Hello,
Returned several weeks ago from a 16 day trip with my wife that took us from Edinburgh to Glasgow down to York, Cambridge and London and finally on to Paris.
We are both late 60’s and regular walkers. We were in Paris last year but the UK was new to us.
I had used this forum so often in my trip planning that I felt I should offer a trip report in case it helps anyone. I am always amazed by how generous with their time and experience the people of RS are to their fellow travelers. Thanks to everyone.
Direct flight from Boston to Edinburgh, landing about 8:30am. Taxi to hotel, Parliament House Hotel, left bags and headed out for breakfast. After a full Scottish for me and smoked salmon with poached eggs for my wife we were ready to stretch our legs. We walked over to Waverly train station to familiarize ourselves as we would be leaving from here in a few days. From Waverly we headed back towards our hotel but continued on to Calton Hill. A fairly short walk up leads you to what may be the best panoramic views of Edinburgh. View Arthur’s Seat, Edinburgh Castle and as far as the Firth of Forth. Several monuments are located on the hilltop. Though a fairly easy walk up those with mobility problems may be impacted.
Returned to hotel, the room ready, we checked in. We were soon back out heading towards the Royal Mile. After lots of walking, picture taking, popping into shops and just enjoying the area we were ready for a pint. There is no shortage of where to go for a pint as pubs and restaurants line the Mile. Starting to feel the tiredness of the day we headed back for a short rest before dinner. I usually like to have reservations for my 1st night of a trip as I know I will be tired and in a new city. Many on this forum are fans of Howie’s restaurant and since it was very close to our hotel we made 7:30 reservations there. It did not disappoint. Cullen Skink, smoked mackerel pate, braised beef casserole and banoffee pie, all delicious. Of course a wee taste of Glenmorangie scotch, just to be polite. Back to the hotel after a very successful and enjoyable day one.
Day two was going to be very busy. My wife’s grandmother was born in Edinburgh and headed for Boston when she was 18. My wife was very close to her grandmother and had been given her name as her middle name. She had wanted to “walk where Gram walked.” Through genealogy search and family records I was able to put together a walk that took us to the home she was born in, the home she lived in with her family through childhood and additionally to the homes of two sets of great-great grandparents. It was better than expected. She never knew her grandmother had lived just around the corner, a two minute walk, from her own grandparents. The walk took us through Stockbridge, a great neighborhood in Edinburgh, and on to Dean Village. Dean Village is a small but beautiful neighborhood of Edinburgh. We followed the Water of Leith back into Edinburgh. We had logged in 25,000 steps, 9.7 miles! Back to the hotel to put our feet up. Casual pub dinner, fish and chips, at No. 1 High Street with a couple of well deserved pints. Stroll along Royal Mile with a beautiful full moon hanging over St. Giles, perfect ending to a busy day.
Day three had us taking a short walk to the National Gallery. A very nice art gallery. After yesterday it was nice to slow down and just enjoy Van Gogh, Vermeer , da Vinci and many others. Lunch was at Ochre inside the museum. Soup along with a cheese selection and salad was delicious. Of course a pint, museums can make you thirsty. The rest of the day was spent wandering the streets of Edinburgh, an absolutely beautiful city. Dinner was at Ecco Vino on Cockburn St. Shetland mussels and Pasta Norma along with Seafood linguine accompanied by some very good wine ended our time in Edinburgh.
A review of hotel and restaurants will follow, asap.
Thanks for reading.
Posted by
Duluth 🛶
8127 posts
Thanks for the trip report, Jmo—it sounds like you had a lovely trip! And I enjoyed the story of your wife's search for her grandparents' information. That must have been fun!
Posted by
Lynnwood
290 posts
Great trip report - thank you! Sounds like you two had a lovely time and chose well.
Posted by
Camano Island, WA, usa
1524 posts
As Mardee says "a lovely report"! I do a lot of Genealogy and I believe that you can "feel" your ancestors in your own chromosomes. When you visit places where they lived; you can start to see through their eyes. When my Husband and I traveled through the UK on a couple of trips; I felt so at home in some places. I only found out later, filling out our trees, that these were where my folks were from. I didn't have much documentation from our families because it turns out both sides had folks here for 400 years in the US and most didn't record their ancestors in home records. And then we tended to move West, leaving the past behind; especially after the Civil War. I enjoyed your on the ground style of reporting; especially the food reviews! Looking forward to more you will tell us coming.
Posted by
OP
50 posts
Continued
Quick review on Parliament House Hotel.
