Edinburgh: castles, ceilidh, and climbing Arthur's Seat

Starting my 12 days in the UK with Edinburgh (10/9-10/11), probably my favorite city on this trip and the beginning of my love affair for Scotland.

10/9: Dancing through the rainy days

Another 6 AM Ryanair fly day—which means I woke up around 4:30 AM to slip quietly out of my dorm. I got through airport security pretty quickly and treated myself to a sugar boost with the Danish soda, Faxe Kondi (which tastes like Sprite or 7-Up mixed with a bit of ginger ale). I snagged a window seat—I love seeing the English countryside. The fields are always green, rolling hills stretch endlessly, and there's something so serene about it.

I landed in Edinburgh around 8:30 AM—my first stop on a 12-day trip through the UK. Technically, I'd been to the UK once before, but a 13-hour layover in Paddington spent feeling awfully sick hardly counts. From the airport, I hopped on the double-decker Citylink bus to the National Galleries of Scotland. On the ride, I caught my first glimpse of the city. Edinburgh is breathtaking; the buildings are made of gray-brown stone, and it truly feels like stepping into a movie.

From the museum, it was just a 10-minute walk to my hostel, Castle Rock Hostel. Once again, I forgot to take into consideration of stairs, and there were a lot of them. But whatever, my tiredness was quickly washed away by how pretty everything was. I really have chosen the best of the year to come here. (Not to brag). I couldn’t have picked a better time of year to visit (not to brag). The fall colors were in full swing, and I was surrounded by buildings that looked like old castles, including my hostel. True to its name, it was right across from Edinburgh Castle. Waking up to see a castle every day? Childhood fantasy fulfilled

Since it was too early to check into my room, I stored my luggage and ventured out to explore. I got myself a scone and coffee to wake myself up. I read a bit of my book and shared a table with a girl studying. It felt like I was pretending to be a student here. Of course, when I left, I began to daydream about what it might feel like if I had attended school here.

I spent an hour in the Scottish myth and folktale section of a cozy bookstore. There's something about Scotland’s foggy skies and rolling hills that makes its lore so captivating. I wanted to buy the entire section, but my luggage wouldn’t allow it.

When it started raining, I took refuge in the Scottish National Gallery. I love that most museums in the UK are free. Many of the artworks were from the Impressionist era (my favorite). The exhibits were divided between prominent male and female Scottish artists. My favorite detail? Some pieces included quotes from local elementary school kids about the artwork. I couldn’t stop laughing—kids truly have the best sense of humor. I only spent about 2 hours there and it wasn’t enough, but at this point, I have run out of gas and needed a nap

Back at the hostel, I finally got into my room, the “Brain Room,” an 8-bed mixed dorm. My assigned bed? “Lame Brain,” which felt fitting at that moment. The hostel itself was a maze, filled with themed lounge spaces decorated to perfection. It felt like stepping into a Hogwarts common room. I plopped down in a room that looked like a wealthy 17th-century merchant's living room to plan my Scottish Highlands adventure. Since it was a last-minute decision, I hadn’t booked all my trains or accommodations, which was stressing my J personality (ENFJ here, according to MBTI).

Hostel Review: Castle Rock Hostel

Space: 10/10

Amenities: 10/10 (the only thing I wish they had was changing rooms since the bathrooms were also mixed-gender)

Cleanliness: 9/10

Social: 9/10 - I was again pretty anti-social but I found it very easy to meet people here. There are def heavy cult vibes, it seems like most staff here were once guests who loved it so much that just never left. Love that for them though!

Later, I somehow got roped into joining the hostel’s Ceilidh dancing trip. Normally, I’d be thrilled, but after being up since 4 AM, my energy was running low. Still, I met some lovely gals who kept me chatting and awake. The evening started with karaoke at a pub (my nightmare, but heaven for friends like Avery or Joanna). After a few drinks, we headed to the Ceilidh dance.

The energy was so lively, there was hardly any room to walk or sit. The live band sang instructions, and everyone dove in. It was CHAOTIC BUT SO MUCH FUN —spinning, jumping, and bumping into each other. One dance involved spinning with a partner 16 times! I even lost my phone in the crowd but found it 10 minutes later mid-dance. By 11 PM, I was officially out of gas and headed back to the hostel.

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10/10: ONE DAY

My plan today was to walk around and eventually hit up Arthur's Seat, an ancient extinct volcano that is now the main peak of the group of hills in Edinburgh. But I woke up and wanted a very touristy English breakfast - I’m lowkey a sucker for baked beans and toast, so I took myself out for that. I spent a couple of hours catching up with Avery while strolling Edinburgh’s cobblestone streets. Solo travel is never lonely when you stay in touch with friends.

There are several ways to hike up Arthur’s Seat. I started from the Scottish Parliament side, planning to end my day at Edinburgh University with a cup of hot cocoa (thanks, Sydney, for the reel recommendation!). At the Parliament, I snapped a few pictures by a fountain that perfectly reflected the hill. An older gentleman approached me, he was also taking photos so we exchanged a couple of photography techniques (but lowkey I think he hangs out there pretty often just to chitchat with folks). He was from Edinburgh but told me he had never hiked up Arthur's seat and within 5 seconds of finding out I was from the States he asked my thoughts on the elections. We wrapped up the conversation when he got distracted by another group of older tourists and I said my goodbyes - regardless, it was a very nice interaction.

There were quite a few folks on the trail for a random Thursday, many seem to hike/run this regularly. I was prepared so I had my One Day (a cult classic romance movie with Anna Hathaway that was recently adapted to a Netflix show) - playlist downloaded. In the movie/show, Arthur’s Seat was a crucial plot point where the two main characters begin their decade-long friendship/relationship - and the playlist was just too good.

The hike was beautiful and not too challenging—a steady uphill climb for about 90 minutes. I paused often to admire the city shrinking below me and the ocean coming into view. Most people stayed at the rocky peak with the best views, but I found a grassy spot just below. The grass was so inviting that I lay down for a quick snooze. The sunny fall weather, the playlist, and the scenery, everything fell into place perfectly.

I hiked down the route and headed towards Edinburgh Uni - now I am CRAVING for that hot chocolate. I got “The Proper Hot Chocolate” from Uplands Roast, a little stand right in the middle of campus and I couldn’t help but get a sausage roll from Max Bakes Gourmet Sausage Rolls right next door (it was delicious and huge portion sizes). I sat on a tree trunk under the changing fall colors and sipped on my hot chocolate loaded with perfectly roasted marshmallows. I listened to the chatters of the college girls in line behind me talking about projects and exams - It felt like not so long ago, we were all worrying about those things - where that was our whole world. Maybe in another life, I would be a student here.

Another early night for me today, I am catching an 8:38 Am train tomorrow to Inverness.