Today was my LAST day in Edinburgh, and I have to say I’m not as ready to leave as I thought I would be. Thankfully, Edinburgh is only a 2.5 hour train ride from Aberdeen. I will definitely be back.
I started off the day by waking up before my alarm… exactly what everyone wants to do on a Sunday, right?!
I was feeling quite ambitious, so I walked for 30 minutes to Dean’s Village. The only reason I even knew to go there was because two of my hostel mates recommended it to me, saying that it was a beautiful place that just cannot be missed. It rained for most of the morning, but my awesome rain jacket from L.L. Bean kept me dry and warm! Dean Village was absolutely beautiful. The houses were stunning, and there was a small river running right through the village. I followed a path along the river for a while and saw some cute little ducks enjoying the rain! It was a very peaceful morning, and the rain was surprisingly soothing rather than frustrating.
After I left Dean Village, I grabbed a bite to eat at the first coffee shop I could find. I think it was called Costa Coffee or something like that. I didn’t pay much attention to be honest… I was just hungry!
Next, I walked in the complete opposite direction for an hour to Arthur’s Seat, an ancient volcano located near Holyrood Palace. I hiked to the top and was rewarded with the BEST view of Edinburgh. A nice couple from Canada took my picture at the top and praised me for hiking it all by myself. I felt like such as boss 😎. Last night, my hostel mate had said, “you’re gonna want to die for a while, but you’ll be so proud of yourself when you make it to the top”. She had hiked up Arthur’s Seat by herself yesterday, and she was absolutely right! I love female solo travelers… they’re so inspiring and encouraging.
I was almost down from the volcano when I saw a little pond with swans!!! So, I decided to take a break and watch the swans swim around for a while. I needed that. Despite all of the working out I do, my legs were shaking on the way down!
By the time I got back to the hostel to change clothes, it was almost time for dinner. I went to Maggie Dickson’s pub, which is just down the street from the hostel, and ate fish n chips in the sunshine.
Maggie Dickson… does that name ring a bell to you? It should if you’ve read Friday’s post! That’s right — the pub was named after THE Maggie Dickson who came back to life after being hanged in the Grassmarket! According to my tour guide the other day, getting a pub named after you is the highest form of recognition in Scotland.
Note: I will NEVER get tired of fish n chips. You can quote me on this one.
I’m calling it quits early tonight, as I have to be to the train station by 6:30 tomorrow morning. Wondering where I’m going next? Check back soon to find out 😉
Until next time,
Clara