March Around Edinburgh
After flying in the night before from Paphos, Cyprus, for our destination wedding at Mansfield Traquair, we woke up to the most glorious March spring day. Full sunshine and only a wisp of fluffy clouds in the perfect blue sky. There were puddles on the ground from previous rain, but we had the weather and a full day to explore. What a day to pick to see the fabulous city of Edinburgh in Scotland — it made the city shine.
A Scottish spring day
We were photographing a destination wedding the day after at the stunning Mansfield Traquair in the city. We will be doing a journal on that in the very near future.
Edinburgh Castle
We visited Edinburgh Castle, set high upon a hill called Castle Rock that dominates the city skyline. The hill was once a volcano — now dormant, thankfully. There has been a castle here since the 12th century, and the first King of Scotland to be based here was David I.
Greyfriars Bobby
Also on our itinerary was a visit to Greyfriars Bobby — a wee Skye terrier who pined at his master's graveside in the nearby cemetery for a supposed 14 years in the 1870s. A small monument to the dog marks the spot. Don't rub his nose!
The Elephant House
We could not come to this amazing city without a visit to The Elephant House. The gourmet tea and coffee house has been made even more famous by JK Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series. Ian Rankin also wrote his Rebus novels here. The loos are a particular feature.
The Halfway House
Another pub we had to visit is the city's smallest, The Halfway House. A tiny one-room pub off steep steps, partly carpeted, partly tiled, with a few small tables and high-backed settles, lots of drinks, four well-kept Scottish ales, a good range of malt whiskies and friendly staff.
Mary King's Close
We also visited Mary King's Close — Edinburgh's deepest secret; a warren of hidden streets frozen in time since the 17th century. A fascinating place that you could get lost in.
A special mention to the owners of ROCKS BY ROCKMAN, who very kindly helped me with my belt. They make stunning, unique leather notepads and other items — if you are in the city, please take a look.
Cocktails and curry
We ended the day with cocktails. In the heart of Edinburgh sits Juniper Bar — a vibrant, sophisticated cocktail bar serving an eclectic menu with a mix of old and new. Then more cocktails and a trip to the famous Heads & Tales Gin Bar — home to Edinburgh Gin and their distillery, with creative gin cocktails shaken by mixologists in a bar with timber ceilings and smart armchairs.
We ended the night with a great curry with good friends who kindly put us up for the stay — ready for the wedding the next day.
