Rachel and Travis planned a stopover in London after visiting a friend in Budapest. We decided to join them there, but started our journey in Edinburg having never visited Scotland. This trip goes back to my practice of doing all the legwork and not going through a tour. On the plus side, I could spend time in a location of interest or reorganize the day’s plans as needed. The chief downside was I didn’t have down time on the bus to record the day’s entries. Those entries generally occurred once I got back to the hotel room for the night (and relied on my remembering relevant points)
Enjoy our adventures by viewing the daily blogs below. For those who don’t follow me on Instagram, I started each day’s entry below with content from that day’s Instagram post.
September 30, 2024 – Overnight transatlantic to Edinburgh
Drove to RIC airport twice today. The first was to take Rachel and Travis whose flight left four hours before ours. The second was in Lynneda’s car as she preferred I make the drive.
Both flights were full. It reminded me yet again why I appreciate no longer needing to travel for work. We took United up on their offer to gate check our carry on’s to the IAD – EDI leg concluding that ensured the bags traveled on the same plane as us. The United App’s luggage confirmations reinforced that comforting thought.
Day 1 (October 1, 2023 – Edinburgh)
Got to add another city to my collection. Following a red-eye and an afternoon traipsing around the old town, I succumbed to a carbonated malt beverage.
Immigration a breeze with only needing to push my passport into the reader and have it compared to my image. Because the bus from the plane to immigration took so long, our luggage was already on the belt after we passed through Immigration.
Figured out the Airlink bus (Service 100) runs from EDI to Waverly Station. The walk uphill from Waverly Station to the Edinburgh Hilton was daunting (necessitating a couple of stops to catch our breath). Super pleased our room was available at noon. Allowed us to decompress before checking out the lounge and then go exploring.
Of course the rain came down in earnest during our walk to Waterloo Station to get on the Edinburgh Bus Tours. Managed to score the last two covered upper deck seats. Even so, riding in the open for two hours in the 50’s made for a chilly afternoon (after little sleep on the red-eye). Though it is a hop on, hop off arrangement, we never left our seats until we returned to Waterloo Station. The route took us all around Old Town and a bit of New Town. I liked the audio describing our route and history of places we passed. I really liked not needing to drive in Old Town. The sun came out in the afternoon. We walked a bit up High Street. After trudging around in the cold we sought out sustenance in the form of hot soup (without any Scottish additions). We ended up at Albanach. Cathy enjoyed Pea and Mint Soup while I dug into Pulled Mushroom Chile. As the image implies, we also tried a couple of their brews.
Day 2 (October 2, 2024 – Edinburgh)
Victoria Street – Lots of steps today (and some walking)
Following a buffet for breakfast at the hotel, we embarked on an intentionally truncated walking day starting with the Edinburgh Castle. Placing a fortification on top of an extinct volcano didn’t strike me as the best choice. But then creating Nor Loch as a moat to better defend the castle didn’t really help improve the situation. The fact Nor Loch became the receptacle for Edinburgh’s household waste no doubt created a pungent (if not lethal) atmosphere. Following a couple hours of exploring Edinburgh Castle, we diverted to the Grass Market (A historic market place, street and event space in the Old Town of Edinburgh, Scotland). The name apparently deriving from livestock grazing in pens. Other than discovering Kilted Doughnuts, nothing in the area drew us to contribute (more) to the local economy.
One of my objectives today was to walk by George Heriot’s School which is reported to have been an inspiration for Hogwarts. While I personally think Edinburg Castle is more visually closer to Hogwarts, I understand some headstones at the adjacent Greyfriers Kirkland Cemetery provided names for some Harry Potter characters.
By this point it was after 12 noon and our feet were sore. We found our way to Pie Makers a good friend recommended. Discovering it was mostly a take away shop necessitated taking two Scottish Pies and a Chocolate Chip cookie to enjoy in our room.
Prior to tonight’s The Real Mary Kings Close, we walked (downhill) to the Princess Street entrance of Waverly Station. Having ventured into New Town, provided us the opportunity to see the Scott Monument up close. We walked by the Royal Scottish Academy on the way to St. Giles Cathedral which concluded the daytime portion of a long day of steps and walking.
