On the morning of December 16, I woke up to travel to Edinburgh to meet up with my best friend (and twin sister), Erin. We have been dreaming of such a trip for a loooong time now and it felt surreal that it was actually happening. After picking her up and hopped on the bus to Haymarket. Luckily, I told Erin to pack light so we could easily travel.
Our first stop of the day was a UNESCO Heritage site called Dean's Village in Edinburgh. It looks like it could be straight out of a William Shakespeare novel. After exploring Dean's Village, Erin and I stopped at a neighborhood Christmas market and grabbed lunch at a cute cafe in New Town, suggested by a friend I met in the Isle of Skye. It was a great spot to overlook the city and even people watch. Next, I took Erin to explore my favorite shops I found in Edinburgh, walking up the Royal Mile until we reached Edinburgh Castle.
Erin and I are huge Harry Potter fans so I was excited to take her down Victoria Street (inspiration for Diagon Alley) as it was decked out in tinsel and lights for the holiday season. Next, we explored the Greyfriars Graveyard and took a quick trip to the Elephant House. The Elephant House is famously known as being the "birthplace for Harry Potter." After some convincing, Erin and I sat down for a quick snack of hot chocolate and biscuits. We were also sure to check out the bathrooms, decked out in Harry Potter appreciations.
Feeling refreshed, I took Erin to explore my favorite vintage store, Armstrongs in Grass Market were she got herself a proper "jumper." We walked back up Victoria Street, enjoying the pretty lights at night and down the Royal Mile to a restaurant called World's End. I had Erin try my favorite drink, a whiskey-cask cider, and mac & cheese. Erin and I ended our day at Edinburgh's famous Christmas Market. Feeling extra sleepy after a long day, Erin and I made the trip back to Stirling to rest before our next day of adventuring.
After much research, I was able to friend a dear friend, David who was willing to drive Erin and I around the Highlands. The Harry Potter franchised frequently filmed in the Scottish Highlands and I knew I had to get Erin there. First, we made a quick stop at Doune Castle after Erin found out Game of Thrones and Mighty Python and the Holy Grail was filmed there. Next, we stopped at Callander to grab some snacks from a local bakery, famously known for their delicious pies! While driving to Glencoe, we also took a quick pitstop to see the Falls of Dochart in Killin, where my family stayed during our trip in Scotland.
It was a "wee" bit foggy outside but snow covered the mountains of Glencoe and it was breathtaking. Erin absolutely loved it. A local loch also served as the filming location for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and you could also see the tread lines of where Hagrid's hut was located during filming.
The biggest stop of the day was Glenfinnian, Scotland. The location of the infamous Harry Potter bridge. I was definitely more excited to be there this time around since I got to do it with my best friend. We admired the loch and the Glenfinnian monument before exploring the viaduct and taking in its Harry Potter glory. The last stop of the day was Loch Elit, the filming location of Dumbledore's grave. Luckily the weather held up fairly nicely for a Scottish winter day, but it was very windy while exploring the loch. We did manage to catch a glimpse of an otter which was very exciting!
After Erin got a quick nap during the car ride back and we grabbed dinner at Monterey Jack's since the Mint Cafe was closed. I made Erin try her first scotch at the Curly Choo whiskey bar in Stirling as well. To end the night, Erin and I made our way to the Settle Inn to watch a movie with our new friend David.
It was surreal to think that it was my last night in Scotland, especially in Stirling. I even surprised myself and cried on the Unilink while driving back to campus. Yet, Erin and I were thankful to get some rest and finished packing up to head to our next adventure!
After a small train delay, I was able to say goodbye to my friend Cassidee until Erin and I hopped on the train back to Edinburgh. It was a wee bit rainy this morning but Erin and I are explored Calton's Hill admiring the bird's eye view of Edinburgh. After spotting a cute cafe earlier, Erin and I decided to grab an early lunch where we had some ~magic~ soup. This lentil soup was delicious and literally one of the best meals I have ever had. Erin and I walked back up the Royal Mile to explore Edinburgh Castle. Erin was very eager to explore since it was her first castle! We stopped to grab another treat at the Christmas Market before saying goodbye to Scotland. It was a very bittersweet moment, but I know I will be back one day!
Erin and I successfully made it to the Edinburgh airport to hop on our next flight! London here we come!