Scotland
Oct 19, 2021 | 5:02 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: UK
Posts: 706
Scotland
Warning
This trip report does not contain any luxury travel of any kind, champagne, wine, lounges, flights, fine dining etc. This will be cheap/low cost trip all the way.
I am sharing my pictures directly from my Instagram page. To avoid a constant stream of pictures I have grouped them so look out for the little arrows. You should be able to view them all without having an account. There are also some short story clips.
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Flybymonkey (@flybymonkeyft) • Instagram photos and videos
Cue the music
Lindsay Buckingham - Holiday Road (National Lampoon's Vacation theme)
Preface
Following the success of my report last I thought I would share my first holiday since last year to the Lake District. This year it will be a four night break to Bonnie Scotland. I initially had planned to go to Norway to visit friends but due to the complexity and clarity of flights and international travel at the time I just decided to play it safe and have another staycation. I have been twice before to Scotland once when I was young with my family and again about five years ago on a cycling holiday with friends.
My travel is mostly by train with LNER (London North Eastern Railway) which is one of the very few that is now state operated. Previously this service was operated by Virgin Trains but was brought back into public ownership in around 2018. My ticket was an advanced standard class which cost 130 return which I booked directly on the LNER website via the National Rail with reserved seating in the quiet coach.
National Rail Enquiries - Official source for UK train times and timetables
LNER | London North Eastern Railway
The accommodation was with the superb Hub by Premier in the Central Edinburgh district (Rose Street). Which I picked up for the amazing price of only 124 for four nights! This was booked directly via the Premier Inn website. They even offer a continental breakfast at a crazy 5 pppd, which includes croissants, toast, cereal, fruit and yogurt etc. All guests get free coffee & tea 24/7!!!
hub by Premier Inn | Edinburgh City Centre (Rose Street) Hotel
Day 0
On my way home from work I stopped off at the train station to collect my tickets. This was a precautionary measure in case I was running late on the day of travel, queues or the ticket machine becoming out of order. LNER for some reason didn’t issue electronic tickets for my journey. I suspect this is due to the fact I was using multiple operators.
When I got home, I completed my packing, rustled up a couple of cheese and pickle rolls for my lunch and finally ran the hoover round before settling down to a spot of dinner. After my meal digested, I brushed my teeth and went to bed early as I had a long day’s travel ahead of me.
Day 1
The alarm beeped at 05:30 as it does every morning, I jumped out of bed, cleaned my teeth filled my water bottle and drove to the gym for my daily workout. Once I returned home (07:00) and headed straight into the shower, before getting ready and had my breakfast which consisted of a spinach and tomato omelet and washed down with a cup of tea. By this time, it was around 07:30 so after washing the dishes I sat down and completed some work before my taxi arrived to take me to the station which was at 08:45.
Unlike my last report, I was unable to walk due to my restricted bandwidth with work. I did consider taking the bus but since Covid hit the UK the local operator (Stagecoach) culled the number of services during the day, plus with the bus I would have needed to take to the station would have been rammed with sixth formers for the full duration of the journey. Therefore I opted for a local taxi service with a charge of 12 (no Uber where I live). The driver arrived 3 minutes later than the scheduled booking time and received a text to confirm his departure when he was on route and again when he arrived. The journey was in a sleek 2016 Audi A6 which was clean and comfortable but overall uneventful. The driver was not very interactive other than confirming my destination once I boarded.
I arrived at Fleet station at 08:55, decided against purchasing a coffee due to the silly prices and made my way over the footbridge to platform one for trains towards London. The train rolled in on time at exactly 09:10 and I selected a seat in the very last carriage as always it will be the quietest and to can stretch out and less chance of any disturbances. This is an off peak service operated by South Western Railway as with most of the off peak ones are in my view very good. The train was clean, had plug sockets Wi-Fi and toilets all of which I didn’t use. The conductor came round on a ticket inspection and there were lots of safety notices and announcements through the journey. Once we departed Clapham Junction, I grabbed my luggage and walked through the twelve carriage train to the front.
The train arrived at London Waterloo at 10:04 – I jumped off headed towards the underground using the Northern Line to Warren Street then the Victoria line to King's Cross St.Pancras.
I arrived at the station concourse at around 10:25. Kings Cross. I had a wonder around some of the excellent array of shops to decide on some goodies to eat on my train to Edinburgh.
King’s Cross - welcome to the neighbourhood - A traffic-free oasis in the heart of London (kingscross.co.uk)
I just purchased a bottle of water from Waitrose. By this time it was 10:40 and my train was yet to be called and the number of travellers on the concourse was building up quite heavily. I started to strategically scan the departure boards to try and work out the platform of my train while keeping my beady eyes on others around me, so when the platform was called, I would be ahead of the herd. I don’t know why I do this when on trains because I certainly don’t while flying as I am one of the very last to board. The platform was called at about 10:45.
London Kings Cross - 11:00 - The main part of the journey from London Kings Cross to Edinburgh had a duration of for 4hours and 22 mins
Once on board I made my way to my seat, placed my bag on the overhead rack and sat down. The non-table standard class seats were firm but comfortable with ample leg room and each seat had a plug socket and a pull out desk. The interior and exterior design of the train was very stylish and well appointed. You could say very ‘Virgin-esque’, the train also had onboard Wi-Fi and toilets. I didn’t use the Wi-Fi or toilet clean. There were onboard health & safety announcements messages as well as ticket inspections.
We departed on time and the quiet carriage I had booked was full. At around 12:00 I began eating my lunch which was fine. Midway en route at around 14:00 I opted to stretch my legs and visited the buffet car and purchased a slice of fruit cake and tea which came to 4, both tasted good. You can use the onboard seat service where you can order food & pay via your phone.
For much of the duration of the journey, I passed the time by watching movies I downloaded before leaving home on my laptop. We arrived in Edinburgh at 15:22.
After leaving the train I made my way on to the concourse to the exit and made my way to my digs for the duration of my break, The HUB by Premier Inn which is a short 5 minute walk from Edinburgh station. I came up from the station to the beautiful Balmoral Hotel and turned left past the Scott Memorial then right one street later. Check-in starts at 2 pm with checkout at midday and all is self service with warm and friendly staff on hand if required.
The HUB by Premier Inn is their low cost brand hotel chain. They are very much like Yotel's and designed to offer a smart, stylish, great value stays in the best city centre locations.
