Having decided to seek some warmer weather, away from UK’s abysmal summer, we flew with economy airline, and package holiday company, Jet2 from Edinburgh to Dubrovnik.

The weather was certainly warmer with blue skies, yellow sun, turquoise waters and the city provided charm and history.

We had found an Airbnb before going which turned out to be ideal. Our studio apartment, high on the hillside overlooking the harbour and old city had everything you would need for a short stay as well as an area on the shared terrace. We took advantage of this by purchasing fruit and yoghurt for breakfast and for evening meals various cold meats, salad items and dried crisp breads – not to mention some tasty regional wines.

We arrived at lunch time and our lovely hosts provided a home cooked, light chicken and pasta soup, a cold beer and a fruit juice whilst they finished preparing the room and filling us in on what to do.

We forgot to follow their advice and buy a Dubrovnik Pass. This cost about the same as the entry to walk the old city walls but would also have given us access to several other museums and venues.

The city walls are impressive. They let you see far out across the sea north and south along the coast, down into some of the alleys and courtyards of the jumbled red roofed buildings and up the dominating, dry hillside.

Go in the morning or later afternoon to avoid the midday heat because there is little shade and few drink stops on the route.

Take time to meander your way through the myriad of alleys, streets, squares. The pedestrian city’s paving has been well worn over the centuries making them slippy, especially I imagine if wet.

You’ll find a range of churches, tourist accommodation, homes, cafes, bars, restaurants and tourist shops. Don’t miss the rotund water fountain by the north gate for free, cool refreshing water to wash hands and faces and top up water bottles.

Out on the harbourside, sellers loudly tout their boat tours. For the adventurous there is diving, snorkelling and exploring sea caves. For those wanting to create their own itinerary there are private boats for hire with or without a captain. Ferries zip you across to Lokrum Island for you to explore at your own pace.

We picked out the Three Island Tour for our treat. This was a medium size boat with enough shared seating for all on board, a lunch and free soft drinks and wine. Beer costs extra. We visited, three of the Elafiti Islands: Kolocep, Lopud, and Sipan.

Each had its own charm and views. Swimming was recommended at two locations but we opted not to as we were only allowed a short stay on each. This gave you just enough time to explore or swim and we both love exploring!

Swimming we did enjoy at Cavtat, a small ferry boat ride of 40 minutes down the coast. This town, claiming to be older than Dubrovnik, seemed to be another tourist filled town, including some very swish tourists going by the mega yachts and catamarans in the bay’s natural harbour.

The church at Cavtat was very pretty, too. It’s a short stroll up from the ferry docking spot. From the terrace at the church you get a good view across the bay and may even pick out which restaurant on the town’s waterfront to eat at.

Then, we escaped the busy ‘beach’ areas at the front and discovered the quiet, shallow waters of Plaza Cavtat. We took a plunge to cool down and dried of sitting in the shade of some large trees.

Having enjoyed two trips on the pristine waters, we caught our penultimate Uber (recommended by our AirbnB hosts) from Dubrovnik’s old city Polce Gate to our studio terrace. We opted for a car ride over the long trek back up steep slopes and scores of steps that we traversed down each morning. Your calves will get a workout exploring this city!

 And although we didn’t enter the ‘new’ city area we felt we’d capture the essence of this historic city over our four days and got our injection of European sunshine. So, one more Uber ride back to the airport. 

Fortunately, the journey by Wexford Bus  back up to Dublin was in dry weather and we could catch glimpses over between and over the tall verge growth to the rolling green hills of Ireland. Emerald indeed is the colour of this gem of an island.

We jumped off at Lower Merrion Street, close to our StayCity Apartment which is ideally situated for buses, Trinity College and the Georgian Quarter. Booking a studio apartment enabled us to explore by day and prepare a light meal in our room for the evening, keeping costs down.

Once checked in, we headed out to nearby Kennedys Pub for a refreshing pint of Guinness. We managed to squeeze in to a wee table with a view of the TV screen showing a derby match of hurling between Clare and Cork. The atmosphere was electric! Unsure of the rules, we still enjoyed the game with Clare coming out victorious.

Oscar Wilde used to frequent Kennedys, as did other Irish literary giants Samuel Beckett and James Joyce, but it is the bronze seated sculpture of Wilde that draws tourists to drop by for a photo op. I was no different!

