edinburgh

Three days in Edinburgh give you:

:: a meeting with a lovely blogger 

:: in a place where coffee and cake are taken seriously (but not too seriously)

:: and a taste of brawn croquettes at a brilliant cafe that sources its brawn (aka pig's head) and all its ingredients locally. I have no doubt that Mrs Rundell has something to say on the subject of brawn in the forthcoming Persephone edition of her book.

:: the chance to wander round the New Town (as in 18th century), a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and imagine what lies behind the beautifully proportioned facades and tastefully coloured doors. (The door above was my favourite - I love the very thin gold and black painted border on the door frame. So refined, so Edinburgh.)

:: time to read a book by local hero, Alexander McCall Smith, because even though we have his novels littered all over the house (waiting to be catalogued - see below), I have never read one. Simon has been recommending them for years, so I decided to read an Edinburgh novel seeing as I was there. 

:: an excuse to walk to Scotland Street to see the setting of the book and to discover that AMS was playing a joke on his readers with the address, like  another famous local writer. There is no number 44, just as there is no 221b Baker Street.  

A visit to Edinburgh also gives you:

:: the opportunity to test your fitness up and down hills and famous sets of steps, and a better leg-muscle workout than any treadmill. Plus you get plenty of real weather (wind, rain, sun, fresh air) while you exercise.

:: a knitting shop where you can rest your tired feet for a few moments and buy some beautiful sock yarn...

 

...K1 Yarns is on Victoria Street, a wonderful curving, double-decker street where you can buy cheese, tweed suits, and second-hand copies of books by literary joker, PG Wodehouse, with titles such as Eggs, Beans and Crumpets,

and plenty of ammunition for practical jokers, too.

:: an opportunity to say your tuppence ha'penny worth about the subjects that everyone is talking about, namely the trams/the new Scottish Parliament building/Glasgow/football/where to get the best coffee (this is a coffee city). Not that I know much about any of these topics, but I like to look willing and it doesn't do to keep quiet in a talkative city. 

:: a taste of Scottish art, poetry, architecture in a legal, financial, medical hub. Fascinating.

:: the desire to go back. Soon.

 

Comments

[Cornflower]

Yes, you must come back again soon, Jane, there's plenty more to see!

[Alice]

Cornflower's (invisible) daughter here, very glad you had such a nice trip! It is a lovely city.

[Caroline]

Ahhh, you are making me jealous, I love Edinburgh too, but it is a long way from Sydney....

[Dawn Thom]

Even though I'm a born and bred Weegie (Glaswegian), I still love Edinburgh. It's a great city, although Glasgow still has better shops. Glad you've been enjoying Scotland.

[BrocanteHome]

Ooo I've been dithering about reading Alexander McCall Smith for a while now... and now you've made my mind up for me. Thank you Honey!x

[maggie]

Hope you enjoyed the AMS book.. his 'Edinburgh' books are the only ones I read, or rather were, until CORDUROY MANSIONS came out, set in London, but along similar lines to Scotland Street. I have a preference for the Isabel Dalhousie series myself.

[Anne]

It sounds as though you have had a wonderful few days in Edinburgh - it is a beautiful city. Cornflower is correct when she says there is so much more to see so do visit again! For what it is worth, my favourite place for a truly fab cup of coffee is Glass and Thompson in Dundas Street - I have a date there tomorrow morning with a friend!

[Lesley]

We moved to Aberdeenshire from Edinburgh 3 years ago and miss it dreadfully (although love where we now live!). It is the most fantastic city. And I too am born and bred in Glasgow! So glad you enjoyed your trip.

[Gemma]

Crikey woman you don't half get about!! Edinburgh has been on my to visit for a while now, along with Dublin which is higher up. Am deffo adding that cake emporium to the one day visit list!

[catofcuriosity]

I love Edinburgh - I just got back myself - I had a friend who lives in the New Town - you can see a little of inside her house here: http://catofcuriosity.blogspot.com/2009/09/edinburgh-little-recap.html xxx

[Vivienne]

My husband and I visited Edinburgh at the end of Aug/beginning of Sept as we have done for the past few years ( we live in N Ireland).We always find new things to do and see and eat!It trully is a wonderful and very beautiful city. Thanks for the little trip on yor blog, can't wait to go there again!

[eireann]

I was in Edinburgh about 18 months ago and really loved it--felt very comfortable there.

[Stephanie]

I also completely fell in love with Edinburgh the first time I visited. There is such a sense of space, even though you're in the city. I went back in March with my mum and loved it even more, we also stumbled over K1 yarns. My favourite place for lunch is the Scottish National Portrait Gallery :)

[Jennifer]

I loved visiting Edinburgh when I was a child, especially walking up to the castle. Glad you had such a wonderful time. Thanks for sharing it with us.

[Ulla]

Dear Jane

Alexander McCall Smiths books about Isabel Dalhousie from Edinburgh are excellent - light (in the best sense of the word), funny and thought provoking - somehow I always imagined that you two were related (not you and McMall, you and Dalhousie);-)

[Janice]

Do they still do those overnight sleeper trains? It would be great to wake up in a fabulous city after a night on the rails.

[lydia]

love this post, have friends in the u.s. that are from edinburgh-have also met AMS when he came to atlanta ga a few years back-his books totally match his personality-now go read you are so missing out!