These rooms offer “All the comfort but half the size” hub by Premier Inn offers smart, stylish rooms across London and Edinburgh at great prices. Each room includes a slick touchscreen control panel to change the lighting and temperature, lots of plugs. completely free superfast Wi-Fi, 40" smart TVs, high-powered monsoon showers and relaxing Hypnos beds. Free tea and coffee 24/7, Pull out desk and storage and chair.
The bathrooms are small but functional with great modern rainfall showers. You also get shower and handwash gel supplied.
After dumping my bag in my room and checking my emails I decided to go do some exploring. As it was coming close to 17:00 by now.
At this point I was a little peckish and it was raining heavily, so darted across the road to the nearest Five Guy’s and had a burger and fries washed down with a Dr Pepper while scanning through the pictures of the day on my phone. The food was simply gross, the fries were limp and just and mostly end cuts and the burger just tasteless. Why do Five Guy’s waste and overload the portions of fries? The best thing was the ketchup and the Dr Pepper (2/10).
After I finished dinner, the rain had stopped and the sun had come out. I then decided to walk up to Calton Hill and catch some of the stunning sunset views and take in some of the fresh air.
After having a wonder around the town, I quickly made a quick pit stop to the local supermarket to collect some supplies for the remainder of my trip which consisted of a few bottles of water and a couple of chocolate bars. I went back to the hotel freshened up and watched some tv before going to bed.
Day 2
I awoke at just before 6am and after having a wash made my way down for breakfast. I entered the main restaurant/bar area and gave the waiting staff my room number and she advised me to help myself to the food offer and take any vacant seat. Breakfast consisted of a croissant, coffee (which was weak), fruit salad, and a yogurt. I thought there would be other cereals on offer, the staff advised they had a shortage of supplies. The breakfast was excellent and for a fiver an absolute bargain (8/10). After breakfast I went back to my room to collect my phone that was completing charge and grabbed my bag and made my way to Edinburgh Castle.
The weather was absolutely dull, cold and wet. I got to the castle at about 9:45. I had to wait at least another 5 mins before I could enter. As I had prebooked my ticked (15:50) and time for 10 am.
As I entered the ground the wind had severely picked up and the rain started to become heavier. I had to say I was very disappointed with the trip to the castle. Whilst the views are good and the military history was interesting it just didn’t do anything for me.
Official Edinburgh Castle Website | Buy Tickets & Plan Your Visit
After completing a visit to the castle, it was approaching lunch time and so I made my way back down towards the south side of the city to Oink Hog Roast. Here they serve delicious hog (pork) roast baps, with a choice of stuffing, sauces, crackling and drinks. I stuck to a staple medium size bap, with haggis, chilli jam, crackling and all washed down with a ginger beer. The hog was great and not dry (9/10).
The bill was about 8. Just be aware of the opening times are Mon-Sun 11am-5pm or until the pork runs out as they say.
Oink Hog Roast on Victoria Street, Edinburgh
After lunch I wandered through Edinburgh on the Royal Mile at which time the rain started to become heavier and wind increased.
My original plan today was to visit Arthurs Seat but due to the heavy rainfall and wind, I opted not to due to the hazardous conditions. I turned off the mile and went over the bridge to the St James Quarter shopping mall. Waiting at the crosswalk I overheard some others around me discussing about visiting the cinema to watch the new Bond film, No Time To Die. As a Bond fan I thought this was a great idea and checking the maps on my phone I was very close to the OMNI centre which houses the VUE cinema and had viewings every thirty minutes. You can buy tickets for as little as 4.99 if booked in advance on your phone or at certain off peak showings. I walked up purchased a ticket and went into my allocated viewing room. Ignoring the food and drink on offer as I had a banana which I swiped from my breakfast and a bottle of water in my bag. The film in my view although was not Craig’s or the Bond series greatest film but still enjoyable even if it had both great and bad points.
Edinburgh Omni Centre Cinema | Edinburgh Cinema Film Listings & Times | Vue (myvue.com)
After the movie, I left the OMNI centre and to my annoyance, the rain had not stopped. So I crossed the road and took a shortcut through the St James Quarter shopping complex. I then came out the other side to Andrews Square and noticed some chain restaurants on the opposite side including a favourite Dishoom, where I went to check the availability. The restaurant was very busy even for it being approximately 15:15 but they had space to accommodate me. The interior had a highly colonial feel an open kitchen on the ground floor with the main seated are on the first. What I love about eating at a Dishoom is the food is genuinely authentic Indian restaurants/caf to the point you will see Indian people eating in them, which I did even on this occasion and they also serve breakfast. They have won many awards over the years in many categories. I ordered the house black daal (urad), green roasted vegetables and a roti. I stuck to mostly drinking water but at the end of the meal had a house masala chai which I thought was a little weak for my likings, but you do get free refills on those.
The food and service were simply fantastic and the bill with service came to 20. After this very early dinner, you could say it was around 16:00 and the rain had stopped so had a walk around town before heading back to my room and watching some TV before going to bed.
Day 3
The alarm went off at 6 am and I jumped out of bed and had a wash before making my way down for breakfast. Breakfast consisted of a croissant, coffee, fruit salad and a yoghurt. After finishing my coffee I grabbed a banana out of the fruit bowl to consume on my tour.
I had prebooked the 1 day tour of the highlands which includes Loch Ness, Glencoe & the Highlands known as 'Scotland in a day' with Rabbies tours which cost me 59. The price includes transport in a 16 seat Mercedes mini-coach and an English-speaking driver guide. This was clearly a popular choice according to the guide as on that day alone they had four coaches.
The tour departed at 8 am but you need to have checked on by 07:45. I arrived by 07:30. Whilst we were told there would be regular breaks en route I wasn’t taking any chances. Lucky I did as I noticed the departure point wasn’t quite where they advertised on the booking. It is further up the road on Waterloo Place opposite the caf. Only a couple mins walk but still annoying. Fortunately by the time I arrived the drivers were waiting. I was given a warm greeting and allocated a coach based after checking in. As more people arrived, I opted to get on the coach and took a seat as far front as possible.
We left Edinburgh on time and the driver keeps you informed of the local heritage of the area. You pass by the Kelpies. But your first stop is Loch Lubnaig, which is on the edge of the small town of Callander. Here you can grab a coffee at the caf have a comfort break and take some pictures.
After this stop you travel north into the Highlands. You then enter the glacial valley known as the Great Glen and pass under the shadow of Ben Nevis, Britain’s tallest mountain.
You stop in Glencoe, one of the most famous natural landmarks in all of Scotland and take the obligatory Skyfall shot and stop at the visitor centre where I found the view back up the glen was much nicer. Also be aware this place is a real tourist trap.