Great location and very nice staff. When I return to Edinburgh I will probably look for a new spot but wouldn’t rule out a return visit.
Edinburgh was great. Always felt safe walking and returning to the hotel at night, although usually by 10:00pm. Restaurants we went to were great and we never stopped into a pub that we felt we wouldn’t return.
On to Glasgow
Walked with our bags to Waverly Station for train to Glasgow, about an hour. I should say here that we traveled by train throughout our trip. I got the ScotRail app and bought our tickets through the app. Worked out great as did all the train travel, 5 trips with only one 20 minute delay. Trains were always clean and staff was helpful.
Arrived in Glasgow and took a taxi to the Alamo Guesthouse in the Finnieston neighborhood. Checked in and quickly headed out towards Buchanan St. with Google Maps leading the way. It was about a two mile walk. Buchanan St. is a very nice pedestrian street with many shops and restaurants. Being a Saturday there were several awning size tents along the street for varied causes, Peace in Gaza, Pro Israel, even a Communist Party tent. It was interesting how cordial and respectful everyone seemed to be towards each other. Bagpipe buskers entertained. Walked to the city center and George Square, great area. We decided to walk to the Cathedral and Necropolis, about a 20 minute walk. We arrived at the Cathedral just in time to hear them explain that no one else could be admitted today. We laughed at our timing. I think the star was the Necropolis. A cemetery that spreads out and up from the cathedral. If you continue the climb to the top you are rewarded with a great view over the city. From the cathedral it was a taxi back. Couldn’t decide on dinner so walked a bit around Finnieston and passed BrewDog Brewery. It was agreed. Very casual spot. They cater to the university crowd and local beer fans. Cheeseburgers with fries for both with a flight of local beers, what’s not to like? Walked back to guesthouse.
Breakfast at hotel then a walk through the neighborhood heading towards Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. A great spot. An eclectic collection from a 1944 Spitfire airplane hanging overhead to Dali and Renoir hanging in the gallery. One of our favorite places on our trip. The museum is abutting Kelvingrove Park and the River Kelvin. A beautiful part of the city.
Dinner at Santorini , a Greek restaurant a short walk from the hotel. It was very good, we shared several plates. Staff was very nice, engaging. Food was delicious. Walked back in a light drizzle.
Alamo Guesthouse- good location and the staff was very nice. I was a bit surprised to find that the guesthouse wasn’t staffed from 7:00pm to 7:00am. You were expected to be sure to lock the door when you got in. They had a phone number posted in case you lost your keys or an emergency. Seemed like an odd place to save money on staff, but ….
We enjoyed Glasgow. The term we often heard when people spoke of Glasgow was “gritty”. I guess that fits but not in a negative way.
The weather in Scotland was cool and usually threatening rain. However, rain never altered our plans and a light jacket was usually enough.
Off to York next. Be back asap. Thanks for reading.
Posted by
OP
50 posts
Continued
Train from Glasgow to York, about 3.5 hours. Relaxing, nice scenic ride. Arrived in York and walked to Dean Court Hotel. Checked in and headed out to grab lunch and explore the city. Sandwich and a pint at the Fat Hippo. Was ok, nothing memorable.
The Minister is the star in York and it doesn’t disappoint. From both outside and inside it is a beautiful church. Took an informative tour of the church, about an hour. We would return to the Minster in the evening as they had a unique York Minster Light Show with footage from the 1984 fire that nearly destroyed the Minster. There is an entry fee which includes a guided tour.
York is a great walking city and walk we did. From exploring the Shambles, a fun, unique area with an interesting history, to walking the city walls. Back to the hotel for a brief rest then out to find dinner. Not very hungry so we found a small restaurant, can’t remember the name, where we had a couple of different appetizers and a gin and tonic. Back out for a stroll around the city at night and back to hotel.
Breakfast, a full English, was at the hotel and very good.
Morning found us walking along the River Ouse, a very nice trail and up into the gardens and the Abbey ruins. The day was taken up by walking through the city, popping into shops, eating bits of chocolate, some small museums and galleries and relaxing a bit after several busy days. Not very hungry after a day of picking we ended up at ASK Italian. I believe it’s a chain. It’s located in a beautiful space, The Grand Assembly Rooms. Some pizza and pasta. It was just what we were expecting from a chain so we weren’t surprised or disappointed. Walk back to hotel with a stop at a local pub for a nightcap.
Dean Park Hotel-great location and very nice staff. Across from the York Minster. Used the washing service they offer with a local service. Front desk gives you a bag to fill, you leave it at the front desk and it is picked up, cleaned, folded and returned to hotel. Perfect, bit pricey maybe but worth it.
