Highlights from the Lowlands (Part One)

Back in class today, but last weekend was fun enough that I think I'll make it through.

The view from the castle towards "new" Edinbugh

Eight of my friends from Cal Poly and I set off from London on Thursday night and took the train from King's Cross (very Harry Potter) all the way up to Edinburgh. The scenery was beautiful, and because we're so far north it was bright enough to see the countryside for most of the trip.

We stayed in a hostel in the center of town, about two minutes from the train station and a ten minute walk from the Royal Mile (which is the central shopping/eating area of the "old town" section of Edinburgh).

Burgers and local beer? Yes, please!

On Friday we woke up early and walked up the Royal Mile to tour the Edinburg Castle. Be warned, the tickets are on the pricy side (16 GBP), but the views and castle were magnificent enough to be worth it! The castle offered a number of war museums, the old dungeons (creepy), and the Scottish national jewels. After the castle we found a delicious and cheap (!) pub where we all feasted and caught up on our wifi connections.

Once we were recharged, we then braved the clouds and eventual rain to do some shopping on the Royal Mile. I scored a tartan blanket, and a Clan Ross magnet, which is a huge win for someone who usually can't find anything personalized!

Elephant House 

After a couple more hours of exploring, it was time for more food. We went to the Elephant House, which was where J.K. Rowling began writing the Harry Potter series. The coffee and pastries were delicious, too.

All and all, an exhausting, but very fun day in Scotland!

Coming Soon: Day 2 in Edinburgh.