Happy December! Given that it is officially ok to begin celebrating, I thought I’d put together a post about my christmas-y day trip to Edi! It’s fantastic, because the trip from glasgow to Edinburgh is a 10 pound return ticket and an hour each way on the train, so It’s a great way to get out of Glasgow for the day.
The train stops right at the edge of the market, but because we got there pretty early, we decided to hike the royal mile (the mile up hill to the castle).
All the little shop windows were decked out in full Christmas regalia, and it was an easy way to get in the festive mood.
About halfway up, my lifelong dreams were realized.
A wildlife sanctuary had come to Edinburgh to collect donations, which meant OWLS.
I’ve had a love for owls for a very long time. Owl keychains, necklaces, bookmarks, Christmas ornaments. You name it. So when I got the chance to hold one? You better believe I was willing to donate a couple pounds to the cause.
I was in love. The birds were incredibly friendly, and loved all the attention they were getting.
With my lifelong dreams completed, and one more thing checked off my bucket list, we continued the walk up.
The views as we winded our way up old staircases and through restaurants and shops became wonderful-you could see that park, the christmas market, and most of Edi.
The strangest part about Scotland is the up and down of the weather-despite having many frosty mornings, theh foliage maintains its fall hues, and the grass remains green and lush.
While our plan was to do a quick tour of the castle, we realized upon arrival just how expensive it was, and appreciated it from the outside instead. It was wonderful to be able to get an idea of the market’s layout from above- it’s extensive, to say the least.
We headed down the side of the mountain to the market after, and enjoyed the meandering cobbled paths and decorations throughout the city.
Upon arrival, the market is a little daunting- packed stalls lining several levels, the aromas of oranges, cloves, mulled wine, and german sausages wafting through the streets. It’s the perfect way to get into the Christmas spirit.
You can find stalls selling almost anything-my personal obsession became the garlands of dried citrus.
It’s a truly magical landscape when you get into the market. With rides, a christmas tree maze, and the beautiful architecture, everything feels just right.
As we sipped our mulled wine, we wandered slowly through the stalls. While it was a very grey day, we didn’t have to deal with any poor weather, and the cold made it a little too easy to finish the wine.
I was having some seriouse Harry Potter feelings- it was nice to be able to feel that level of nostalgia despite being so far away from home for the holidays.
While some of the booths were focused on christmas themes, there were also dozens that were filled to the brim of potential gift. If I didn’t have to fly anywhere, I would have loved to pick up one of the beautiful german christmas pyramids or a locally made cheese board. If you’re looking for somewhere to do your shopping, you couldn’t fail with the market.
Ahhhhh nostalgia. The university buildings up on the hill, combined with the giant christmas trees really put me in the mood for a Harry Potter marathon.
A short post after my master itinerary for London, but I hope this inspired you to start feeling the season’s cheer!
OWLS! Love the photo of you and the owl. Frameable!