Next day, we headed out on foot to reach the Guinness Storehouse for our 9am tour. This claims to be the most popular tourist destination in the world - according tot he Guinness Book of Records. We deliberated whether that would be ticketed venues as how can one count, for example, visitors to The Great Pyramids at Giza or natural wonders such as the Grand Canyon?

However, more people interested in the production and history of the famous, black, velvety, smooth stuff started to fill the seven floors of the old production building. Guinness have done a brilliant job of filling a large, empty, brewing edifice with not an awful lot of physical items to create a genuinely interesting and impressive self-guided tour.

In particular, we enjoyed the video explaining the expert craftsmanship of the coopers and the display of advertising history. 

Best of all was the pint of black stuff itself, which we had been taught how to drink as part of the tour, served up on the seventh floor Gravity Bar overlooking the expansive views across Dublin.

Afterwards, we headed down to the banks of the River Liffey and strolled along to the Brazen Head  which we were informed was the oldest bar in Dublin. There was a queue at the door so we opted for lunch in Ned O’Shaes, The Merchant , just opposite and had a grand roast beef dinner.

A ticket for the City Sightseeing Hop-on Hop-off Bus is worth the money. You get transport to or near major tourist attractions, you get a commentary either recorded or personalised by the driver, dependent on who that is, and a few good deals if you show your ticket at some venues.

We made use of the 24hr ticket over two days, so the first afternoon we simply sat on the bus the most of the way around and decided what to return to the next day. When it stopped at the end of the circuit, we hopped off and explored O’Connell Street. I was most impressed with the height of Dublin Spire and we took another stroll along the river before crossing over back to our accommodation.

Catching the bus first thing next morning, we hoped to see Dublin Castle and St Patrick’s Cathedral. The Castle was hidden behind other impressive buildings housing museums but we weren’t prepared to spend the entrance fee so walked on to the Cathedral. We wandered around the park and took some exterior photos but were again disappointed at the cost to enter a religious building. This seems to be a new trend and a revenue earner for the churches. I guess it replaces weekly offerings from what is now dwindling congregations.

It was quite a wait for our next bus to take us up to Pheonix Park, the largest city park in the world, I think. It was set up in 1660 as a royal hunting ground. Currently, it is five times larger than London’s Hyde Park and twice the size of New York’s Central Park.

Wandering along the main through road, we discovered the park once boasted twenty cricket grounds, many rugby fields, and hurling pitches and a polo ground. With some of these still in use their car parking spots were filled with visitors to the very popular Dublin Zoo, also within the park and one of the oldest world zoos still running today. 

We spied the President’s official home with it’s magnificent views towards County Wicklow. We stopped at the highly impressive Wellington Monument which is an obelisk towering into the sky. The huge metal plaques that are more like sculptures of their own adorning the lower walls of the memorial, depict battles the Duke lead his troops to successfully. These plaques are made from canons used in the battles.

To quench our thirst on the warm day we had, we stopped at the quaint Pheonix Park Tea Rooms near the entrance to the park. 

Then, we caught the bus down to O’Connell Street again and found Lotts Café Bar. The bus tour included a option for buy-one, get-one free meal here. We had the Irish Stew which was super though the Guinness bread was not really to our taste. As I ate, I admired the fancy Victorian interior, especially the tiled walls.

On the last morning, we headed into Trinity College and visited the Book of Kells Experience. If you are into history, art, architecture, libaries or religion, this is a must do in Dublin. The book itself is on display showing two pages which are alternated regularly to protect the 600AD craftwork. More pages can be seen digitally as part of the experience.

Finally, we walked the gardens opposite the house Oscar Wilde lived in for a time and had a quick walk around some of the National Art Gallery rooms and lunch in its café, before jumping on the Dublin Express bus to the airport and our Ryanair flight out of Ireland.

All transport we had into, out of an within the Isle of Ireland was comfortable, on time and good value. The trip was a huge success and I'd love to visit this fabulous island again.

Mist got in the way of seeing much on the comfortable Dublin Express Bus between Belfast and Dublin Airport, and the same between Dublin Airport and Enniscorthy on the more meandering Wexford Bus service catering for smaller communities enroute. A funny point though was the bus arriving at Dublin airport Terminal 2, we needed Terminal 1 so we stayed on the bus for the full 100 metres to the Terminal 1 bus stop!