We enjoyed York very much. Different certainly from the big cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow but a nice change of pace. Two nights was probably good for us although a 3rd night would have been ok.
Off to Cambridge
Train from York to Cambridge, about 2.5 hours.
Taxi from train station to Lensfield Hotel. Left luggage and headed out to Wren Library, only open to public 1 hour a day. Brilliant library, smaller than I imagined, but worth the trip. Lunch at a local sandwich shop. Absolutely beautiful city. Spent the day walking through the streets admiring the many colleges, gardens and following the River Cam. Evensong at Kings College Chapel then a stroll through town at night before heading to a very good dinner at Browns.
Lensfield Hotel-not a place I would recommend. Somewhat convenient location though I think you could do better. The owner/clerk, not sure who he was, gave us the impression he was a very busy man and our being there was somehow disturbing him. When we returned at night he appeared to be so engrossed in reading something he couldn’t be bothered to look up and acknowledge us. Rooms were bare minimum, no reason to rush back there.
We really enjoyed Cambridge. The architecture was beautiful. We would not have been bored by a 2nd night there.
Off to London in the morning.
Thanks for reading.
Posted by
OP
50 posts
Thanks, Kathleen, KC and Mardee
Posted by
Camano Island, WA, usa
1524 posts
We loved the Necropolis, too. We do a lot of what they call "Dark" touring, visiting graveyards and battlefields. Highgate in London is one of my favorites. We did visit Culloden and found grave markers for the Clans: my husband, a Campbell, mine, Ogilvy. So, opposite sides. Look on www.findagrave.com for your US peeps.
Posted by
OP
50 posts
Interesting Kathleen, I didn’t know they had a name for it. Did you visit Old Calton Burial ground in Edinburgh? Interesting history and a statue of Lincoln, honoring Scots who died in the Civil War.
Posted by
Southeastern US
2620 posts
Thank you for sharing!
Posted by
Central Coast CA, USA
160 posts
Lovely trip report!! Question re the Lensfield hotel in Cambridge - is it clean and safe? I'm traveling solo to Cambridge next September and was thinking of staying at the Lensfield for two nights. Mainly because of it's location next to the Scott Polar Research Institute and the Fitzwilliam museum. Should I look for someplace different? Your thoughts much appreciated!
Posted by
OP
50 posts
Hi MapLady,
The Lensfield was clean though somewhat dated. It’s a bit past the busier part of the city center, less people walking. Just before the hotel we did pass a very busy bar/pub with (outdoor?) music and very crowded. University clientele maybe? Can’t say we ever felt unsafe in the area.
Posted by
Central Coast CA, USA
160 posts
Jmo, thank you so much for the details. I will need to think about this some more.
Thank you for writing up your trip report in detail - I have enjoyed your trip vicariously.
Posted by
OP
50 posts
Continued
Took the train from Cambridge to London’s King Cross, about an hour. Took a taxi to Resident Covent Garden. Checked in and headed out to Tower of London and Tower Bridge. Hooked on to a Yeoman Warder tour that was just beginning. It was very good. Informative and some added humor. It was a good way to start our visit.
As first timers to London I knew that a big part of the trip would be checking boxes, and check boxes we did. I won’t bore you with all my reviews of the typical sites. We visited Buckingham Palace (outside only), Westminster Abbey (inside and out), Big Ben (photo op only), 10 Downing Street (photo op), heavy security, Royal Horse Guards, Trafalgar Square, Grosvenor Square, Leicester Square, St. James Park, Regents Park, Hyde Park and really the list goes on and on. We would stay 4 nights but we knew we would only be scratching the surface of all London has to offer. Spent a lot of time walking the city because we wanted to see the city and not just arrive at the nearest tube stop. Some of our favorites were:
Churchill War Rooms-very interesting, it was quite busy so didn’t stay as long as I would have liked but very informative.
St. Paul’s Cathedral- beautiful space, lot of history. Asked about a bust of Washington I had read about and was told by a guide “Sorry no such thing here.” When we found it I took a picture and happened to see the same guide as we were leaving. I showed him the picture and we laughed, he wanted to know exactly where it was. He then asked if he could give us a personal tour of the American Memorial inside of St. Paul’s. It was great.
National Gallery- a great spot. Caught a Van Gogh exhibit. Went on a Friday night, late opening. Could spend many hours there.
Passed statues of Washington, Roosevelt, Lincoln and Ben Franklin’s home, all reminding us of our close relationship with England. Be back later to finish up.
Thanks for reading.