We returned to the hotel lounge (gotta love those travel perks) for meatballs before experiencing the Real Mary Kings Close. Mary King’s Close is a historic close (a street that housed over 600 people during the 17th century). Located under the Edinburgh City Chambers building on the Royal Mile, in the historic Old Town area of Edinburgh, Scotland, it took its name from one Mary King, a merchant burgess who resided on the Close in the 17th century. Though far younger, aspects of this tour reminded me at times of the Seattle Underground Tour. We’ve done that one twice and recommended it to those visiting Seattle. The closeness (nearly all synonyms of the word) of what it must have been like in the 1600’s must have been similar to New York and other eastern US tenements. Cramming dozens of people into a single room (sometimes with livestock) may well have induced madness among some. Adding in the unpleasantness of the pandemic would have made it unbearable.
Day 3 (October 3, 2024 – Edinburgh)
After a couple of days in the city, I decided it was time for serenity. Beautiful garden.
After taking a couple of days off from walking (right), we entered into a bit of a forced march spanning (by my estimate) close to 10 miles. Not a small amount due to various diversions and switchbacks. All of this was greatly enabled by Jon’s phone not being on the mobile network. This of course necessitated borrowing Cathy’s phone (which was on the mobile network) to confirm our walking route. While technically not possible when starting and ending in the same locations, it felt like we gained hundreds (if not thousands) of feet today.
We started down hill to view the Hollyrood Abbey Ruins. I knew they were being repaired and thus wouldn’t be fully visible. I didn’t know getting close required buying a ticket to the Palace of Hollyrood. Not having budgeted (financially and timewise) visiting the palace, we were entertained with the “No Strike – Fair Pay” campaign by the SPF (Scottish Police Federation) in front of the Scottish Parliament (which happened to be directly across the street from the Hollyrood Palace). That diversion faded rather quickly and we started towards Carlton Hill. In addition to gaining several hundred feet of elevation, we took a few wrong turns. Still the view was good. I wish the sun was out then.
The longest (and most navigationally challenging) trek was from Carton Hill to the Royal Botanical Garden Edinburg. By the time we arrived, we were hungry, thirsty and tired. Our mistake was sitting down for lunch in the garden cafe. I enjoyed celery soup while Cathy had a baked potato and side salad. The first few steps from the cafe into the garden were painful indeed. The Royal Botanical Garden Edinburg deserves its reputation as one of the finest in the world. We meandered through the Biodiversity Garden.
In the Chinese Hillside we spotted some pandas before visiting the Upper Woodlands and many other well executed features.
Despite a two mile distance (mostly uphill), we chose to walk back. Having seen the route going the other direction made it easier. It was nice to take off shoes and put our feet up for a while. Dinnertime required deciding where to go. Sore feet and tire legs eliminated several (distant) recommendations. Our not being Haggis fans knocked out some others. The Copper Still won based on proximity and menu. The Highlander and Whiskey Mule cocktails rounded out our evening. I enjoyed roasted salmon while Cathy went with the roasted chicken.
Day 4 (October 4, 2024 – Edinburgh to London)
Today we traveled by train from Edinburgh to London. Despite a lost lunch order and a 90 minute in route train delay, we arrived in time to join Rachel and Travis for dinner.
Up earlier than the previous day to ensure we get to the correct platform at Waverly Station. Though conveniently adjacent to the Hilton Edinburgh, construction necessitated walking down North Bridge to the Princess Street entrance. We arrived so early the train didn’t appear on the departure board. Nevertheless, we cooled our heels in the waiting room.
We took advantage of pre-ordering lunch. That seemed best as I couldn’t confirm a dining car would be available. Disappointed to learn that UK Rail had full cars in this train. Even so the pitch and seating comfort beat most US economy airline seats. I was reminded how much smoother and quieter European rail is than AmTrack. My chief disappointment on the ride was that despite being on the left side to view the shore, our seats faced the rear of the car. Going back to the earlier lunch comment, when the cart with food came through, we were informed they didn’t have our order. It slipped through the supply chain at some point. The cart ladies were mortified offering us what they had at no charge and instructed us on how to file a claim for the pre-paid lunch. I’m happy to report both the substitute lunch and the refund claim met our expectations.
The train entertainment continued. The train stopped at noon outside of York due to an incident on the tracks near Grantham. Good thing we didn’t have any reservations tonight. The train started moving after about a 20 minute stop. Cathy’s research determined someone was struck on the tracks. Alas, my hopes for continued movement were dashed as we might have traveled another 2 miles before stopping again before moving again at 12:45. After several more stops and slowdowns we arrived at Kings Cross about 90 minutes late. The crew told us we could file for a delay repay (which we did). I won’t mind a full refund, but would gladly accept 50%. In the end, we received a check about four weeks later from Lumo for £149.80 (and was the full amount). So basically we traveled from Edinburgh and were fed lunch for free.