We were in Enniscorthy for a family wedding and stayed at a locally well-known venue, The Riverside Park Hotel.  The hotel lies on the edge of the town, beside the wide, shallow River Slaney giving a lush backdrop for wedding photos, dining and the opportunity to walk off some of the celebrations.

The wedding was a grand success and enjoyed by all, thanks in part to the excellent organisation and service of the hotel staff.

We spent some time before and after the big event exploring the town. It’s a steep climb up into the central area, passing Enniscorthy Castle which you can pay to get into, we didn’t have time. Two large churches dominate the skyline, one being St Aidan’s Cathedral which is supposedly based on the design of Tintern Abbey in Wales and was constructed from local stone.

There are lots of little shops catering for the needs and desires of the locals and several pubs which the groomsmen assured us were friendly and pleasant places for a pint or two!

We had a fabulous brunch of full cooked breakfast at The Pantry and were made most welcome by a chatty, engaging staff member.

One of us headed further along the river one morning taking in the birdlife and learned about the slow return of salmon to the river after overfishing and impact of a skin disease outbreak in the 1960s and 70’s. Certainly, the waters run clear now and you can catch glimpses of fish splashing in the stream but fishing is limited to catch and release only.

The other marched up to the top of Vinegar Hill. This was the site of an infamous battle during the 1798 Rebellion. You can read more about the battle here. Today it is a peaceful location with fabulous views across Wexford’s rolling countryside.

I wish we had planned more time in this part of Ireland but I suspect that would be the case wherever you visit in this country rich in history, lush countryside and warm welcomes.

Continuing our flying visit to Northern Ireland, our friend took us back to her home town of Portstewart. It lies next to Portrush with what seems like a massive caravan park and a golf course linking them together.

Portstewart is a small, seaside town with a lovely promenade to saunter along to find a bench to sit and contemplate the views. Grab a coffee at one of the many cafes or purchase an ice cream to sit in the sun.

At the west end of the promenade, the imposing, white-washed, castle-like Dominican Convent and College towers over the town. You can pass by under it along the cliff walk to get to Portstewart Strand, a long stretch of sand popular for walks, swimming and surfing and rimmed with nature-rich sand dunes. Absorb the views along Benone Strand, the longest beach in Northern Ireland, and across to Donegal in Eire.

From here, we joined the Causeway Coastal Route which runs from Derry to Belfast. Just a few miles east of the two towns, perched on the edge of rugged cliffs, lie the ruins of Dunluce Castle. I giggled here, reading the information signs about a lost town raised in attempts to halt the ‘Scottish plantation.’ I wondered what harvest the Scots brought in and learned that in this context, the Scots themselves were the plantation, planted to stoke up protestant, royalist influence and control.

Looking across the sea, eastward, on this bright, clear day we could see Scotland’s Isles of Islay, Jura, Arran, Mull of Kintyre and even Aisla where the world-famous best curling stone is quarried. I knew Ireland and Scotland were geographically close, had seen it on maps, but you get a far superior perspective of just how close it is when you see the land across the water.

No wonder there are shared legends, like legend of the Irish giant, Finn McCool and the Scottish giant, Benandonner, arguing and fighting. Hence the matching basalt, hexagonal columns found at The Giant’s Causeway and at Fingal’s Cave in Staffa when the causeway land link was destroyed by their violence, leaving behind this amazing geological feature.

We scrambled around this very busy area, trying to avoid fellow tourists in our photos. We gazed, greatly impressed, up to the ‘Organ Pipes’ and a particularly tall, lonely stack standing high on the cliff side that reminded me of The Old Man of Hoy, Orkney. A fisherman in his boat, laying lobster creels, gave us sense of the immense scale of the structures.

Our next stop was to look down to the rather terrifying Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge. We very definitely left this adrenaline-junkie’s dream attraction to others! But seeing tiny people wobble their way across the 100ft high bridge to reach a small island used by fishermen since the 1700’s.

Lunchtime saw us seated in a corner on the path down to Whitepark Bay, sheltered by the retaining wall from the cooling breeze, enjoying picnic nibbles. Seated in our own wee sun spot we took in the views of this wide, attractive beach, the most photographed cows in Ireland that live on the beach area and towards Rathlin Island, known for its wildlife and beauty.

As we drove past, I managed a quick snap of the picturesque Ballintoy Church in its white-washed starkness against the green land and blue sea. More time and we would have dropped in for a closer look.

