Pitlochry to Edinburgh

We set off on our journey to Pitlochry around 8.30am for the drive to Edinburgh. The scenery is lovely as we made our way there as all along the highway are beautiful fields leading up to mountains in the distance. 
At the moment in Scotland there is to be a referendum to ask the people whether they want to become independent from Westminster or stay as part of the UK. There are lots of Yes banners placed in very unusual places and one of these we spotted along the way was on a hillside which had the ruins of a castle at the top and to boot it was shrouded in mist as well. we managed to stop and take a photo of it. I will also post one of the other places we have seen the Yes banners. 

Pitlochry is classed  as the entrance to the highlands and it is a very pretty little town where stopped to have a coffee and some lunch. We walked around looking into some of the souvenir shops and as always Peter finds himself a shirt to buy. He is amazing I very rarely can find anything but he seems to have no trouble at all. I took a couple of photos of the street scape especially one which i saw on the way of Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber outside a shop. Very gruesome but added to the quirkiness of the place. Lots of people in walking gear as it is clearly a place to start a visit to the highlands and all it has to offer. Onward we go towards Edinburgh.

 

We arrived in Edinburgh in the early afternoon and made our way to our hotel which is in a lovely street of Georgian terraces in Stockbridge which is the part of Edinburgh called New Town. It is the part of Edinburgh that was built between 1765 and 1850 to prevent overcrowding inside the the Old Town city walls and also to prevent the wealthy citizens from leaving Edinburgh. As it developed the rich moved north from the Old Town from the cramped tenements in narrow streets to beautiful Georgian homes on wide roads. Peter is a little bit over Georgian architecture but it is everywhere in the UK and I love it.

Both the Old Town and New Town are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. 

We checked in and find that our room is at the top of 65 stairs which we are finding quite a lot that wherever we have stayed if it has stairs we always seem to be at the top!!! I am just glad that the young man at reception helps Peter carry the bags as it is a long haul up there. 

I desperately needed a haircut so that was my main objective for the afternoon and Peter went to find out about our Edinburgh passes. The hairdresser I found was very nice and she did a great job. Peter found me again and we went to have a drink in one of the local establishments before dinner in the restaurant at the Nira Caledonia. 

We had also arranged for Lysney a relative related to us by marriage to come and visit us at the hotel for a few drinks as she lives and works in Edinburgh. It was great to catch up and talk to her about what she does, Aunt Agnes and her time spent in Australia. We finally wound up around 10.30 which is quite late for us on this holiday. It was great to see her. 

Our first full day in Edinburgh tomorrow!