I’ve been meaning to visit Edinburgh for ages and managed to track down a lovely flat in New Town for the week, complete with a quirky guard at the door. It took us all day to get there and when we arrived, we had the curious feeling of being somewhere at once very different and very familiar. Like my hometown, this part of the city is Georgian but built in a very different stone from our biscuit-coloured variety in Bath.
We’d certainly landed on our feet: New Town is stuffed full of shops selling delicious food, lots of tempting looking restaurants and an excellent Sunday morning market a stone’s throw away in Stockbridge where we greedily stocked up followed by a turn around the lovely Royal Botanic Gardens on the way back to the flat. 
Monday’s planned climb up to Arthur’s Seat seemed fairly pointless given the light drizzle veiling what would have been an impressive view of the city so we wandered around the old town instead admiring medieval buildings, some quaint others beautiful. We were rewarded on Tuesday with lovely day, taking ourselves off 
to the Hermitage of Braid nature reserve on the edge of town and hiking up to the summit of Blackford Hill for some spectacular panoramic views of the city then walking back through Morningside to New Town, thinking of Miss Jean Brodie. We spent the afternoon properly exploring the glorious Botanic Gardens, one of the finest I’ve visited and I’ve been to quite a few. One of the loveliest pieces of planting was a wildflower meadow still going strong. Scattered through the gardens are some quietly striking sculptures by the likes of Barbara Hepworth and Andy Goldsworthy. 
Our last outdoor day was spent strolling along the last section of the Water of Leith walkway which runs through the city to the sea and the attractive tiny port for which it’s named, spotting two Anthony Gormley figures planted in the water along the way.
Thanks to Edinburgh’s last blast of summer, most of our gallery-visiting plans were put on hold for a future holiday, and there will certainly be at least one of those. We did fit in a trip to the National Gallery of Modern Art which is split between two buildings. We visited Modern One which houses the permanent collection and has a lovely café in its walled garden. The collection included some Magrittes I’d not seen before, some wonderful Miros and a few Hepworths and Nicholsons reminding me of our visit to Pallant House earlier in the year. It was a great way to round off the holiday. We even got a glimpse of an otter and H spotted a crane of the ornithological variety along the Water of Leith on the way to the gallery.
Edinburgh felt like a properly European city in the way even London doesn’t. I can’t quite put my finger on why. Perhaps it was the celebration of intellectuals – statues of Hume and Smith and streets named after writers – or the wide boulevards of New Town or the dinging of trams. Whatever it was, I’d be happy to live there.
And the books? I finally got around to Taylor Jenkins Reid’s addictive Daisy Jones & the Six, the story of a ’70s rock 
band made up of a patchwork of interviews in which each member has their say. Perfect holiday reading as was Tim Lott’s When We Were Rich, an absorbing, enjoyable state-of-the-nation novel which takes three lifelong friends and their partners from New Year’s Eve 2001 to the 2008 crash.
Such an brilliant holiday, all the more so for the unexpectedly gorgeous weather, and there’s so much more to see. Back to books on Friday but in the meantime I’ll leave you with Martin Creed‘s reassuring, optimistic message, emblazoned across the front of Modern One – Everything is Going to be Alright.
Glad you had a such a good holiday. I’ve only been to Edinburgh once but it’s a lovely city.
Thank you! We really took to it. I’m sure you’d like the Stockbridge Market, should you return. So many wonderful food stalls.
We were in Edinburgh about five years ago but the few days were not nearly enough to discover all its delights. It wasn’t bathed in sunshine but even in rain the city had a special atmosphere. The Water Of Leith walk sounds delightful
We fell in love with the place, Karen. We were so lucky with the weather but, as you say, even in drizzle it’s a lovely city.
I’m so pleased you enjoyed yourselves so much and managed to sample plenty of the city’s delights. We often say that living here feels as if we are permanently on holiday, and it’s always great when others love it too. Haste ye back!
Thank you, Liz! I’m sure it’s a lovely place to live. We’ve all those galleries and museums that we’d planned to visit to come back for so we’ll definitely be returning!
I last visited Edinburg over 20 years ago, and was struck by the greyness of the city, the grey stone buildings, the grey skies … can’t say I’m in a rush to return, despite my Scottish heritage.
I was very lucky with the weather, has to be said, although even in the rain it was appealing for me.
Aww lovely! I would happily live there again too (we left when I was 6). The place has such atmosphere, even when the weather is bad. Thanks for sharing your trips and photos!
My pleasure! I can see why you’d have such an affection for the city. We’ll definitely be paying another visit.