[mindfulbeader]

I visited Dublin for the first time recently and they, too, have beautiful, elegant doors. There's also a delightful woolshop where I gave in and got locally hand-dyed sockyarn.

[Sally]

I've always wanted to visit Edinburgh. Thank you for sharing the photos.

[Gretchen]

What a perfect travelogue blog! When I was in Scotland with my daughter some years ago, we had to SKIP Edinburgh! You have made me want to go back and do it right. (McCall Smith also paints an enticing picture.)

[Catherine]

I'm going to Edinburgh in 3 weeks for a little overnight jaunt with my mum and sis-in-law! Reading your post has got me very excited! Not being overly familiar with the city, is Victoria Street anywhere close to Princes Street? Like the sound of the wool shop!

[Rachel]

Oh, I wish I was there right now!
Sounds like you had a good time.

[Ponytail]

Double-decker streets ?! I have never heard of such a phenomenon, though I'm always fascinated by the way Farringdon Street goes under the Holborn Viaduct, in Central London. But this is even cooler. I have GOT to see this when I go to Edinburgh next year (especially if there's a wool shop there...)

[Alba]

Sometimes I forget how lucky I am to live in Edinburgh and it takes seeing it again, through new eyes, to remind me!

And to answer Catherine's question, Victoria Street is an easy (if uphill) walk from Princes Street. Walk up the Mound and turn first right after the High Street.

[Pam]

We listened to the 44 Scotland Street books on CD's while driving this summer -- We're waiting for our next installment, especially to learn about our favorite character, Bertie.

Your pictures make me wish to visit in person, not just in my imagination.

[Sinda]

Do read the Isabel Dalhousie books - they are perfect for cold grey days and endless cups of tea.

[Helen]

I'm sure you've discovered that 3 days simply isn't enough. I hope you had time to find your way to Valvona & Crolla (the original, not the new cafe) as well as the less glamorous than K1 but fantastically stocked and helpful McAree Bros. And did you get lost in Jenners - it's very easy. As for AMS - not only are his novels charming, but he is one of the most genuinely charming (in the good sense of the word) men I've ever had the good fortune to meet.

Edinburgh is a city that calls you back.

[Fran H-B]

Thank you for all these recommnedations. Work takes me to Edinburgh in November and I love to discover new parts of it. I have bookmarked the wonderful wool/fabric shop as a must see. I fall in love with Edinburgh more each time I visit. I too wander round the New Town envisaging what is beyond the beautiful doors.

[mendozy]

You have to come to Dublin next! There are a lot of similarities between the two cities. I love Dublin more because it's my home town but I think there's something really special about both places. Dublin isn't as well preserved as Edinburgh (it's part of our charm, and part of what links us to that other great Scottish city, Glasgow), but has plenty to offer. Get in touch before you go, though, and I'll give you tips on yarn, bookshops, cake and tea! Like any city, you need to seek the good stuff out carefully ...

[Marlies]

So glad you had a nice trip AND so glad you already know about AMS's books. He's a treat! I actually splurge on buying his books in hardcover the moment they come out. I was in Paris this summer and got to snap up two newer ones that have yet to make their way to the U.S.

Enjoy!

[Katherine]

I have a soft spot for the Isabel Dalhousie novels as some friends of mine make frequent appearances (they are friends of AMS). We are very lucky in Edinburgh to have K1 Yarns, it's a fabulous shop.

[janjan]

Oh, lovely lovely Edinburgh. I'm so jealous of you. We manage to get up there every summer for the festival and it's such a tug to leave. I don't even mind the changeable weather! The architecture is amazing, eh? Does anyone know when the trams will be up and running? xxx

[ruth singer]

I know Edinburgh pretty well after living there briefly as a student and returning once a year or so, but it is so lovely to be introduced to new things and see things from a different perspective.

[Wandering Chopsticks]

Sigh. Love Edinburgh. It's my very favorite city in the whole world.

[Polly]

What a lovely door. I'd love to visit Edinburgh one day, it sounds like an interesting city.

[little pink room]

I moved to Edinburgh from London 2yrs ago and it truly is a beautiful city. It's lovely to read everyones lovely comments about it too. Sometimes I miss the buzz of London but the everyday gentility of Edinburgh has well and truly won me over. A x

[Claudia]

Ah, don't, please: I miss it so, so much. If ever we move back to the UK, Dun Eidann is top of my list!

[SmitoniusAndSonata]

I like Edinburgh but it's not a patch on Glasgow for spontaneous conversations ! Says a native .

[Emily]

The best coffee In Edinburgh ? - Artisan Roast on Broughton Street (just down the road from Urban Angel).
I live in Edinburgh and cannot recommend their coffee highly enough. The wee cafe itself is relaxed and the staff are lovely but if you are after somewhere swanky this is not the place. Takeaway maybe?

Janjan - Trams ready 2012.

Also, would recommend seeing AMS in person as he is just as charming and funny as his books.

I am from Edinburgh and live here with my husband and kids and you have reminded me how lucky we are to live in such an amazing city.
Thankyou and Haste ye back Jane!

[jack]

You've just made me incredibly home-sick! Great to see some photos of my city on your lovely blog.

[Corrina McGowan]

Thanks for the reference and link to Centotre Jane. Let us know next time you're visiting Edinburgh, coffee's on us. ciao! from all @centotre.