrived a little early so snuck across the road to have a cheeky whisky based hot beverage (well ok I did) at the Guildford Arms, sneaky fact, on every Edinburgh journey I seem to make my way to it, after spending a fantastic hour chatting away we headed back over the road and putting our very best Dowager and Duchess voices on we strolled into the lobby of the Balmoral.
It’s been pointed out that my retelling of the entrance into the dining room could very well be over romantic but I’m ABSOLUTELY POSITIVE this happened! Two huge doors were opened up and we walked inside whilst above us the sweet entrance music of a Harp player danced around our ears announcing our arrival. We were seated at a table and the room had been decorated to suit the season, the harp player kept playing which totally destroyed my theory!
We were then joined by a wonderful waiter who explained the history of the balmoral Afternoon tea and what each course would consist of and how it wold be served. First job was to select a wine, easy Rose..and then a tea..even easier Emperors Breakfast black. We then settled in, appreciated the harp player even more and had a good natter.
To serve the tea it is brought to you by the Maitre D who pours it into the tea cup from up high which added to the mystical yet refined ambience we were dining in. The first course was an A-mouse Bouche of pumpkin soup , followed by the normal , not quite, afternoon tea fare, (we requested no egg mayo or salmon and were rewarded by Hummus and cheese mayo alternatives).
It’s totally worth mentioning that by the time the ‘dessert’ section of our meal got to us we were fit to burst so they were beautifully wrapped up for us so we could enjoy it later. To add we were also presented with a little chest of house tea leaves and a selection of chocolates which were ever so nice!
The whole experience cost £70 but that was because we went to full out with wines (of course we did) the standard setting ranges from £50 and is an absolute must as a super special treat to ourselves. My friend found this eating extravaganza and I’m jolly glad she did!
We made our way back up and out to do some more souvenir shopping and met up with the boys who had the most amazing, and emotional return to the childhood at the Harryhausen exhibition. Once again we found ourselves back in a traditional pub and full from my recent eating adventures I went for a hot toddy. Our home for the evening was the Royal Mile Pub with what has to be the best bar staff in the city. I happened to be wearing a tiger print jersey and was fondly called Carol Baskin for the evening which was great! (Grumble)
Totally pooped out from our previous evening and the foolish (but worth it) early start , we left after the boys had eaten and retired for the evening back to our hotel so my hubby could watch Jason and the argonauts with a KFC. Legend status.
The following morning we packed up and exited our hotel heading back into town and to the train station, we caught a quick brekkie and what would be our last bite of Haggis at the Wetherspoons ‘The Booking Office’ which was a whopping £5.99 ! Bargain and filled me up for our journey home.
We had a marvellous few days and we prepped for the values we spent on this trip well in advance leaving only the hotel to be paid for when we arrived. We had the best company in the best city and I can’t wait to take my son in the New Year.
I hope you enjoyed or even found this review helpful and if you have any questions just reach out but i would definitely suggest Edinburgh to anyone who wants a simple and wonderful city break without the fuss.
Lisa x
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