Trip to Edinburgh in Scotland

Thursday, July 5^th

Today was the long coach ride up to Edinburgh.  Along the way, we stopped near Ripon (which is mentioned in the television series Downton Abbey, by the way) to visit the ruins of a monastery called Fountains Abbey. 

The abbey was founded in 1132 and abandoned in 1539 upon King Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries.  The ruins are very beautiful, and unlike anything I had seen in England before.

Then we crossed the border into Scotland.  We drove past rivers, fields of cows and sheep, dense forests, dramatic hills, and ruined stone buildings all shrouded in mist.  Everything looked ghostly and mysterious through the thick fog.

Finally we arrived and settled into the student housing at the University of Edinburgh—I was in Baird House.

Friday, July 6^th

Woke up.  Dressed.  Put on light waterproof jacket.  Came outside.

Hmm, it’s kind of cold in Scotland.

Went inside.  Put on second layer.  Reemerged.

Hmm, it’s very cold in Scotland.  And it’s raining.

Repeated process.  Developed new respect for Scots.

By some miracle, the rain let up for my hike along the West Highland Way.  Our group took a coach to the start of the trail, and we were going along the motorway when the driver suddenly announced, “Look, that’s the queen!  She must be on her way from Edinburgh to the airport.”

Naw, I thought, he’s making fun of us.

Only then did I see the car with the police escort in the next lane!

After our brief brush with royalty, we spent the day hiking and enjoying beautiful views.

 The stream where we ate lunch.

 View over the hills.  Sheep grazed in the valley below, and you could hear them baaing as well as the wind in the plants.

View over Loch Lomond.

The evening was possibly my favorite part of the trip—we got to attend a traditional Scottish dance called a cèilidh!  The musicians (in kilts, of course) played on an accordion, fiddle, and drums, and they taught us the steps of each dance beforehand.  The dances were lively and easy to learn, and the male-to-female ratio was close enough that it was easy to find partners.  Now there’s a tradition I wish we had back home!

Saturday, July 7^th

After trying haggis at breakfast (which really wasn’t half bad), I spent much of the day at Scotland’s National Gallery.  The gallery includes paintings by Monet, Botticelli, Vincent van Gogh, Leonardo da Vinci, and many other famous artists.  My instructor for “The Marriage of Spirit and Matter Though the Study of Drawing and Painting” talked to us about a selection of the paintings, which added to my enjoyment.

Afterwards, I walked around the centre of Edinburgh:

 Man playing the bagpipes.

Statue of Greyfriars Bobby, the famous dog who waited by his master's grave for fourteen years.

The various Scottish clans each had a particular tartan (plaid pattern).  I bought a scarf with the Duncan tartan, since I have some Duncans among my ancestors.

Some friends and I went to a pub for dinner, which was a great conclusion to the trip.

Sunday, July 8^th

Today was the long coach ride back from Scotland.  This time we stopped in the town of Richmond and poked around the castle, which dates from the 1100s.

Before we left for Edinburgh, the programme director said that returning to Cambridge would feel like coming home.  I’m surprised and pleased to say that it does.