5 Days in Scotland
Scotland is a beautiful country
This was my third time visiting due to having family over there. Each time I’ve gone, I’ve explored it in a different way. This trip was a little different because after 2 full days with family, we headed up to the Highlands and spent time in Edinburgh. Keep reading for how we spent our time - this is definitely a trip worth booking!
After landing at the Edinburgh airport, we drove down to Glasgow where my sister lives - visiting her was our main reason for the trip. We stayed at the Hotel Du Vin which was beautiful! It’s 5 victorian townhouses put together. The bathtub was definitely a favorite. Our stay came with complimentary breakfast and coffee which was delicious.
After checking in, breakfast and a nap we headed over to Byres Road where there’s all kinds of cafes, shopping, etc. We went into Kember and Jones for a light lunch and it was so good! I got a soup, my husband eggs, and Lincoln a scone because he wanted to experience scones with jam and butter. We finished things off with a decadent Passionfruit and Coconut gluten free cake that I am still thinking about. We then shopped around, the most notable store being Finnieston where my husband got a fantastic wool shacket made with local Scottish wool.
Our walk down Byres Road led us to the Glasgow Botanic Gardens which were beautiful and a nice way to warm up for a little bit. The weather in Scotland can give you many seasons in one day so having a little cover was nice! We finished our day eating dinner at the restaurant at the hotel - Bistro Du Vin.
After our time in Glasgow, we headed up to the Cairngorms Mountains in the Highlands. It’s around a 2.5 hour drive north. We stayed at the notable (and 2 Michelin key winner) Fife Arms Hotel in Braemar which was fantastic. They have over 16,000 pieces of art all over the hotel including the Picasso shown below. It was vintage meets Scottish culture meets chic boutique hotel. I loved everything about it.
Our second day in Glasgow was spent with family so I don’t have too much to share that you can take advantage of. Except, the amazing bookstore my sister works with in the suburb Bearsden - The Bookmonger. If you find yourself over in this cute town this bookshop is worth checking out. It’s a wine and cheese shop meets bookstore. My husband had a glass of wine, we shared cheese plate and bought a few books. Their highly curated selection guarantees you a great choice.
There were so many different activities to do in the Highlands - this is definitely where you go to get your nature fix. Our first day we went on a guided hike and then picked up bikes (my husband brought his own bike) from Braemar Mountain Sports to rent. The second day, my husband went out gravel biking with a guide. Our son took an art class and I went on a run. We then went on another family bike ride before our lunch at Fish Shop. We rounded out our day with fly fishing on a loch for trout. My husband is an avid fisherman but Lincoln and I were new to this skill. It was equally peaceful as it was beautiful.
A highlight during our stay in the Highlands was going up to Ballater where we ate at Fish Shop - it might be my favorite fish restaurant I’ve ever eaten at. The decor was spot on and the food was outstanding. This was about a 25 minute drive from our hotel which was beautiful and scenic. I’d highly recommend including this in your trip because it was that good. We got a mix of the daily specials, the oysters, and mussels. I don’t think you could go wrong on the menu.
We then headed to Edinburgh for a day to experience all things Harry Potter. We stayed at the infamous Gleneagles Townhouse which is gorgeous and full of style. Their restaurant, The Spence (shown here) is great so even if you decide not to stay here, be sure to pop in for a coffee, drink or meal. The room we had was well appointed and their concierge was great at booking us reservations for our short visit. I wish we could have had one more day to explore.
After checking into the hotel and having lunch at their restaurant, The Spence, we headed off to the Edinburgh Castle for a tour. It was sold out so I highly recommend booking tickets in advance. I got my son the interactive guidebook to look at and explain things after the fact. He loved the swords, the armor, and looking at the prisons.
We then walked over to The Elephant House where JK Rowling wrote her first Harry Potter book (it sadly had a big fire a number of years ago and reopened just in time for us to visit!). Ironically, there was no wait! I was expecting a madhouse. We got a table right next to her “her spot” shown below that looked right out at the castle. We had a coffee/hot cocoa and shared a “millionaire’s shortbread” which I highly recommend trying while in Scotland - it’s so good!
After our coffee break we headed to the Princess Street Gardens where they have the Ross Fountain (my husband’s name is Ross, named after family from Scotland - his grandmother was from Edinburgh!). We popped into a few shops along Princess Street as well.
We then walked some more and found ourselves at delicious Indian restaurant recommended to us by our hotel. It was opened in 1947 - Khushi’s. We went for the tasting menu to try all the things. Lincoln got a milder children’s version of the chicken korma and he loved it. There is so much great Indian food in the UK, it’s a must if you’re over that way.
Thanks for reading! Scotland is such a beautiful country - I hope you enjoy your visits as much as I have! If you check any of this out on your next trip, be sure to tag me on Instagram @AshleyPattenPilates and/or comment below!
xx, Ashley