How lovely, I’ve been a couple of times and really like it.
It’s a great city, isn’t it. Small enough to feel friendly but with loads to see and do.
Sounds like you had a wonderful holiday. I’ve only been to Edinburgh once and that was for the day so I think a return trip is definitely needed. And funnily enough one of my recent reads, The Fair Botanists, is set in and around the Botanical Gardens, when they were moved to their current site.
We did, Janet. Edinburgh’s well worth a return visit, and thanks for the tip about The Fair Botanists. Sounds like one for my list!
Sounds like a wonderful holiday. Several years ago I spent a week in Edinburgh, staying just off The Royal Mile. I fell in love with the city, since then I have spent just one weekend there. I didn’t get to the Botanical Gardens, but really wish I had.
I fell in love with it, too! I hope you make it back there sometime. We were lucky to be staying so close to the gardens, popping in several times.
So jealous. We had planned to visit Scotland around this time, but this damned virus (along with something else) ended that dream. I’ll just have to visit my husband’s cousins another time…
Ah, the virus has put the kibosh on so many plans, hasn’t it? I hope you make it to Scotland soon.
Well, the virus delayed plans, but a sudden death in the family (not virus related) was the real problem. I’m now looking at next June for a whole UK visit. We’ll see…
I’m so sorry to hear that. I do hope the UK visit comes off for you.
Of course Edinburgh isn’t nearly as good as Glasgow, but it’s not bad for a runner-up… 😉 I agree about the intellectual atmosphere. I love that even the railway station is called after a novel – Waverley. I can’t think of any other railway station that is.
Me, neither, and there’s a socking great memorial to its author not too far away! I shall be sure to visit Glasgow at some stage.
What a lovely post! I’ve only been to Edinburgh once, for a weekend. I’m glad to know about the Tim Lott book having come out. I’d sort of lost track of him, but still remember his being forced to sit through an apero at my flat with no back support as we had so few chairs! Under the Same Stars is the only book of his I’ve read. I should try the new one. I am banging on, be well, and thank you for sharing from your lovely trip!
Thank you, and you had a story to tell! The Lott’s very enjoyable and comes with a puff from Jonathan Coe, no less.
Okay, wow, I’ll get on the job of finding a copy of it! Be well. X
You, too! x
What a lovely break! It’s been years since I last visited Edinburgh and I’m sure much has changed since then, but I do recall it feeling very cosmopolitan. Beautiful pics as ever, Susan – I do enjoy reading about your trips on here.
Thanks, Jacqui. All credit due to H for the pics, as ever.
such a lovely post, thank you! I’ve been once but I must go again – is it because London is all about monarchy and politicians I wonder, you’ve given me something to think about!
Thank you. These posts are a lovely way of fixing travel in my memory. I think you’re right about politicians and monarchy (+ the military) in London. The trams certainly helped the continental European atmosphere for me, although several English cities have those.
A lovely post Susan. It took me back to my visit to Edinburgh a few years ago. Right now I am on holiday in Dunedin – our Edinburgh of the south as it is known here. Not quite as picturesque or historic as the real Edinburgh, but a very interesting city all the same and from here it is a shot trip to visit the Royal Albatross colony and watch these magnificent birds.
Thank you. Hope they were happy memories. Dunedin does, indeed, look as if it’s been transplanted, or at least the bits Google’s chosen to show me. Enjoy your holiday! Ours was the last blast of summer but presumably you’re at the end of winter.
When we stayed in an Airbnb apartment in Edinburgh in September 2018, I definitely felt that it was somewhere I could live. So much to do! You chose mostly off-the-beaten-track places I hadn’t even heard of. The only thing we also did was the botanic gardens. In the years since, my husband has occasionally said, “let’s just move to Scotland,” and I’ve said sure! — Edinburgh or Wigtown, I’d be there in a second. (Although I think the tourists might well drive one mad in Edinburgh at certain times of year. You may be used to that from Bath, though.)
Oh, I am! The glorious weather meant we had a very different holiday from the one I was expecting which means we have lots of culture to explore on a return visit. Maybe you’ll go back sometime, too.
Sounds glorious Susan! I adore Hepworth and Goldsworthy, and otters are my favourite animals, so your holiday sounds perfect to me 🙂
It was! Two favourite sculptors for me, too. We couldn’t believe our luck with that otter.
What a nice getaway. From a distance on my screen, at first glance, you had a very daring dress on for an evening out and your partner was fully enjoying a dip in the stream.
It was glorious! It was such an eccentric sentry for our front door that I had to have a shot of it for the blog so H obliged.