After this visual feast of mighty inclines, you arrive in Fort Augustus on the banks of Loch Ness. At 23 miles long and over 700ft deep, Loch Ness is the largest loch by volume in Scotland.
You have around one hour and a half here. You can search for the infamous monster on a relaxing boat cruise, wander around the shores of the loch at your own pace and grab a bite to eat.
Loch Ness cruise – Rabbies will automatically reserve tickets for you but is an optional extra cost of about 15 but cheaper than the advertised price on the cruise operator’s website. If you want to join the cruise, you need to confirm and purchase your ticket whilst on tour. The tour lasts approximately 45 minutes and was very informative sadly let down by other tourists that kept getting in your way and wouldn’t sit down. TIP: sit downstairs as fewer people do and the seats are more comfortable.
Your journey south is packed full of classic Highland scenery. You travel through the curvy Cairngorms National Park, along Loch Laggan, and past Blair Castle. This was part of the journey that was a real killer, whilst it was a beautiful journey the winding roads and the historical commentary began to be a little too much for us as most of the people onboard fell asleep.
Amongst the tall trees of Perthshire, you have a final refreshment break where you get to see some highland cattle and get to feed them some carrots. At this point I grabbed a scotch pie before we continued our journey alongside the UNESCO Forth Rail Bridge and back into Edinburgh.
We arrived back at the departure point at approximately 20:10 and all said our goodbyes and thanked our guide for his hospitality.
Scotland Tours from Edinburgh | Rabbie's Tours (rabbies.com)
After I got back to the hotel, I went back to my room cleaned my teeth and practically crashed out on the bed.
Day 4
I awoke around 6:15 and grabbed the TV remote to switch to the BBC news while I scanned the emails and messages on my phone before having a wash and making my down to breakfast which was much quieter than it had been on other days.
Breakfast consisted of a croissant, coffee (which was better), fruit salad, porridge and yogurt. After washing down the last of my coffee I grabbed my bag and set off towards Arthurs Seat. On my way I stopped to take a picture Palace of Holyroodhouse. As I approached the base, I took a paper map from the board which I didn’t read and just decided to follow others up.
The hike took me 40 minutes to reach the summit are well worth the stunning views over the city and its surroundings. The ascent can be steep in places and depending on the weather I would say hiking boots are a must as it is muddy in places, also I found it very windy at the top, so layer up!
After 10mins minutes I decided to make my way back down. I found it scarier than going up and discovered I may have had a fear of heights I never knew or just being a total pussy about slipping or falling.
A guide to climbing Arthur's Seat | The Scotsman
Once I finally made my way to the bottom, I necked the last of my water and made my way to the Royal Mile where I stopped off at the local Starbucks for a coffee and comfort break. It was very quiet, clean and the staff cheery and friendly.
At just after 11:30am was feeling a little peckish and didn’t feel like eating in the Starbucks so opted for another Oink a few doors down. I stuck to a staple medium size bap, with haggis, chilli jam, crackling and all washed down with a ginger beer as I had previously, and it didn’t disappoint as the hog was juicy and not dry (9/10). The bill was about 8.
Oink Hog Roast on Canongate (Royal Mile), Edinburgh
After lunch I proceeded back up the hill and boarded on one of the Lothian buses to the Ocean Terminal to visit the Royal Yacht Britannia. The journey was approximately 20 mins and cost under 2.
The Royal Yacht Britannia is an absolutely fantastic attraction and great value for money. Tickets were 17 which I prepurchased online. I can see why it won the 2020 visitor attraction of the year. The staff were brilliant and were available around the yacht. When visiting the yacht it is all self guided you also get a free handset which gives you a running commentary as you walk yourself around.
There is also an additional restaurant onboard that serves afternoon tea and even can be used for private events and a souvenir shop. If I were a billionaire and wanted a mega yacht of sorts, this with modern engineering and an interior facelift would make me happy. Interesting that the Queen and the Duke shared separate rooms with an interconnecting door as well as single beds!!
The Royal Yacht Britannia | Scotland's Best Visitor Attraction
Having made my way back to the hotel I noted I received an email like on my journey offering a chance to bid for a seat upgrade with Seatfrog with bids starting from as supposedly 10. I took the chance and check the availability and low and behold by booking reservation was not recognised and the only way I could find my service was a manual search. The upgrade bidding start was more than what I was willing to pay (48) but sold out fast. At this time, it had just gone 3pm and so I decided a short sleep before going for dinner. I slept for a good hour before getting up visiting the bathroom before going out for a walk to work up an appetite and more importantly find a place to eat. It had now gone 5pm and noticed a place on my places to eat was open which was the Mussels Inn which was opposite the hotel. As the name will suggest it specialises in seafood.
I ordered a bottle of Peroni and started with a special of king scallops with a cream of mushroom sauce on toasted bread. The scallops were nicely cooked, the cream full of flavour the only issue was the bread was not really toasted and so was saturated in the sauce (5/10). The main was a half kilo of mussels in a Moroccan sauce of chilies, garlic, ginger, coriander and cumin, served with bread, this was excellent the chilli give it a real kick, if anyone had the flu or cold this would certainly have killed it (8/10. The bread was not great as it was processed (1/10). The dessert was a stunning and tasty sticky toffee pudding, easily 9/10.
This little bistro sources its stock is sourced from ‘ethical farms’. Despite this I found the food to be good, great service, whilst it wasn’t probably won’t win any Michelin stars any time soon the food was fresh tasty and good value for money. A three course meal with an alcoholic drink will set you back about 30 per person.
Seafood Restaurant Edinburgh City Centre | Mussel Inn (mussel-inn.com)
I returned to my room after dinner and began packing my bag and watched some TV up until 9pm when I freshened up and went to bed.
Day 5
The alarm went off at 6 am and so I sprang from the bed and had some water and completed a light HIIT workout before having a wash then scanned the room for any remaining items before making my way for down breakfast and checking out.
Breakfast consisted of a croissant, coffee (which was better), fruit salad, porridge and yogurt. After washing down the last of my coffee I grabbed a banana out of the fruit bowl to consume en route back home as a snack.
After breakfast, I went to check out which consisted of just putting my key card into a clear perspex box and leaving. Remember as you pay for the room in advance and all other services are on a pay-as-you-go basis and not charged to your room.
After leaving the hotel (8:30) I took the five minute walk to the station and made myself comfortable in the beautiful ticket office until my train was called which was approximately 15 minutes from the scheduled departure.