Instead, we drove into Ballycastle hoping for a tasty ice cream. However, the village was crowded out with visitors coming to see the metal diving tower built for the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series. Without a parking spot, we went as far as the town Beach. This stony beach makes for a calf muscle building walk to the wooden bridge, a much safer option than Carrick-a-Rede, to enjoy the scenery along the coast in both directions.  

This was the furthest point we drove along the Causeway Coastal Route, and turned back, taking an inland route back towards Portstewart. 

I recall from watching the TV news and reading the Sunday newspapers of Belfast’s bombings, shootings and rioting set off by deep political divides during ‘the troubles’ in the 1970s and 80s. It sounded like a really scary city and a place to avoid. Now however, the people are welcoming, the streets are safe for the traveller and its easy to get around and explore. The history is not forgotten though.

Our friend met us at the airport and drove us into Northern Ireland’s capital city and selected the City Halls for a light lunch. The wide, old building dominates a square, surrounded by other interesting buildings from various eras. Inside the gates, several statues mark significant people and events that helped shaped the city, including two recent female figures unveiled in March 2024: social reformer, abolitionist and activist for women and children’s rights Mary Ann McCracken and suffragette, trade unionist and Irish independence activist Winifred Carney. There are seats in the gardens too for workers from nearby offices to take a break in the open air.

We headed into the Grand Entrance and stood under a wonderful glass dome, lighting up the staircase and filtering down the corridors leading to rooms set up with historical displays.

We found the Bobbin Coffee Shop and were impressed with the service and the food. This is a social enterprise café supporting community members with learning difficulties and autism to gain employment skills.

Refreshed, fed and toileted, our next adventure was jumping on the Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus Tour, which I highly recommend to anyone visiting Belfast. Our guide kept us fully entertained and informed through his witty jokes and remarks, his neutral description of history and its lasting impacts today, his top tips on how and when to go to venues and managing to all this whilst keeping timed to the sights we were passing.

The large and colourful murals adorning building gable ends and walls, alongside Irish and Union Jack flags flying in gardens and from windows are in stark contrast to the dark history of the two ‘traditions.’ More reminiscent of that are the really tall fences and thick walls surrounding buildings such as police stations and court houses.

Thankfully, cooling emotions and cautious political agreements have allowed the myriad of checkpoints required to all but disappear and create a city atmosphere that feels vibrant, open-hearted and most importantly safe.

We had chosen not to go to the Titanic Museum after the bus tour, which had been tempting, as time was in short supply. You need a good few hours for that. So, we opted to have a wander through the city streets instead.

St Anne’s Cathedral is impressive with Ireland’s largest Celtic Cross a part of the structure. Because the ground is soft and muddy under the church they couldn’t add a tall stone spire. In 2007 its stainless steel ‘Spire of Hope’ was added. Both cross and spire individually measure 80 metres tall and the spire can be seen from many points within the city.

On our second day in Belfast actually started at Carrickfergus Castle which lies north of the city on the shores of Belfast Lough (the Irish spelling for Loch). This Norman castle is very well preserved and makes for an entertaining tour. I particularly liked the banquet hall laid out for dinner and the dungeon where you read the story of Con O’Neil, a local chief in 1600s whose party ran out of wine and who managed to get into a fight with the English troops that supposedly prevented a resupply. He was captured and held in the dungeon but a maid hid a rope in a cheese wheel and he escaped, fleeing to Scotland.

Afterwards, we had lunch at Madame Pho’s on Botanic Avenue. A first Pho for our friend and it was a delicious, traditional version too. This street has a wide selection of cuisines to select from and is close to the city centre for further exploration.

It was too early in the day to hear traditional Irish musicians in the couple of pubs we dropped into but The Crown Liquor Saloon made up for that in its style and décor. It’s owned by the National Trust and a is a very popular pub. 

We finished the day with a fish supper from the Spring Fry just off the infamous Falls Road area and the murals we had seen the day before. We ate in our room in the Springfield Bed and Breakfast, chosen for the economic price and the short walk to catch our early morning bus to Dublin, and were very comfortable there.

Capital city of Scotland, Edinburgh draws tourists from around the globe. This was our base for this European, mostly UK trip.

Keep reading for my top picks of ‘lesser-known Edinburgh as I’m not going to mention the myriad of commonly known ones. Instead, if you’ve only got a day or two, I’ve added a separate post with a suggested walking itinerary.