We then needed to navigate from Kings Cross to the Piccadilly Tube line. A friendly attendant listened to our transport needs and laid out options from most expensive to least. Since we were only in London for four days, the contactless payment option (we call it tap to pay) made the most sense. A short ride from St. Pancras to Holborn got us two blocks from the hotel. The Doubletree West London is located just above the Strand (akin to Times Square theater district) making it ideal for our plans in London.
Tonight’s plan involved a walk down Fleet Street to meet Rachel and Travis for dinner. We had previously selected Chi Noodle based on proximity to their hotel and menu. I was very pleased with the small plates and entrees. I was amazed that a bottle of Pinot Grigio only cost £13 (in London’s financial district). While not a top line Wine Spectator offering, it was very drinkable. Tomorrow we will explore more of London.
Day 5 (October 5, 2024 – London)Today we explored part of the north bank in the City of London. The sharp eyed may spot a Harry Potter scene location. We then visited a thousand year old castle (no kidding) catching up on ancient British history. A boat ride brought us to the Elizabeth Tower (which holds Big Ben). After all that and a large protest in Westminster, we were ready for taking a break (at Tom Cribb).
Enjoyed an alternative breakfast brunch at the Doubletree London West End. In truth scrambled eggs, bacon, coffee and OJ are generally the same no matter where you are. For a change I had some yogurt as the Hilton Edinburgh only offered unflavored yogurt.
On our way to meet Rachel and Travis at the Tower of London, we took the Tube to the Bank Station to walk up to Leadenhall Market. Some of you may recall a scene filmed there in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s stone. Alas, we only saw Muggles that day. From the market we made our way to the Tower of London. Like so much of Europe, I’m continuously reminded the United States is much younger. In fact, some of the buildings we walked around today were basically a millennium older than virtually every structure in America.
We boarded Millennium Dawn of the City Cruises Line to travel from the Tower Pier to Westminster Pier. The guide pointed out numerous attractions as we passed by (or sailed beneath). I didn’t expect the crowds at Westminster. Perhaps this being Saturday and a large (20,000+) pro-Palestine demonstration between Trafalger and Westminster was a factor. The crowds forced a diversion west of Trafalgar, but we found sustenance at Tom Cribb.
After hydrating and consuming victuals, we meandered to Cecil Court.
I learned on the way that Leichester Square is incredibly crowded on a Saturday afternoon. It felt akin to walking (as best you could) through Times Square. The crowds pretty much eliminated casual window shopping. I made a point to scout out Tottenham Court Road station for the Tube ride to LHS on Tuesday morning.
The evening was a quiet one at the hotel where we enjoyed appetizers and shared a desert at the hotel restaurant.
Day 6 (October 6, 2024 – London)
Today is all about culture. The British have a lot of it. Following time viewing (a small part) of the British Museum’s exhibits, we are off to the theater.
My plans for today documented in Wanderlog were revised when we learned Rachel & Travis planned to visit the British Museum. In addition to a world renowned (and perhaps controversial to some) collection, it was located just two blocks from our hotel. Our early arrival (per our habit), provided ample time to peruse nearby gift shops. The Sunday crowd outside the museum was daunting. I located online a one-hour tour of top exhibits. The first was the Rosetta Stone. After that exhibit, I let Cathy and Rachel select from the museum map. Even so, we saw much of the one-hour tour.
The museum’s collection troubled me. Its mission statement “We are here to enrich the understanding and appreciation of London and all its people – past, present, future. A home for learning, exploration and adventure, we aspire to be a force for good in London, as London must be for the world” focuses understandably on London. On one hand it made available over 8 million items spanning thousands of years of mankind’s history. Items such as the Rosetta Stone enabled connecting ancient and (more) modern languages. On the other hand I’m confident much of the collection came from well beyond the British Isles. While for a time the sun never set on the British Empire, I think it appropriate to return items to the countries of origin (if they want them back).
Our 5:00 PM pre-show dinner limited our time in the museum. Cathy made someone’s day by giving them the map of the museum we purchased on entry. Those museum guests were most appreciative with our generosity.
We discovered on our walk to the Boulevard Brasserie, the UK meteorologists finally got the weather memo. Though it was not raining in earnest, I saw lots of umbrellas. The rain also prevented me from diverting to Benjamin Pollocks Toy Shoppe in Covent Garden.