Upon boarding I noticed how quiet the service was compared to my outbound service. I found my seat which was again in a quiet coach, took out my laptop and began watching some pre-downloaded movies. 15 minutes into the journey a notice was called that the onboard caf was open. I went and like my journey purchased a cup of tea and a slice of fruit cake which were both as good my journey going up. Speaking to the lady in the buffet car she advised this route is always very busy and will pick up once we reach Newcastle. When I returned to my seat I checked the reserved seating notifications above the seats in my carriage and my fears were confirmed as every seat had some type of reservation on the route.
An hour and twenty five minutes later train rolled into Newcastle where the carriage became about three quarters full. The next station was Durham and whilst some passengers left we had some new ones join who were a bunch of lads who appeared in a very joyful mood for 10:40 and all were armed with tinnies in hand getting themselves in the mood for an event they were attending. They were all smartly dressed which I am guessing was for a wedding. They may not mean any harm but were certainly noisy fortunately they got off at the next stop which was Darlington. Once the doors closed every seat was taken and the seats taken behind me previously by the lads were taken by a large family of eight. Whilst they had tins of beer and G&T alcohol, the conversation was in full flow and as the lads didn’t mean any harm but certainly disturbed the whole carriage. We had the joy of having the remainder of the journey with them all the way to London and it still wasn’t even lunchtime. I lost track of the amount of ring pulls sounds.
Once we left Peterborough we were approximately 45 minutes outside of London and at this point, I packed up my laptop checked the area around my seat and scanned the isle down the carriages to view the passenger density and how far I can walk down the train. I checked the maps as soon as we were approaching the M25 are at which point I put my jacket on and made my way to the far front of the train as I could which was to the end of the third carriage. This is because the remaining three are first class and entry is hence denied. While waiting I need a comfort break and made my way to the one in the vestibule. As soon as I opened the door, I had to immediately close it and warned others from using it. I even smothered my hands with lots of alcohol gel.
Edinburgh at exactly 09:00 and arrives at Kings Cross at 13:38. The annoying thing of my return journey and as is with most return trains all seem to be twenty minutes longer than the outbound ones from London.
As we pulled into Kings Cross, I jumped off the train and ran towards the tube down the escalator to the Piccadilly line to Oxford Circus then Bakerloo line back to London Waterloo. Ran up the escalator and scanned the departures board and noticed an earlier train for 14:15 and I still had three minutes. I just got straight on the train.
My Train departed London Waterloo at 14:15. Like with the outbound journey it was operated by South Western Railway it was a very quiet service. This time the train was by far from clean and toilets all of at least one which I did use. The train had plug sockets Wi-Fi which I didn’t use. The conductor came round on a ticket inspection and there were lots of safety notices and announcements throughout the journey. I was hoping to grab something to eat at Waterloo We arrived dead on 15:15, 7 minutes later than scheduled. I didn’t bother with a taxi as I only had a minute wait before the next bus which was ahead of schedule. I was secretly tracking it on the Stagecoach app on the live feed while on the train. The number 10 bus was full of sixth formers but with some free seats on the upper deck.
Once on the bus I texted my sister to let her know she wouldn’t need to come round to mine later as I would be back in time to collect my Sainsbury’s delivery that was due that evening. I got off the bus after two miles and walked a further mile back to my home. After getting in the doorway, I picked up the mail that was scattered on the doormat and dumped it on the table then made my way to the kitchen and loaded the washing machine. After having had a warm shower to clear off the grime of the days travel, I sifted through the mail before lying on the sofa and collecting my thoughts on my trip.
Finals
Scotland is certainly as beautiful as I remember it but surprisingly warmer than I remember, and I look forward to visiting it again. Next time I will probably go further north on the west side.
Despite the strong covid regulations in the region, it was certainly lenient and not really being enforced. I wore mine in most inside most venues and removed them once I established the general feel of the people around me.
If you want to use the LNER service, quiet means nothing to passengers on the KGS-EDB line and especially those in the quiet carriages. Services will be very busy even in term time so try and get yourself a first class upgrade or even fly unless you have patience!!! The standard class seats are very comfortable, they have plenty of leg room, plug sockets at each seat, Wi-Fi (didn’t use), good onboard catering, toilets (didn’t use) and friendly staff.
The HUB by Premier Inn hotel was absolutely fantastic to stay in, clean, practical, great value for money and would definitely stay in them again. Then again this is not a property recommended for FT’s.
This is far from luxury, but you do get remarkable value for money and was certainly a 5* experience all round!
All in all, it was a very bad trip and was glad to be back home. This may come as a surprise to you as the problem with this holiday it was the first time in a very long time I had to do something alone.
Things like grabbing some lunch in a caf, hotels and trains journeys are fine, as I am well used to those but when doing activities or even dining in a restaurant it can be very awkward as I had no friends or family to spend the time with it. Trying to subtly join others in conversations in recent times has also been difficult as people are more suspicious with those around them the whole trip for me was almost five days in complete silence.
I am now more determined than ever to go to Norway on my next holiday and planning is deeply underway with the UK travel restrictions now eased fingers crossed it will be a breeze.
The end…
This trip report does not contain any luxury travel of any kind, champagne, wine, lounges, flights, fine dining etc. This will be cheap/low cost trip all the way.
I am sharing my pictures directly from my Instagram page. To avoid a constant stream of pictures I have grouped them so look out for the little arrows. You should be able to view them all without having an account. There are also some short story clips.
Sometimes IG tries to be smart and say you need to log in but just cancel the notification pop-up saying you need an account or have to log in. If IG still plays up, then click the below link that bypass and overrides the lot.
https://greatfon.com/v/flybymonkeyft
Please do give us a like, share and a subscribe
Flybymonkey (@flybymonkeyft) • Instagram photos and videos
Cue the music
Lindsay Buckingham - Holiday Road (National Lampoon's Vacation theme)
Preface
Following the success of my report last I thought I would share my first holiday since last year to the Lake District. This year it will be a four night break to Bonnie Scotland. I initially had planned to go to Norway to visit friends but due to the complexity and clarity of flights and international travel at the time I just decided to play it safe and have another staycation. I have been twice before to Scotland once when I was young with my family and again about five years ago on a cycling holiday with friends.
My travel is mostly by train with LNER (London North Eastern Railway) which is one of the very few that is now state operated. Previously this service was operated by Virgin Trains but was brought back into public ownership in around 2018. My ticket was an advanced standard class which cost 130 return which I booked directly on the LNER website via the National Rail with reserved seating in the quiet coach.
