Last week I shared highlights from our time in London in October. Today I am sharing highlights from our time in Scotland.

After spending a day in London we took a train to Edinburgh for a 3 night stay. Since we had a few days in a row I was able to do a bit more planning for our time in Scotland including a trip to the countryside.

Day One

After taking a train from London we arrived in Edinburgh around 2PM. The train station was just a short walk to the hotel so we made our way to The Principal at Charlotte Square to check in and drop our things off before exploring.

We set out down Rose St (just a block over from the hotel) in search of a pub for an afternoon snack. We came across The Black Cat and settled in for fish & chips, onion rings and drinks (for the non-pregnant people).Next we walked over to the Royal Mile (most of the city is very walk-able within Old-town & New-town). We spent the afternoon popping in and out of shops that line the streets of the Royal Mile and surrounding area. Its the perfect spot to find all things plaid and tweed.After shopping and exploring we walked over to another pub for dinner called the Albanach. I ordered more fish & chips, I couldn’t resist after our sharing some with everyone earlier. It was a great way to end our first day in Edinburgh. And walking back to the hotel that night (albeit cold) was filled with beautiful views of the city lit up.

Day Two

On our first morning in Edinburgh Andrew and I set out for a traditional Scottish breakfast before making our way to the countryside for some hiking and exploring. We stopped in The Huxley which was just a short walk from our hotel.The breakfast was great. Andrew ordered a full Scottish Breakfast (including haggis & blood pudding) for us to try and I played it safe with french toast. Both of our meals were great and I loved trying a few traditional dishes.

After breakfast we went to pick up our rental car to drive to Loch Lomond for the day. Side note: driving on the opposite side of the road was intimidating, but Andrew did such a great job. I would have been a mess had I been the one driving but he made it seem like a breeze (even through the never ending traffic circles).

After what felt like a long drive through the beautiful countryside we stopped in a village called Drymen to refuel before setting off to explore Trossach’s National Park & Loch Lomond. By the time we had arrived in Drymen it was down pouring rain so we settled in at the Drymen Inn & Pub for tea and sticky toffee pudding. It was such a nice way to spend a rainy day before more exploring.Even though the rain continued we decided to still hike a few trails along Loch Lomond. Even though it was a windy and rainy day the hike was beautiful (as was the drive). It was so fun to explore a different area of Scotland outside of the city.

After our day exploring the countryside we had dinner at The Witchery back in ED. Such a unique setting and atmosphere. It was one of the top recommend restaurants in Edinburgh and I’m so glad my brother-in-law booked it for an evening.

Day Three

Our last morning in Edinburgh was spent leisurely exploring the city and stopping into a few more stores. After breakfast we walked through the Princes Street Gardens and enjoyed the lovely morning.(Baby started to make an appearance while we were traveling. This was the week I actually started to feel like I looked pregnant:) )This stretch is filled with so many beautiful sites and views of the castle.

We spent the afternoon picking up a few things to take back to the states with us. We found an expansive Whiskey shop on the Royal Mile where Andrew found a few special bottles of Scotch (his favorite) to bring back. If Scotch is something you are interested in picking up while visiting I would highly recommend Royal Mile Whiskies. The staff was super helpful and friendly while helping him pick out the perfect bottles.

After a day of exploring the city we set off for Gleneagles. Andrew and I had booked a special dinner at Andrew Fairlie to celebrate his birthday. The hotel and grounds were beautiful. Andrew and I both agreed that should we get to visit Scotland again this is absolutely where we will stay.

Dinner was also wonderful. I was so nervous that I wouldn’t be able to eat most of the tasting menu since I was pregnant but the restaurant staff went above and beyond to make sure that I was still able to enjoy wonderful dishes! If you are looking for somewhere in Scotland to have a special meal Andrew Fairlie is a must!

Our time at Gleneagles was the perfect end to our days in Scotland. The next morning we headed back to London to finish off our week long trip. You can read about our London highlights here.