I lived in Edinburgh for five years and visited countless times from the Highlands of Scotland and from overseas, so I feel I know a special spot or two for those of you with more time to discover. Here are a few I visited this trip:

Newhailes House and Estate – an 18th Century nobleman’s house held by the same family for over 300 years. Filled with furniture, artworks and original architectural features. Now maintained by the National Trust for Scotland. Something for all the family here!

Pilrig Park – A locals’ park for soccer practice, walking the dog and picnics. An historic house and earthworks from the Seige of Leith, 16th Century. Pop into Rosebank Cemetery across the road for a peek at the war memorials, including one for a train disaster in WWI.

St Marks Park and the Water of Leith – not far from Pilrig Park you can stroll along the Water of Leith either down to Leith itself or to up to the picturesque Village of Dean, or Dean Village, and beyond to Balerno and the Pentland Hills. Spot one of Anthony Gormley’s sculptures in the water at this park and others if you follow the water further upstream.

Duddingston and Dr Neal’s Garden – Another location Mary Queen of Scots visited, and Bonnie Prince Charlie. The Sheep’s Heid does a grand meal and you can book to play on their famous skittle lanes.

Wander round the kirkyard looking at the headstones (read Captain John Haldane’s tragic romance and shipwreck, remembered on one of the memorial stones, in my separate blog post below – or on my Instagram  post).

Mosey on down to Dr Neal’s Garden, a delightful oasis from the hub bub of the city on the shores of Duddingston Loch. Ideal for artists’ inspiration, bird watchers and peacefulness seekers.

Newington – busy, cosmopolitan, student area filled with cafes, bars, restaurants and takeaway outlets but neatly sandwiched between Holyrood Park and The Meadows. Hidden historic buildings and structures can be found here such as Waterloo Well Head, a distillery, Archer’s Hall, an old synagogue and ‘Hermits and Termits’ (now a private residence).

Bellfield Brewery – a hidden gem of a tiny brewery offering a tour and tasting as well.

Modern/New memorial installations on/near Leith Walk – Ken Buchanan (a famous Scottish boxer) next to the St James Quarter, Sherlock Holmes by the Picardy Place tram stop as this was where Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was born and studied, the Pilgrig Muddle opposite Pilrig Church on Leith Walk.

Tram to Newhaven – an historic fishing village with a few good cafes, bars and restaurants overlooking the Firth of Forth to the Kingdom of Fife.

You could visit the Castle but you could spend hours queueing and it is expensive.

I’ve added some google map walking routes for you to consider, if it is a dry day!

Start at the West End Tram stop. Just a point of reference. https://maps.app.goo.gl/vUK1CBG55xrRStj28?g_st=ac

Go down into the Princes Street Gardens to gaze up at the Castle and walk through, the floral clock may still be ticking if it’s in season. Climb Scott Monument for views (cost £8 cannot pre-book). Turn right and pass Waverley Station to climb up pretty Cockburn Street onto Royal Mile to castle esplanade.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/mc6ufYqaYAbZu1A79?g_st=ac Turn back to come down Granny’s Green Steps into Grassmarket. Good area for a lunch.

Go into Grey Friars graveyard, interesting area and names on stones used as harry Potter characters if interested! Walk out at other side to see statue of Grey Friar’s Bobby (dog).

Back to Royal Mile and down to Holyrood Palace. I’ve not been in it! 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/p75QcnBVu2Gj8FmX6?g_st=ac

Through New Calton Burial Ground, look for the Watch Tower! Then cross Regent Road to steps up into Calton Hill for views across city – look to the sea and imagine Proclaimers standing here for their album cover.

Follow path down to Blenheim Place and stop for a drink (Cheap at Wetherspoons, Omni or classy wine/cocktail at the Café Royal, very attractive interior).

Pass through St Andrew’s Sq to walk down Rose Street, famous for its watering holes and stag nights! Maybe find a spot to eat dinner.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/UrGBQoCPwDkaU4iHA?g_st=ac

Walk round Georgian Houses at Charlottes Square before turning back to West End of Princes Street.

If wet you may want to try these free indoor places – National Art Gallery on Princes Street, National Portrait Gallery on Queen Street, Museum of Childhood on lower Royal Mile, the fabulous National Museum by Grey Friar’s Bobby has a great Scottish exhibition and many other sections to explore, St James Quarter for shopping and eating. And paid venues: a whisky tasting – I’ve not done any in the city but heard the new Johhny Walker one on Princes St is good, Camera Obscura on Royal Mile, Holyrood Palace (I’d still avoid the castle!), use Hop-on Hop-off bus.