National Rail Enquiries - Official source for UK train times and timetables
LNER | London North Eastern Railway
The accommodation was with the superb Hub by Premier in the Central Edinburgh district (Rose Street). Which I picked up for the amazing price of only 124 for four nights! This was booked directly via the Premier Inn website. They even offer a continental breakfast at a crazy 5 pppd, which includes croissants, toast, cereal, fruit and yogurt etc. All guests get free coffee & tea 24/7!!!
hub by Premier Inn | Edinburgh City Centre (Rose Street) Hotel
Day 0
On my way home from work I stopped off at the train station to collect my tickets. This was a precautionary measure in case I was running late on the day of travel, queues or the ticket machine becoming out of order. LNER for some reason didn’t issue electronic tickets for my journey. I suspect this is due to the fact I was using multiple operators.
When I got home, I completed my packing, rustled up a couple of cheese and pickle rolls for my lunch and finally ran the hoover round before settling down to a spot of dinner. After my meal digested, I brushed my teeth and went to bed early as I had a long day’s travel ahead of me.
Day 1
The alarm beeped at 05:30 as it does every morning, I jumped out of bed, cleaned my teeth filled my water bottle and drove to the gym for my daily workout. Once I returned home (07:00) and headed straight into the shower, before getting ready and had my breakfast which consisted of a spinach and tomato omelet and washed down with a cup of tea. By this time, it was around 07:30 so after washing the dishes I sat down and completed some work before my taxi arrived to take me to the station which was at 08:45.
Unlike my last report, I was unable to walk due to my restricted bandwidth with work. I did consider taking the bus but since Covid hit the UK the local operator (Stagecoach) culled the number of services during the day, plus with the bus I would have needed to take to the station would have been rammed with sixth formers for the full duration of the journey. Therefore I opted for a local taxi service with a charge of 12 (no Uber where I live). The driver arrived 3 minutes later than the scheduled booking time and received a text to confirm his departure when he was on route and again when he arrived. The journey was in a sleek 2016 Audi A6 which was clean and comfortable but overall uneventful. The driver was not very interactive other than confirming my destination once I boarded.
I arrived at Fleet station at 08:55, decided against purchasing a coffee due to the silly prices and made my way over the footbridge to platform one for trains towards London. The train rolled in on time at exactly 09:10 and I selected a seat in the very last carriage as always it will be the quietest and to can stretch out and less chance of any disturbances. This is an off peak service operated by South Western Railway as with most of the off peak ones are in my view very good. The train was clean, had plug sockets Wi-Fi and toilets all of which I didn’t use. The conductor came round on a ticket inspection and there were lots of safety notices and announcements through the journey. Once we departed Clapham Junction, I grabbed my luggage and walked through the twelve carriage train to the front.
The train arrived at London Waterloo at 10:04 – I jumped off headed towards the underground using the Northern Line to Warren Street then the Victoria line to King's Cross St.Pancras.
I arrived at the station concourse at around 10:25. Kings Cross. I had a wonder around some of the excellent array of shops to decide on some goodies to eat on my train to Edinburgh.
King’s Cross - welcome to the neighbourhood - A traffic-free oasis in the heart of London (kingscross.co.uk)
I just purchased a bottle of water from Waitrose. By this time it was 10:40 and my train was yet to be called and the number of travellers on the concourse was building up quite heavily. I started to strategically scan the departure boards to try and work out the platform of my train while keeping my beady eyes on others around me, so when the platform was called, I would be ahead of the herd. I don’t know why I do this when on trains because I certainly don’t while flying as I am one of the very last to board. The platform was called at about 10:45.
London Kings Cross - 11:00 - The main part of the journey from London Kings Cross to Edinburgh had a duration of for 4hours and 22 mins
Once on board I made my way to my seat, placed my bag on the overhead rack and sat down. The non-table standard class seats were firm but comfortable with ample leg room and each seat had a plug socket and a pull out desk. The interior and exterior design of the train was very stylish and well appointed. You could say very ‘Virgin-esque’, the train also had onboard Wi-Fi and toilets. I didn’t use the Wi-Fi or toilet clean. There were onboard health & safety announcements messages as well as ticket inspections.
We departed on time and the quiet carriage I had booked was full. At around 12:00 I began eating my lunch which was fine. Midway en route at around 14:00 I opted to stretch my legs and visited the buffet car and purchased a slice of fruit cake and tea which came to 4, both tasted good. You can use the onboard seat service where you can order food & pay via your phone.
For much of the duration of the journey, I passed the time by watching movies I downloaded before leaving home on my laptop. We arrived in Edinburgh at 15:22.
After leaving the train I made my way on to the concourse to the exit and made my way to my digs for the duration of my break, The HUB by Premier Inn which is a short 5 minute walk from Edinburgh station. I came up from the station to the beautiful Balmoral Hotel and turned left past the Scott Memorial then right one street later. Check-in starts at 2 pm with checkout at midday and all is self service with warm and friendly staff on hand if required.
The HUB by Premier Inn is their low cost brand hotel chain. They are very much like Yotel's and designed to offer a smart, stylish, great value stays in the best city centre locations.
These rooms offer “All the comfort but half the size” hub by Premier Inn offers smart, stylish rooms across London and Edinburgh at great prices. Each room includes a slick touchscreen control panel to change the lighting and temperature, lots of plugs. completely free superfast Wi-Fi, 40" smart TVs, high-powered monsoon showers and relaxing Hypnos beds. Free tea and coffee 24/7, Pull out desk and storage and chair.
The bathrooms are small but functional with great modern rainfall showers. You also get shower and handwash gel supplied.
After dumping my bag in my room and checking my emails I decided to go do some exploring. As it was coming close to 17:00 by now.
At this point I was a little peckish and it was raining heavily, so darted across the road to the nearest Five Guy’s and had a burger and fries washed down with a Dr Pepper while scanning through the pictures of the day on my phone. The food was simply gross, the fries were limp and just and mostly end cuts and the burger just tasteless. Why do Five Guy’s waste and overload the portions of fries? The best thing was the ketchup and the Dr Pepper (2/10).
After I finished dinner, the rain had stopped and the sun had come out. I then decided to walk up to Calton Hill and catch some of the stunning sunset views and take in some of the fresh air.
After having a wonder around the town, I quickly made a quick pit stop to the local supermarket to collect some supplies for the remainder of my trip which consisted of a few bottles of water and a couple of chocolate bars. I went back to the hotel freshened up and watched some tv before going to bed.
