A wander round Edinburgh

We spent this morning wandering the streets of Edinburgh, periodically staring at the sky and wondering why it was so blue.

The forecast for today was grim when we saw it last night, but aside from a few light showers, it was a joy. Our raincoats were surplus to requirements, but you know that if we’d left them back at the hotel, we would have been soaked.

We’re staying at the Hilton Edinburgh Carlton, which is just a few moments walk from the Royal Mile. So that was our starting point, wandering up one side, taking in the majestic Edinburgh Castle, then wandering down the other side.

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Next we headed to Princes Street, which was the quietest I’ve ever seen it. While lockdown easing in London has definitely brought people back to the high street, you can feel how the different public health regulations have had an impact on how people behave here. All for the better, as far as I’m concerned.

Given the weather, I had planned to spend some time in the Princes Street Gardens, but for some reason they were closed. We weren’t alone in being disappointed – several couples and small groups stood forlornly at the gates, looking through at the beautifully manicured flowers and trees beyond.

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We carried on up Princes Street and accidentally found a lovely sun trap in the form of an outdoor cafe at the back of St John’s Church. A couple of diet cokes later and we were ready to continue our walk, though to Grassmarket, where I enjoyed a beer in the sunshine.

Grassmarket’s outdoor seating in the summer makes you feel like you’re enjoying a break on the continent. I could have stayed there all afternoon, but the weather began to turn and we simultaneously began to feel hungry.

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Next stop was Brewdog , where we made our way through a few plates of food and I enjoyed a flight of beers.

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We’re back at our hotel after a brief nap (it must have been all the cheese I ate!), enjoying the ‘happy hour’ in the bar and plotting this evening’s fun and games. Even if it pours all day tomorrow, I’m so happy we got to enjoy Edinburgh in the sunshine.

It brought back so many memories of visiting here as a child, spending time with my Scots grandparents and many an hour on Princes Street and in the gardens.