Castles, Museums and Food with a View- Edinburgh Day 2

Started the day with a complimentary Scottish breakfast before heading out for Edinburgh Castle.
Ben wasn't too thrilled with the haggis on his plate, but I enjoyed it along with my salmon and poached egg.

Instead of taking Princes Street to The Mound, we followed the path in Princes Street Gardens. Either way you have to trek up hill, but the gardens is an easier and more scenic walk.

The group ahead of us seemed to be walking with purpose so we followed them.

 

 They led us to just where we needed to be just below the Royal Mile.








 

Plan for at least 2 hours to walk
around the castle.
The audio set is worth carrying
and the guide book is a great souvenir.

Great views around the cannon wall.

The clouds were rolling in. Weather changes quickly. Need to dress in layers and wear waterproof jackets with a hood.

Walked down Royal Mile to the Writer's Museum. Go through the alleys. You'll be surprised what you find. 

Lady Stair's Close led us away from the Royal Mile toward the National Gallery. All the museums are free. We're big fans of Museum cafes and this one didn't disappoint.

As you've probably realized by now - food experiences are as important as the places we visit. 







Lunch and dessert with a view of the Princes Street Gardens.

Dinner at Nobles

Opened in 1896, Nobles is located in the shore area of Leith  Our waitress turned out to be a wonderful historian. In the 1960's the building was a go-go bar in a rough shorefront neighborhood. The neighborhood now is one of the hottest properties in GB. The stained glass is original and inside the dark wood decor maintains its Victorian charm.

Mussels and fries were delicious. 

Good night my friends. It's a long day tomorrow - 12 hour Outlander tour. And yes, my husband is going too. Said he wasn't going to let me touch the stones if he's not hanging on. Not as forgiving as Frank. 

First Evening in Edinburgh

Getting lost in any city is always interesting. Making the wrong turn when we left our hotel was truly the beginning of an amazing evening.

Our Hotel
The Channings Hotel Edinburgh is made up of a series of renovated  townhouses. The top floor suites are named after the Antarctic explore, Sir Earnest Shackleton and his exploring team. 






After a power nap, we decided to explore Dean village, a charming residential area along the Leith river. It's a hidden surprise only a 15 minute walk from Princes Street and not far from our hotel (even with our misguided sense of direction)
This is where we took our first wrong turn. We were saved by a very friendly local who asked to see our wee map. He informed us we were holding it upside down and insisted on walking with us to get us on the right path - a staircase that led to the highroad along the creek. Beware the biker riders, joggers and dog walkers.

   

Under the Dean Street Bridge

Dinner at Ryan's
A short walk up a hill led us back to Queensferry Street and dinner. Nothing fancy, just a glass of wine and loaded veggie baked potato for me and a sandwich and local beer for my husband.

After dinner we noticed a small group had gathered across the street. Something was going on. Why was there a red carpet and those handsome pipers outside The Caledonian?

Apparently, there was a charity event. And Outlander fans - I was told I had just missed Scott Kyle. Everyone was waiting for James McAvoy (Professor X from X Men) and Eva Longoria. They didn't show up while we were there, but the pipers were very gracious and took photos with anyone who asked. www.getapiper.com

Me with piper James Nicholl

While I was waiting, I got this shot of the Edinburgh castle which we plan on exploring tomorrow. If we can find our way there.

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