Saying Goodbye to Scotland | Edinburgh

With two long days of driving and exploring the Highlands firmly behind us, we had a lazy start to our Saturday morning. In doing so, we nearly missed making it back in time to drop off our rental car. We returned the car with just minutes to spare (they close at noon are not open on Sundays) savings ourselves a headache later on. No longer able to rely on our trusty little Toyota, we were back to public transportation and hopped on a bus headed for Edinburgh city center.

Julie and I have a serious love for castles, so we stopped to take some shots of Edinburgh Castle from a different angle. For me, the beauty of these fortified structures is the rich history that each is steeped in. Whether they be fully intact like Edinburgh or fragmented like Urquhart, the walls tell a story from a different time. Getting to soak in the history of a place is one of my favorite things about traveling.

After a lengthy stop for a late breakfast, we continued to walk around and explore the city.

Following our trip to Calton Hill, we decided to head back to the hotel and relax for the rest of the afternoon. Having mixed success with food on the trip thus far, we opted to eat at the casual restaurant at our hotel. Pizza and beer seemed a fitting end to a busy first few days in Europe.

After filling our bellies, we decided to snag some afternoon photos of our gorgeous hotel. Dalmahoy, currently a Marriott hotel, was built back in the 18th century and has since been expanded with additional guest rooms. The exterior of the hotel along with it’s golf course and extensive grounds make it an ideal wedding and special events venue. Though the hotel itself feels a bit dated, and expectedly so, we really enjoyed our time there.

And with that, the first part of our adventure had come to an end. We were sad to leave Scotland and all of its amazing beauty behind. For me, it was great to come back and visit more of the city I loved but saw only a short piece of six years ago. Julie and I will most certainly be back, but for now, it’s off to York!