Well, the forum ate my post last night so I had to start chapter 1 from scratch!
Anyhow - here is the link to a massive 500+ photo journal of our tour of Scotland FEAT: myself and my 20 year old son.
Our trip began out of LAX nonstop to London Heathrow via Virgin Atlantic. We enjoyed the service and the entertainment on board and would fly VA again.
Grabbed the Heathrow Express train to Paddington and transferred to the tube (we had purchased pre-loaded oyster cards which work for the tube and the Gatwick express but NOT the Heathrow Express). I liked the 15 minute ride vs making a bunch of stops and to me it was worth the premium price tag. You can buy the tickets for a specific time for the first use, and then get a standard return to use up to one year after, it will save some money vs buying at any number of vendors on the way to the trains, or on board from the conductor.
We overnighted near the British Museum and found the location was very much the London of our minds! The food at the Museum Tavern was ok, but the beer selection was good and the mince pie was a solid introduction to pub grub and a menu we would find repeated all over the areas we visited. After going back to the room for a quick recline, we headed out to meet a friend for a pub crawl. Starting at St. Paul’s, up to a skybar, across the Millennium bridge, and to a pub by the Tate Modern then ending at an old pub with a modern twist inside. It was an amazing intro to London and a highlight on the very first night of the adventure.
Up early (with a bit of ouch from a couple too many pints) for a quick look at scaffolded Big Ben and Westminster Abbey before taking the tube to Victoria station to get the Gatwick express. We arrived in Edinburgh and took the bus to Waverly with no issue. We had chosen to stay on the royal mile at the Raddison Blu and were VERY happy with our decision. It was very easy to walk to all the main sights, and the staff was wonderful with suggestions for food and activities. Had an amazing steak dinner and hit the bed early for our first full day in Scotland.
The Edinburgh castle was our first stop of the morning on a clear and windy day. The castle was amazing although the large memorial building was closed for a concert so we were unable to enter. After a stroll down the mile a ways, we took a cab to the park for our hike to the seat. I had not done the research so we ended up taking the trail to the right along the crags instead of up the trail to the seat. As it turned out, it was a perfect walk that got our blood pumping, gave great views of the city, and led us to the valley between the peaks for a beautiful hike to the small ruins above the huge park. It was a perfect intro to hiking in Scotland and amazing that it was a 15 minute walk up the mile to our hotel. We went to the Greengrass district for lunch and could see just how inspired JK must have been while writing her famous books. It really is HP come to life. Back to the hotel for a rest and then we had a delightful evening out at the http:/ /www.royal-oak-folk.com/page8.html £5 cover and a couple of pints will get you two 45 minute music sets and a raffle at the break! It was a great night, and we enjoyed a kebab pita on the way home for dinner.
Next morning saw my first attempt at the left side of the road. Grabbed a rental car at Waverley and headed out to Stirling Castle. We loved the castle, but also our stop at https://www.stirlingbagpipes.com. We bought a custom made set of highland pipes from Alan, and enjoyed the October quiet as we spent the afternoon chatting and building our set while he told stories and imparted info, and even enjoyed his Braveheart sword! It was a gem of a visit and another highlight of the trip.