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Showing posts with the label Scotland

Arthur's Seat and Tea on the Royal Mile | Edinburgh

Coming down Arthur's Seat No visit to Edinburgh is complete without a wander down The Royal Mile, a spectacular street headed by a magnificent castle and tailed by a royal palace.  My first stop was Gladstone's Land. This is an example of one of Edinburgh's early 'skyscrapers' where people from all walks of life lived on different levels of the building. The house was owned by a rich 17th century merchant. The upper floors are more lavish, including an ornate bedroom where the resident would entertain guests from bed! The ground floor is equally interesting as it is a recreated Luckenbooth - a lockable shop. This Luckenbooth was the workplace of a wool merchant who sold his goods through an arched window to customers on the street. At the end of the day he would lock the wooden shutters and the space would become his living quarter. Nifty! Biscoff slice with Chai Latte and Hot Chocolate. My next stop was inevitably at a tea room! Mimi's Bakehou...

Autumn Colours Part 2 | Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

Autumn is upon us once again. Last year Crumbs to Crunch was delighted by the autumnal colours of Winkworth Arboretum . This year I witnessed this gorgeous season at the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh . It is hard to believe that this 70 acre haven is nestled in a city. What's more, it's free so everyone can enjoy the jewels of Autumn. As I wandered through the gardens, I passed through Scottish heathland, a peaceful Chinese water garden and towering trees from North America. They were all lovely but the trees stole the show with their vibrant yellows, reds and oranges. The glasshouses are also well worth a visit. For a small fee, I toured the Victorian greenhouses to see many wonders from delicate orchids to sinister Venus Fly traps.  No day out is complete without a trip to the tea rooms! I sampled a gorgeous double chocolate shortbread slice. Scotland is the home of shortbread after all and it did not disappoint! Whilst sipping my Lady Grey tea...