The suggested walk is possible if you are reasonably fit and we’ve done most of it with visiting friends in a day, makes a big day but worth it!

In Duddingston Kirk graveyard, there is a memorial stone, laid in honour of Patrick Haldane, 16th Laird of Gleneagles who died at Duddingston, by his grandson Captain John Haldane. A plaque remembering Capt. John was added later.

John was born in 1748 and led a relatively short but highly eventful life. He rose through the ranks of The East India and accepted captaincy on several of their ships.

His first misfortune as skipper was allowing French and Spanish forces to capture his ship and crew. He and they were held prisoner for several months at the port of Cadiz.

Once released, and given a second ship it was destroyed by fire on its arrival in Bombay.

India, however, gave him the opportunity to meet and become lover of an infamous actress of that time, Ann Cargill. She had attracted scandal for her numerous love affairs as well as acclaim as a brilliant operatic performer. Anne’s father tried to regain ‘guardianship’ of her through the courts but she managed to elude him several times before being placed in the care of an aunt. From there, her colleagues rescued her for that evening’s performance.

Then, in 1780, Anne eloped with a Mr Cargill. Two years later, she arrived in India with another man and once again found theatrical success and yet another lover – our Captain John Haldane.

This seems to have been a true love match and a baby soon was born. Dark clouds appeared in the form of the East India Company’s strict moral stance and they ordered Anne out of India.

John took Anne away in the ship he now captained, the Nancy to return to British soil.

The Nancy sailed into waters of the Scilly Isles in 1784 and was there wrecked in a storm. All crew and passengers died, including our opera singer, her lover captain and their child.

The newspapers at the time reported that Anne was found in the water with her babe in arms and “together with that child of misfortune, Captn Haldane.”

The plaque was fixed to John’s grandfather’s memorial stone by the executers of his estate to commemorate the shipwreck which killed him.

Palace, Loch and Burgh all precede the name Linlithgow. An ancient settlement only 20 miles east of Edinburgh, this is a small town with big drawcards.

Linlithgow Palace was a Royal Residence in the 15th and 16th Centuries and the birth place of Mary Queen of Scots in 1542. She became Queen aged only 6 days old! The Palace is under the care of Historic Scotland and open to visitors to awe at the Renaissance architecture and fabulous views.

Linlithgow Loch, which lies below the Palace, was formed by a glacier. The two small islands on the Loch are thought to be remains from early crannogs, a type of home. The Loch’s ancient name in ‘British’ (similar to modern Welsh) was llyn llaith cau which translates to lake in the damp hollow – an apt tag. Alternatively, the name could be derived from the Gaelic laith-chu (grey dog). Indeed, a black dog is part of the town’s coat of arms and the legend of a loyal dog trying to rescue its master from death on one of the Loch’s islands is commemorated by a statue of The Black Bitch of Linlithgow standing on the town’s main street.

You can easily walk the 2.5mile pathway around the Loch, taking in views of the ruined Palace, parts of the town and observe the birdlife that abounds on the Loch’s shore and water. I spotted a very regal looking Great Crested Grebe and its stripey chick floating in the shallows.

Linlithgow Burgh was granted in 1388 by Robert II. The Burgh Halls, dating back to the 1600’s, preside over the town square and the old mercat cross well. Visitors are welcomed but the day we were in town a wedding reception was being held in the halls.

There are seats here along the southern edge of the Loch and in the market square for you to rest. Various cafes, bars and restaurants surround the square and spread along the main street offering traditional and modern fare.

You can get to Linlithgow from Edinburgh most easily by private car or on a Scotrail train from Waverley Station. There is also a bus route, the Falkirk-Edinburgh X38, that stops in the town.

My childhood hometown is a burgh of nearly 800 years! A market town with a Viking history and a tale of two castles.

Dingwall was the political hub of Wester Ross until the amalgamation of all things Highland into Inverness. Although just off the North Coast 500, it’s a geographically excellent place to base yourself for exploring the north both east and West.

It’s much easier to navigate than Inverness. And Inverness is accessible by bicycle, car, train or bus from Dingwall.

The Dingwall Camping and Caravan Park boasts a good reputation and is regularly full, so booking ahead is recommended. It sits on the side of the canal, a man-made redirection of the River Peffery into the Cromarty Firth. There is a pleasant walk down the old tow path to Ferry Park at the mouth of the canal for picnics, dog walking and bird watching on the mud flats at low tide.

