Travelogue: Edinburgh

A view of Edinburgh Castle from Princes Street.

Hi there!

I’m getting my blog going again and thought a great way to do that was to share stories and images from a recent 2 month trip to the UK and Ireland. 

So… we begin in Scotland. With a little on how I got there.

On the 23rd of October, 2024, I took a red-eye from Seattle to London, then from Heathrow airport I took the tube (Underground) to St. Pancras train station to catch a train to Edinburgh. I timed things in a way that I hoped i wouldn’t miss the train, and I didn’t! 

A redeye flight helps me integrate into the new time zone a little easier. I am someone who can sometimes nap on flights, so that helps. But once I land I’m going until it’s “normal bedtime” and then that helps me get on to a schedule of sorts in the new time zone. Between Seattle and Edinburgh there’s an 8 hour time difference. 

This travel flow got me into Edinburgh around sunset time. From the train station I headed up to my hostel which was located on the Royal Mile. A good location to be if you want to be closer to a lot of the traditional tourist attractions. 

Fast forward to the 25th of October, I was now into the new time zone and ready to explore.

Early morning along the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, Scotland.

With that said, I did wake up pretty early, not crazy early, but early enough to catch a wee bit of sunrise while snacking on a croissant along Princes Street.

Some of my go-to food options when I travel to the UK are places like Marks & Spencer (Food Hall), Sainsbury’s, Tesco, and Waitrose. These markets all have relatively healthy “to-go” food at affordable prices. I went to Marks & Spencer’s food hall on Princes Street to get a few things to have for breakfast, including this fabulous little vanilla custard and raspberry pastry. I sat in the gardens at Princes street and just enjoyed these views and the sunrise.

Raspberry & Vanilla Custard Croissant from Marks & Spencer’s Food Hall on Princes Street, Edinburgh, Scotland.

This is a time of year where there’s a fair bit of gray skies, and definitely some rain, but not on this day. At least to start, there was a bit of colour in the sky as the sun rose above the horizon. It was a lovely way to spend my first “real day” in Edinburgh.

View of Museum on the Mound, Edinburgh, Scotland

After I watched the sun rise I wandered around Princes Street towards St James Quarter. St. James Quarter is a shopping center. I know you’re thinking “you’ve just landed in Edinburgh and you’re going shopping?!” Yep! A couple of my fave shops are there, that I can’t visit in the US. And, since this was all part of a long trip, I opted to not carry on some toiletries and buy them once I arrived. Also, I figured it would be fun to get a little shopping in. After a little shopping it was time for a snack and coffee. 

Latte at Platform 41 on Leith Street, Edinburgh, Scotland

When I travel, I try to seek out cool, independent coffee shops. Drinking coffee out has gotten quite expensive of course, so I don’t drink coffee out everyday, but on this trip I’d say at least once a week.

I found a cafe called Platform 41, a teeny shop, across from St. James Quarter. There were a few tables and two people running the show. Both of the gents behind the counter were very nice and great hosts. They have a decently sized menu of sandwiches and pastries, and of course coffee. Everything was delicious and priced nice!

Lunch at Platform 41, Edinburgh, Scotland

After lunch I headed back towards the Royal Mile & Victoria Street to wander a bit more before heading in for the night.

View of Sir Walter Scott Monument, Edinburgh, Scotland

On trips like this, I try to get out and explore different areas as much as possible, but some days you also want to just relax and enjoy your time in a place you love.

I’m still going through images and will be sharing more images, places, and stories through my blogs in the coming weeks/months. 

Step count: 23,963. whew!

Thanks for reading!

~ Kate

Victoria Street, Edinburgh, Scotland