Day 2
I awoke at just before 6am and after having a wash made my way down for breakfast. I entered the main restaurant/bar area and gave the waiting staff my room number and she advised me to help myself to the food offer and take any vacant seat. Breakfast consisted of a croissant, coffee (which was weak), fruit salad, and a yogurt. I thought there would be other cereals on offer, the staff advised they had a shortage of supplies. The breakfast was excellent and for a fiver an absolute bargain (8/10). After breakfast I went back to my room to collect my phone that was completing charge and grabbed my bag and made my way to Edinburgh Castle.
The weather was absolutely dull, cold and wet. I got to the castle at about 9:45. I had to wait at least another 5 mins before I could enter. As I had prebooked my ticked (15:50) and time for 10 am.
As I entered the ground the wind had severely picked up and the rain started to become heavier. I had to say I was very disappointed with the trip to the castle. Whilst the views are good and the military history was interesting it just didn’t do anything for me.
Official Edinburgh Castle Website | Buy Tickets & Plan Your Visit
After completing a visit to the castle, it was approaching lunch time and so I made my way back down towards the south side of the city to Oink Hog Roast. Here they serve delicious hog (pork) roast baps, with a choice of stuffing, sauces, crackling and drinks. I stuck to a staple medium size bap, with haggis, chilli jam, crackling and all washed down with a ginger beer. The hog was great and not dry (9/10).
The bill was about 8. Just be aware of the opening times are Mon-Sun 11am-5pm or until the pork runs out as they say.
Oink Hog Roast on Victoria Street, Edinburgh
After lunch I wandered through Edinburgh on the Royal Mile at which time the rain started to become heavier and wind increased.
My original plan today was to visit Arthurs Seat but due to the heavy rainfall and wind, I opted not to due to the hazardous conditions. I turned off the mile and went over the bridge to the St James Quarter shopping mall. Waiting at the crosswalk I overheard some others around me discussing about visiting the cinema to watch the new Bond film, No Time To Die. As a Bond fan I thought this was a great idea and checking the maps on my phone I was very close to the OMNI centre which houses the VUE cinema and had viewings every thirty minutes. You can buy tickets for as little as 4.99 if booked in advance on your phone or at certain off peak showings. I walked up purchased a ticket and went into my allocated viewing room. Ignoring the food and drink on offer as I had a banana which I swiped from my breakfast and a bottle of water in my bag. The film in my view although was not Craig’s or the Bond series greatest film but still enjoyable even if it had both great and bad points.
Edinburgh Omni Centre Cinema | Edinburgh Cinema Film Listings & Times | Vue (myvue.com)
After the movie, I left the OMNI centre and to my annoyance, the rain had not stopped. So I crossed the road and took a shortcut through the St James Quarter shopping complex. I then came out the other side to Andrews Square and noticed some chain restaurants on the opposite side including a favourite Dishoom, where I went to check the availability. The restaurant was very busy even for it being approximately 15:15 but they had space to accommodate me. The interior had a highly colonial feel an open kitchen on the ground floor with the main seated are on the first. What I love about eating at a Dishoom is the food is genuinely authentic Indian restaurants/caf to the point you will see Indian people eating in them, which I did even on this occasion and they also serve breakfast. They have won many awards over the years in many categories. I ordered the house black daal (urad), green roasted vegetables and a roti. I stuck to mostly drinking water but at the end of the meal had a house masala chai which I thought was a little weak for my likings, but you do get free refills on those.
The food and service were simply fantastic and the bill with service came to 20. After this very early dinner, you could say it was around 16:00 and the rain had stopped so had a walk around town before heading back to my room and watching some TV before going to bed.
Day 3
The alarm went off at 6 am and I jumped out of bed and had a wash before making my way down for breakfast. Breakfast consisted of a croissant, coffee, fruit salad and a yoghurt. After finishing my coffee I grabbed a banana out of the fruit bowl to consume on my tour.
I had prebooked the 1 day tour of the highlands which includes Loch Ness, Glencoe & the Highlands known as 'Scotland in a day' with Rabbies tours which cost me 59. The price includes transport in a 16 seat Mercedes mini-coach and an English-speaking driver guide. This was clearly a popular choice according to the guide as on that day alone they had four coaches.
The tour departed at 8 am but you need to have checked on by 07:45. I arrived by 07:30. Whilst we were told there would be regular breaks en route I wasn’t taking any chances. Lucky I did as I noticed the departure point wasn’t quite where they advertised on the booking. It is further up the road on Waterloo Place opposite the caf. Only a couple mins walk but still annoying. Fortunately by the time I arrived the drivers were waiting. I was given a warm greeting and allocated a coach based after checking in. As more people arrived, I opted to get on the coach and took a seat as far front as possible.
We left Edinburgh on time and the driver keeps you informed of the local heritage of the area. You pass by the Kelpies. But your first stop is Loch Lubnaig, which is on the edge of the small town of Callander. Here you can grab a coffee at the caf have a comfort break and take some pictures.
After this stop you travel north into the Highlands. You then enter the glacial valley known as the Great Glen and pass under the shadow of Ben Nevis, Britain’s tallest mountain.
You stop in Glencoe, one of the most famous natural landmarks in all of Scotland and take the obligatory Skyfall shot and stop at the visitor centre where I found the view back up the glen was much nicer. Also be aware this place is a real tourist trap.
After this visual feast of mighty inclines, you arrive in Fort Augustus on the banks of Loch Ness. At 23 miles long and over 700ft deep, Loch Ness is the largest loch by volume in Scotland.
You have around one hour and a half here. You can search for the infamous monster on a relaxing boat cruise, wander around the shores of the loch at your own pace and grab a bite to eat.
Loch Ness cruise – Rabbies will automatically reserve tickets for you but is an optional extra cost of about 15 but cheaper than the advertised price on the cruise operator’s website. If you want to join the cruise, you need to confirm and purchase your ticket whilst on tour. The tour lasts approximately 45 minutes and was very informative sadly let down by other tourists that kept getting in your way and wouldn’t sit down. TIP: sit downstairs as fewer people do and the seats are more comfortable.
Your journey south is packed full of classic Highland scenery. You travel through the curvy Cairngorms National Park, along Loch Laggan, and past Blair Castle. This was part of the journey that was a real killer, whilst it was a beautiful journey the winding roads and the historical commentary began to be a little too much for us as most of the people onboard fell asleep.
Amongst the tall trees of Perthshire, you have a final refreshment break where you get to see some highland cattle and get to feed them some carrots. At this point I grabbed a scotch pie before we continued our journey alongside the UNESCO Forth Rail Bridge and back into Edinburgh.
We arrived back at the departure point at approximately 20:10 and all said our goodbyes and thanked our guide for his hospitality.