Our dinner was quite nice. It would have been better had I told the waiter we were going to a 7:00 PM show. He adapted, ensuring food arrived in time for a 6:45 departure. Unfortunately we didn’t get to order dessert.
The performance of The Play That Goes Wrong at the Duchesse Theater was our desert. Not to belittle the performance of the show we watched at the Charleston Stage Theater in Charleston South Carolina, but the cast at the Duchesse Theater benefited from a run of 10+ years. Fast action and great audience interaction made the show.
Day 7 (October 7, 2024 – London)
Our last full day in London. In addition to seeing everything on my “to do” list, we scored a bonus of Buckingham Palace (we were in the neighborhood, but Charlie wasn’t home today).
Unless I score a really good image this evening or tomorrow on the way to LHR, this will be the last installment of our journeys this year in the United Kingdom. Hope you all enjoyed the posts.
We rode three different Tube lines today. Central line from Haborn to St. Paul, District from Monument to Embankment and Bakerloo from Embankment to Piccadilly Circus.
We got off to a leisurely start as St. Paul’s didn’t open until 9:30. The sun made the setting quite photogenic. This is the 3rd St. Paul’s in London as the predecessor burned in the 1600’s. Christopher Wren designed the present stone and masonry structure. Like many cathedrals, St. Paul’s is filled with numerous works of art. I enjoyed the Whispering Gallery. However, the 259 steps and the fact I couldn’t take pictures up there was a downer. The acoustics were remarkable as I could clearly hear and understand people nearly across the gallery. The gift shop provided ample opportunity to add to the local economy (and the church’s coffers). Unfortunately they didn’t accept our City Pass for a 10% discount. We had a little trouble getting from St. Paul’s to Lombard Street to view last four extravagant street signs of London’s historic banking street and then on to the Monument Tube station. This in spite of the fact I finally got my phone connected to Cathy’s phone’s hotspot meaning I didn’t need to ask for her phone every 50 steps. The transit to the Embankment station to the Bakerloo line was made difficult due to construction. Fortunately a station attendant (no doubt intentionally placed there) told us which way to go before we asked him.
My hopes for a local oriented and lower cost place for lunch in Piccadilly were dashed when I noticed the numerous upscale clothing stores. Even so (and after many blocks), we found the Cafe Concerto Green Park. It was basically a brasserie, but one that didn’t induce terminal sticker shock. As indicated in the image below, we enjoyed a cool beverage with our lunch.
Walking down St. James to Pall Mall for the approach to Trafalgar Square Cathy noticed a sign for Buckingham Palace. I hadn’t loaded that destination into Wanderlog as it was further south and west of where I expected to be. The sun gave us good light. Cathy scored a video (I’m pretty confident she added to her Facebook feed) of a Beefeater (Yeoman Warders of the Royal Palace) walking from his station.
From Buckingham Palace we walked to Trafalgar Square (much less congested than two days ago) to observe London’s Smallest Police Station.
We then popped into the Cafe in the Crypt for cappuccino before walking up to Goodwinn Court. The former is below St Martin-in-the-Fields church and is truly in a crypt. The latter per Atlas Obscura is a stretch of ornate window fronts and gaslight lamps that could be right from the pages of Dickens. I’m inclined to agree.
Day 8 (October 8, 2024 – London to RVA)
Last breakfast buffet for this trip. We managed to be seated in every section of the lounge. We realized this morning the lounge also offers dinner. No doubt a less expensive option than the small plate dinner we had the other night.
Left the hotel for the half mile walk to Tottenham Court Station to catch the Elizabeth Line to LHR Terminal 2. I realized this is the first time I’ve departed from LHH having previously only connected through or arrived at LHR. London Heathrow is a massive airport (despite having only two runways). I’m pretty confident we walked at least two miles from the rail station, through check-in and security before arriving at gate B48.
I noticed a few things on the Elizabeth Line. First I was grateful to be traveling against the commuter grain. Second, I noticed nobody was reading a newspaper. I’m likely in the last demographic that often purchased a newspaper at the airport. In fact, the last time I flew out of RIC there were no newspapers to be purchased. For the first time on this trip our tube ride wasn’t 100% underground. About 10 minutes after departing Tottenham Court Station, I noticed a rainbow (sorry, no pictures were taken)
My plans to relax a few hours in a lounge were thwarted when Cathy was informed her Priority Pass card was expired. She knew that would occur this month, but I was hopeful we wouldn’t need to spend three hours at the gate. Making matters worse, this terminal offered limited retail options preventing me from spending my last few pounds. I gave them to Ian when we returned home.