April 17, 2015, by Gemma Coleman

Scotland: not actually that cold

I didn’t think the sun shone in Scotland, so how silly did I feel with my knitted jumper, coat and scarf last weekend. With most of my ‘home’ friends studying across the border, I thought it was time to scale the Pennines (via Virgin trains) and finally visit Edinburgh, welcomed by bright spring sunshine.

 

On first glance, the Scottish capital seemed pretty similar to Nottingham. I spied a Topshop and a Nandos: generic British highstreet stuff. But then we crossed over the main bridge, entered the cobbled old town and the fabric of Edinburgh unravelled. We had a day forgetting about the deadlines, running up Calton Hill and visiting David Hume’s grave (this is what happens when you’re friends with philosophers).

 

Then it was on to St. Andrews. Getting on the wrong bus, it took us a tasty 3.5 hours through coastal towns, fields, more fields and abandoned bus stations. Scenic.

 

A day in the ‘bubble’, as St. Andrew-ers affectionately call it, was a truly touristy experience. A visit to the café where Kate and Wills met (for coffee) was first on the list (no royal sightings, just a bacon bap) followed by free tea and biscuits in a kooky bookshop (all you need to do is pretend you want to buy Lady Chatterley’s Lover and you’re sorted). Then I pranced about in the traditional red gown worn by undergraduates before nearly getting blown off a pier.

 

To end the weekend, it was ceilidh time! That’s the traditional Scottish dance that is compulsory for all students here to know in order to graduate (well not technically). I, of course, messed the dance up for many, smashing into other partners and falling over my second left foot.

 

All in all a very Scottish weekend!

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Twitter
• Share on Google+
• Share on LinkedIn