Scotland Tours from Edinburgh | Rabbie's Tours (rabbies.com)
After I got back to the hotel, I went back to my room cleaned my teeth and practically crashed out on the bed.
Day 4
I awoke around 6:15 and grabbed the TV remote to switch to the BBC news while I scanned the emails and messages on my phone before having a wash and making my down to breakfast which was much quieter than it had been on other days.
Breakfast consisted of a croissant, coffee (which was better), fruit salad, porridge and yogurt. After washing down the last of my coffee I grabbed my bag and set off towards Arthurs Seat. On my way I stopped to take a picture Palace of Holyroodhouse. As I approached the base, I took a paper map from the board which I didn’t read and just decided to follow others up.
The hike took me 40 minutes to reach the summit are well worth the stunning views over the city and its surroundings. The ascent can be steep in places and depending on the weather I would say hiking boots are a must as it is muddy in places, also I found it very windy at the top, so layer up!
After 10mins minutes I decided to make my way back down. I found it scarier than going up and discovered I may have had a fear of heights I never knew or just being a total pussy about slipping or falling.
A guide to climbing Arthur's Seat | The Scotsman
Once I finally made my way to the bottom, I necked the last of my water and made my way to the Royal Mile where I stopped off at the local Starbucks for a coffee and comfort break. It was very quiet, clean and the staff cheery and friendly.
At just after 11:30am was feeling a little peckish and didn’t feel like eating in the Starbucks so opted for another Oink a few doors down. I stuck to a staple medium size bap, with haggis, chilli jam, crackling and all washed down with a ginger beer as I had previously, and it didn’t disappoint as the hog was juicy and not dry (9/10). The bill was about 8.
Oink Hog Roast on Canongate (Royal Mile), Edinburgh
After lunch I proceeded back up the hill and boarded on one of the Lothian buses to the Ocean Terminal to visit the Royal Yacht Britannia. The journey was approximately 20 mins and cost under 2.
The Royal Yacht Britannia is an absolutely fantastic attraction and great value for money. Tickets were 17 which I prepurchased online. I can see why it won the 2020 visitor attraction of the year. The staff were brilliant and were available around the yacht. When visiting the yacht it is all self guided you also get a free handset which gives you a running commentary as you walk yourself around.
There is also an additional restaurant onboard that serves afternoon tea and even can be used for private events and a souvenir shop. If I were a billionaire and wanted a mega yacht of sorts, this with modern engineering and an interior facelift would make me happy. Interesting that the Queen and the Duke shared separate rooms with an interconnecting door as well as single beds!!
The Royal Yacht Britannia | Scotland's Best Visitor Attraction
Having made my way back to the hotel I noted I received an email like on my journey offering a chance to bid for a seat upgrade with Seatfrog with bids starting from as supposedly 10. I took the chance and check the availability and low and behold by booking reservation was not recognised and the only way I could find my service was a manual search. The upgrade bidding start was more than what I was willing to pay (48) but sold out fast. At this time, it had just gone 3pm and so I decided a short sleep before going for dinner. I slept for a good hour before getting up visiting the bathroom before going out for a walk to work up an appetite and more importantly find a place to eat. It had now gone 5pm and noticed a place on my places to eat was open which was the Mussels Inn which was opposite the hotel. As the name will suggest it specialises in seafood.
I ordered a bottle of Peroni and started with a special of king scallops with a cream of mushroom sauce on toasted bread. The scallops were nicely cooked, the cream full of flavour the only issue was the bread was not really toasted and so was saturated in the sauce (5/10). The main was a half kilo of mussels in a Moroccan sauce of chilies, garlic, ginger, coriander and cumin, served with bread, this was excellent the chilli give it a real kick, if anyone had the flu or cold this would certainly have killed it (8/10. The bread was not great as it was processed (1/10). The dessert was a stunning and tasty sticky toffee pudding, easily 9/10.
This little bistro sources its stock is sourced from ‘ethical farms’. Despite this I found the food to be good, great service, whilst it wasn’t probably won’t win any Michelin stars any time soon the food was fresh tasty and good value for money. A three course meal with an alcoholic drink will set you back about 30 per person.
Seafood Restaurant Edinburgh City Centre | Mussel Inn (mussel-inn.com)
I returned to my room after dinner and began packing my bag and watched some TV up until 9pm when I freshened up and went to bed.
Day 5
The alarm went off at 6 am and so I sprang from the bed and had some water and completed a light HIIT workout before having a wash then scanned the room for any remaining items before making my way for down breakfast and checking out.
Breakfast consisted of a croissant, coffee (which was better), fruit salad, porridge and yogurt. After washing down the last of my coffee I grabbed a banana out of the fruit bowl to consume en route back home as a snack.
After breakfast, I went to check out which consisted of just putting my key card into a clear perspex box and leaving. Remember as you pay for the room in advance and all other services are on a pay-as-you-go basis and not charged to your room.
After leaving the hotel (8:30) I took the five minute walk to the station and made myself comfortable in the beautiful ticket office until my train was called which was approximately 15 minutes from the scheduled departure.
Upon boarding I noticed how quiet the service was compared to my outbound service. I found my seat which was again in a quiet coach, took out my laptop and began watching some pre-downloaded movies. 15 minutes into the journey a notice was called that the onboard caf was open. I went and like my journey purchased a cup of tea and a slice of fruit cake which were both as good my journey going up. Speaking to the lady in the buffet car she advised this route is always very busy and will pick up once we reach Newcastle. When I returned to my seat I checked the reserved seating notifications above the seats in my carriage and my fears were confirmed as every seat had some type of reservation on the route.
An hour and twenty five minutes later train rolled into Newcastle where the carriage became about three quarters full. The next station was Durham and whilst some passengers left we had some new ones join who were a bunch of lads who appeared in a very joyful mood for 10:40 and all were armed with tinnies in hand getting themselves in the mood for an event they were attending. They were all smartly dressed which I am guessing was for a wedding. They may not mean any harm but were certainly noisy fortunately they got off at the next stop which was Darlington. Once the doors closed every seat was taken and the seats taken behind me previously by the lads were taken by a large family of eight. Whilst they had tins of beer and G&T alcohol, the conversation was in full flow and as the lads didn’t mean any harm but certainly disturbed the whole carriage. We had the joy of having the remainder of the journey with them all the way to London and it still wasn’t even lunchtime. I lost track of the amount of ring pulls sounds.
