The final chapter of our Scottish adventure! I never intended to take a week trip and stretch it out into three recap posts, but when you take so many pictures, want to remember so many moments, and want to share so many details in hopes it might help others interested in going, it apparently gets wordy. So let’s get to it!
If you’re catching up, see Scotland Part 1 Edinburgh and Scotland Part 2 Glenfinnan, Isle of Skye and Inverness
We slept so well in our comfy beds (still with my eye mask because it doesn’t matter how great the black out curtains were, it still made a difference) and walked down the short hall to the common area/living room for breakfast. They offered a beautiful display of fruits, pastries, yogurts, coffee, tea, and hot breakfast. It was excellent! And the girls loved the resident pug who waddled his way under the table.
We thanked our hosts, packed our things, and drove away, heading to the few miles down the road to Cairngorms National Park for the one adventure I actually planned for and bought tickets for a month in advance- REINDEER!
Reindeer need a cold climate and Scotland is the furthest south that you can find them. There is a herd of 150 that have roamed freely since they were brought there in 1952. We signed up for the Reindeer Experience Hill Trip and arrived at 11:00 AM sharp, ready to adventure.
After a brief introductory speech we joined the other 30 participants or so for a short hike (an easy 20-30 minutes). We passed through two fences, onto a boardwalk, and up onto a hilltop where the reindeer started walking towards us, clearly knowing it was snack time, as soon as we arrived. The guide told us more about the reindeer, like how they are in the middle of shedding their winter coats which is why they looked patchy, and how they’ve been proven to survive temperatures as low as -94 degrees (F)! She reminded us to let them come to us and not reach out and pet them, and then it was time to feed them.
What a cool experience! They don’t have top teeth so they wouldn’t be able to bite you even if they wanted to, but they were so gentle. They’d come up to you and with a soft, warm nuzzle, they’d eat the grain out of your hand, tickling your palm with their warm breath. It was so neat!
Once we were out of snacks, they lost interest but didn’t go far; they just kind of wandered around us, giving us a great opportunity to take in the views and see them up close before the group dispersed, everyone hiking back at their leisure. I’m so glad we did it!
Once back to the car we started the last leg of our adventure, driving the three hours back to Edinburgh. We hit a little traffic but got to cross over a magnificent bridge, and just like that we were returning our Turo rental and hopping in a taxi to take us to the Hilton Doubletree in old town; our last accommodation of the stay.
Not wanting to miss the chance to experience one last night in Edinburgh, we dropped our luggage and took off with a specific dinner destination in mind. It was a beautiful mile walk by the castle and over to Princes Street and it just started to sprinkle as we reached Dishoom, an Indian restaurant that was highly recommended to me by multiple people. And I see why.
When we arrived the wait was 30 minutes, but we spent it in their downstairs in the Permit Room, a moody but lively bar area where David and I got cocktails and the girls got watermelon mocktails, which made the time pass quickly. Soon we were escorted to our windowfront table on the top level overlooking St. Andrew’s Square, with a great view and a personable waiter that helped us navigate the menu. I don’t think there would have been a bad option available, but everything we ordered was downright delicious. Rich flavors, a little heat in some dishes, and beautiful plating; I see why it is so highly recommended!
We left with very full bellies and enjoyed our meandering walk back through the Royal Mile, Victoria Street, the grass market, by the castle, and finally to our beds for the night. It was the perfect farewell tour to end our last evening.
The next morning we opted for one last cute cafe breakfast at Tasty Buns across the street from the hotel and I marveled one last time at the freshly baked goodies and beautifully poured cappuccinos.
Then it was off to the airport, where we lucked out with smooth travel back home. We had a tight connection in DC, but a little sprint through the airport after clearing customs helped us stretch out our airplane legs. After landing in Charlotte, getting our car (we still use and love The Parking Spot!), and driving home, we all showered and crashed hard into bed by 10:30 (3:30 AM Edinburgh time). Overall I’m pleasantly surprised at how well we all handled the time change/jet lag and after a day or two of early rising, we’re back to normal!
Overall this trip was a grand adventure and we loved it! The girls, who hold our BVI sailing trips in top regards, put this one right up there with them, so that’s saying a lot. I’m so grateful to get to make these family memories together and am starting to dream of where we’d like to try next. Any recommendations?! I’m all ears 🙂
