Very Bonny Scotland!

Just got back from a week's holiday in Scotland. We had such a lovely time and I feel relaxed and refreshed. I would also claim to be ready to start work again with renewed vigour and verve, but I think that might be a fib, so I shall just work with my normal level of enthusiasm and leave it up to you to decide at what level that might be...

Hubby's parents live in Wigan so we were able to break what would otherwise be a very long drive with a couple of nights 'oop north' on the way there and another one on the way back. We set off on Thursday evening with a fully-loaded boot plus DC and Granny in the back and arrived in Wigan at about 9.30pm. On Friday, International Businessman (a.k.a. hubby) had a meeting in Manchester so Granny and I decided to head into the city too (leaving DC to enjoy some quality time with Grandma and Grandad.) Unfortunately it rained pretty much all day so we were quite literally forced to spend time in the shops. Bum. And to have lunch in Harvey Nicks. Double bum.

View over Manchester rooftops from Harvey Nicks food hall.

Saturday we set off at about 11am for the drive up to Nine Mile Burn, a hamlet about 12 miles south of Edinburgh where we were renting a converted coach house. We had a stop en route in Moffat so DC could stretch his legs and the grown-ups could have coffee and cake, and arrived at the coach house mid-afternoon. Glorious setting up a long, bumpy lane and a lovely conversion, although getting a little worn round the edges as rentals invariably do.

Sunday we headed into Edinburgh to show Granny some of the sights. It was a little damp when we arrived, but luckily soon stopped raining as we walked up to the castle via lovely Victoria St with its boutique-y shops (below), along the Royal Mile (where I spotted Jane from Snapdragon), over to Princes St and then away from the hordes slightly to the rather more up-market shops on George St.

Monday we drove out to the coast at North Berwick. What a lovely, lovely little town. I'd like to move there, please. Or at least have a holiday cottage if you can arrange it? A wonderful beach where life and seaweed could be contemplated, cutesy little harbour and some great shops - what more could you ask for?!

Tuesday we headed out to St Andrews. Again, fabulous beach (where scenes from Chariots of Fire were filmed), magnificent ruined cathedral and castle and more fab shops. I'd also like to move there, please. Or another holiday cottage? Or perhaps I could go to Uni there? It's not too late, is it?! Made me kick myself for the decision I made when trying to whittle down which uni to attend where I resolutely refused to consider anything in Scotland or Wales or any polytechnics. Snob.

Wednesday was Granny's 70th birthday so we had a leisurely walk through the chi-chi Morningside area of Edinburgh before Granny & I headed to the Balmoral Hotel for a manicure before meeting up with DC & hubby for afternoon tea in the Palm Court.

Thursday we headed to Peebles for the day, with a quick stop off in lovely little West Linton so DC could play on the swings on the way home; Friday it was back to Morningside and then on to the Ocean Terminal in the afternoon. Saturday it was already time to bid farewell to bonny Scotland and head home, with an overnight stop in Wigan to break the journey again.

And now we are home :( Time to start planning our next holiday, methinks!