Once we left Peterborough we were approximately 45 minutes outside of London and at this point, I packed up my laptop checked the area around my seat and scanned the isle down the carriages to view the passenger density and how far I can walk down the train. I checked the maps as soon as we were approaching the M25 are at which point I put my jacket on and made my way to the far front of the train as I could which was to the end of the third carriage. This is because the remaining three are first class and entry is hence denied. While waiting I need a comfort break and made my way to the one in the vestibule. As soon as I opened the door, I had to immediately close it and warned others from using it. I even smothered my hands with lots of alcohol gel.
Edinburgh at exactly 09:00 and arrives at Kings Cross at 13:38. The annoying thing of my return journey and as is with most return trains all seem to be twenty minutes longer than the outbound ones from London.
As we pulled into Kings Cross, I jumped off the train and ran towards the tube down the escalator to the Piccadilly line to Oxford Circus then Bakerloo line back to London Waterloo. Ran up the escalator and scanned the departures board and noticed an earlier train for 14:15 and I still had three minutes. I just got straight on the train.
My Train departed London Waterloo at 14:15. Like with the outbound journey it was operated by South Western Railway it was a very quiet service. This time the train was by far from clean and toilets all of at least one which I did use. The train had plug sockets Wi-Fi which I didn’t use. The conductor came round on a ticket inspection and there were lots of safety notices and announcements throughout the journey. I was hoping to grab something to eat at Waterloo We arrived dead on 15:15, 7 minutes later than scheduled. I didn’t bother with a taxi as I only had a minute wait before the next bus which was ahead of schedule. I was secretly tracking it on the Stagecoach app on the live feed while on the train. The number 10 bus was full of sixth formers but with some free seats on the upper deck.
Once on the bus I texted my sister to let her know she wouldn’t need to come round to mine later as I would be back in time to collect my Sainsbury’s delivery that was due that evening. I got off the bus after two miles and walked a further mile back to my home. After getting in the doorway, I picked up the mail that was scattered on the doormat and dumped it on the table then made my way to the kitchen and loaded the washing machine. After having had a warm shower to clear off the grime of the days travel, I sifted through the mail before lying on the sofa and collecting my thoughts on my trip.
Finals
Scotland is certainly as beautiful as I remember it but surprisingly warmer than I remember, and I look forward to visiting it again. Next time I will probably go further north on the west side.
Despite the strong covid regulations in the region, it was certainly lenient and not really being enforced. I wore mine in most inside most venues and removed them once I established the general feel of the people around me.
If you want to use the LNER service, quiet means nothing to passengers on the KGS-EDB line and especially those in the quiet carriages. Services will be very busy even in term time so try and get yourself a first class upgrade or even fly unless you have patience!!! The standard class seats are very comfortable, they have plenty of leg room, plug sockets at each seat, Wi-Fi (didn’t use), good onboard catering, toilets (didn’t use) and friendly staff.
The HUB by Premier Inn hotel was absolutely fantastic to stay in, clean, practical, great value for money and would definitely stay in them again. Then again this is not a property recommended for FT’s.
This is far from luxury, but you do get remarkable value for money and was certainly a 5* experience all round!
All in all, it was a very bad trip and was glad to be back home. This may come as a surprise to you as the problem with this holiday it was the first time in a very long time I had to do something alone.
Things like grabbing some lunch in a caf, hotels and trains journeys are fine, as I am well used to those but when doing activities or even dining in a restaurant it can be very awkward as I had no friends or family to spend the time with it. Trying to subtly join others in conversations in recent times has also been difficult as people are more suspicious with those around them the whole trip for me was almost five days in complete silence.
I am now more determined than ever to go to Norway on my next holiday and planning is deeply underway with the UK travel restrictions now eased fingers crossed it will be a breeze.
The end…
Last edited by flybymonkey; Oct 19, 2021 at 5:21 pm
Oct 20, 2021 | 3:35 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: UK
Posts: 706
Oct 20, 2021 | 8:48 am
#4
Join Date: May 2005
Location: London, England, United Kingdom
Programs: Marriott (Lifetime Titantium), whatever other programs as benefits make sense.
Posts: 2,012
Great report, thanks for sharing. Liked a few of your photos as a fellow IG subscriber. The Oink hog roast places looks amazing - definitely adding it to my list next time I am up in Edinburgh. And I love my Mussels, so the Mussel Inn is added to the list as well.
And as to hiking down - hiking down is always worse than hiking up for height - heading up, all you see is an insurmountable hill to climb, heading down, you can see the long, painful tumble into the depths you'll have if you slip.
And as to hiking down - hiking down is always worse than hiking up for height - heading up, all you see is an insurmountable hill to climb, heading down, you can see the long, painful tumble into the depths you'll have if you slip.
Oct 20, 2021 | 1:57 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: UK
Posts: 706
Great report, thanks for sharing. Liked a few of your photos as a fellow IG subscriber. The Oink hog roast places looks amazing - definitely adding it to my list next time I am up in Edinburgh. And I love my Mussels, so the Mussel Inn is added to the list as well.
And as to hiking down - hiking down is always worse than hiking up for height - heading up, all you see is an insurmountable hill to climb, heading down, you can see the long, painful tumble into the depths you'll have if you slip.
And as to hiking down - hiking down is always worse than hiking up for height - heading up, all you see is an insurmountable hill to climb, heading down, you can see the long, painful tumble into the depths you'll have if you slip.
What I found unbelievable with the hiking going down was that there were some people I felt not wearing appropriate footwear and walking faster than me including an elderly lady who had knee high boots with heels who just leisurely just skipped by.
Oct 21, 2021 | 10:32 am
#6
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Aberdeen, Scotland
Programs: BA Bronze, Emirates Silver, Virgin Silver, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 1,439
Thanks for a good report although I did LOL at your comment here:
It's Scotland and unfortunately we do get a lot of rain! But Scotland on a dry day is a very fantastic place to visit and live in!
After the movie, I left the OMNI centre and to my annoyance, the rain had not stopped.
Last edited by nequine; Oct 21, 2021 at 10:53 am
Oct 23, 2021 | 12:48 pm
#8
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: LAX and LHR. UA lifetime Gold 1.9MM 1K , DL Gold Medallion, HHonors Gold, Marriott Gold, Avis President's Club
Posts: 3,651
Thanks for the TR, but I really object to having to keep flicking back and forth to an IG account in order to see your pix. Totally disrupts the narrative.
Oct 24, 2021 | 5:27 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: UK
Posts: 706
Totally agree with you. It appears to be an issue with FT functionality, I have raised it with the support team as it used to be available as I have shared stuff in the past on other threads with no issue. Fingers crossed the feature will return.