Welcome back! In this session, we’ll dive into our second connector day – connecting the Lakes District of England to Edinburgh, Scotland. This is our 2nd connector day, so see session 8 for the first day to Oban. Today we’ll travel from Oban to Edinburgh. We’ll use our process to help us determine:
- What should we see?
- Where should we sleep?
- Where/What should we eat?
This is Day 14 of our England/Wales/Scotland adventure. We’ll travel from Oban on the west coast of Scotland down thru the highlands, through the Trossachs section of the National Park, skirt by Stirling (we’ll pop back here in a few days), and ultimately into one of the most enjoyable cities I’ve ever been to – Edinburgh.
Scotland is a land of great natural wonders. Leaving Oban, we’ll visit one area that is possibly the most spectacular – Glencoe Valley. We’ll visit this “Weeping Glen” and its aching combination of both history and natural beauty. If you seen the James Bond movie “Skyfall”, or “Thor:Dark World”, or “Gladiator”, or “Sherlock Holmes”, or Braveheart” or the “39 steps” or even Harry Potter Deathly Hollows Part 2 (of the Prisioner of Azkaban)… you’ve experienced this place. Perhaps you’ll even hear a bagpipe on the wind… 🙂
We’ll be spending 3 full days in Edinburgh, but we’ll cover most of that in our next session. We’ll arrive late afternoon, and will take a wander down the Royal Mile before securing dinner. But today is about the scenery and eye-opening landscape that evokes poets and loners… the Scottish Highlands.
What should we see?
Since this is a connector day, we’ll be connecting-the-dots as we head towards Edinburgh. But there is no shortage of things to see today. Here is a list from the Highlands part of the day:
- Glencoe Village
- Glencoe Pass
- Meeting of the Three Waters (Tears of the MacDonalds)
- Coffin Cairn
- “The Study” Hike
- Glen Etive
- Trossachs National Park
Once we arrive into Edinburgh, we’ll likely take a wander (and our dinner) on the Royal Mile. Although we’ll be visiting most of these places in more detail over the next three days, here is a list of what we’ll see from Rick Steves Royal Mile walk:
- Edinburgh Castle
- Castlehill
- Lawnmarket
- Bank/High Street Intersection
- St. Giles Cathedral
- High Street
- John Knox House
- The World’s End
- Canongate
- Scottish Parliament Building
- Palace of Holyroodhouse
Where do we sleep?
Saint Rick recommends accommodations in three areas – the City Center, the West End, and the quieter neighborhoods south of old town.
The City Center is where the larger hotels are. Rick thinks they are characterless, but they are in the center of everything. A short list of suggestions:
- The Inn Place
- The Inn on the Mile
- Grassmarket Hotel
- The Place Hotel
The West end right next to New Town is quiet, it’s classy… and it’s pricey. It caters to business travelers. Not as intimate as the South end, it is very convenient for sightseeing. Some of the suggestions:
- B+B Edinburgh
- Angels Share Hotel
- St. Valery Guest House
To the south of old town are some neighborhoods where you find more of the B&Bs. Normally warmer in hospitality and perhaps a bit quirky. It is about 30 minutes to walk to the Royal Mile, but the bus system is wonderful and will get you there in under 10 minutes. This is where I stayed during my last visit, and aimed at staying here again.
There are a couple of main arteries (roads) in this area. One is Dalkeith Road, the other is a couple of blocks further out near Mayfield Gardens. I stayed at a Dalkeith Road location that was wonderful this past time (Hotel Ceilidh-Donia), so thought I would mix it up with something from the other neighborhood.
Here are a few suggestions in the Dalkeith Road area:
- Gil Dun Guest House
- Gifford House
- Hotel Ceilidh-Donia
- Ard-Na-Said B&B
Here are some choices near Mayfield Gardens
- 23 Mayfield Guest House
- Glenalmond House
- Barony House
I chose to give 23 Mayfield Guest House a try. Rick Steves again says it is “splurge-worthy” (why not with my dear wife along? 🙂 ), thoughtfully appointed with high-tech bathrooms. The guest lounge and bar is something to look forward to as well. 🙂
Finally… Where to Eat?
I’m going to really beg off and cover this during our next session. There is SO MANY places to eat in this fantastic city, it deserves more attention. So for this first night, we’re going to grab dinner right off the Royal Mile – at a place called the “Devil’s Advocate”. Rick’s guidebook describes it as a popular gastropub that hides down a narrow lane. It is created in an old cellar – exposed stone and heavy beams – but done up in a modern style. Highlights and the draw for us was the creative whiskey cocktails that kick off a menu that dares to be adventurous. So why not?
So there you have it… here is our preliminary itinerary for Day 14 – our 2nd connector day from Oban to Edinburgh:
- Travel one hour north of Oban to the Weeping Glen of Glencoe
- Visit Glencoe Valley and take a walk on the moors
- Visit Glen Etive and see how James Bond grew up.
- See the beauty of Trossachs National Park
- Wander the Royal Mile of Edinburgh before diving in over our heads starting on Day 15.
- Dinner at The Devil’s Advocate at 6:30 PM
I hope you have found this helpful. Next up – All things Edinburgh – as we crush Days 15, 16 and 17.