The town has free parking near locally-owned grocery and specialty shops. Deas Bakery sells fabulous, tasty treats whilst at Cormacks and Crawfords Drapery you can buy sewing and knitting necessities or buy some new quality shoes or clothes. There is a large supermarket to provide most of your needs and some other national chain stores.

Check out the Visit Scotland website for more tourist information but here are just a few of my top spots in the area.

Dingwall Museum

Round Dingwall Walk – can be completed in smaller sections.

Pefferside Park – for a stroll of to let the children run off steam on the playground.

Strathpeffer – Victorian spa town, the old railway station with museum and café, Eagle Rock (a Pictish carved stone of Brahan Seer fame), a beautiful walk around Loch Kinellan.

Fortrose - watch the dolphin at Chanory Point (best location on mainland UK to see these delightful creatures up close, jumping in the waters off the beach), visit the Cathedral ruins.

Rosemarkie – beach fun and an easy stroll up to Fairy Glen waterfalls and try some bird watching or listening as this is an RSPB Nature Reserve.

The Black Isle, Cromarty and the Nigg Ferry – lovely views, small villages with Cromarty being the gem. From there catch the two-car ferry running in the summer across to Nigg to view the picturesque and historic Church.

Ben Wyvis – for the Munro Baggers among you. I first climbed this when I was 10!

World famous as one of the top driving routes the North Coast 500 unsurprisingly follows the north coast of Scotland in a loop starting finishing in Inverness and covers 5oo miles.

Growing up in the Highlands, I have travelled the entire route, though not all in one sweep! My favourite section is over the Bealach na Ba, the Pass of the Cattle, to the settlement of Applecross where I have family links. I even cycled it as a teenager!

But this trip home, I joined my uncle and aunt on a different section.

We headed out from Dingwall to our first stop at Rogie Falls. A little early in the season to see salmon leap up the manmade fish ladder that sits to the right of the magnificent falls, but we still stood in awe as we wobbled on the suspension bridge crossing the Black Water River. There are trails through the trees and along the banks to follow which give the rambler multiple views of the crashing water.

Onwards past looming Ben Wyvis, alongside impressive Loch Glascarnoch Dam and missing the turn off into the stunning Corrieshalloch Gorge. All happy places in my memories of childhood and recommendations for others to stop at and enjoy, though you’ll need a stout heart to face the sheer walls of the Corrieshalloch.

Our next destination was Ullapool, with a long settlement history and a purpose-built fishing town designed and built in 1788 by William Telford. The grid like layout gives away its designed history but the pretty rows of cottages overlooking Loch Broom give us a sense of romance.

We reached Ullapool in time for lunch and rain showers. It’s true you should come prepared for all weathers no matter the season in the Highlands of Scotland! We hid in the Ferry Boat Inn with tasty soup and sandwiches to watch the dark clouds pass over the surrounding mountains and Loch Broom.

The ‘ferry’ is the ship that will take you over to Stornoway on the Island of Lewis, capital of the Outer Hebrides. Fishing still is a thriving business in the harbour and you may see vessels from Shetland, Scandanavia and even Spain tied up at the quayside.

Incredibly, as we were leaving Ullapool, I spotted a couple strolling along the street “Stop the car!” I yelled at my uncle. “It’s my friend from Tasmania!” We only had a very quick catch up before we both headed off on our own Highland tours. The world really can be a small place!

We continued north out of Wester Ross and into Sutherland. Lochs rolling hills, moorlands and mountains. The scenery is dramatic and ancient. There are various stopping points where you can get out of the car to seek examples of rocks from different times and events in the history of the very land itself.

We paused at Ardverk Castle ruins sitting on a promontory in Loch Assynt. You can walk across the sandbar to investigate closer the remains of the MacLeod’s castle, which the MacKenzies took by force in1672. The MacKenzies later built Calda house whose ruins also lie close by on the shore of the Loch.

The furthermost point we reached on this day trip was Kylesku and its magnificent, curved bridge which opened in 1984 by Queen Elizabeth, has won architectural awards and is now an A-Listed structure. The views from both sides of the Kylesku Bridge are amazing as is looking back at the bridge itself with huge clearance above the narrow but strong tidal waters below.

We took advantage of the public toilets at Kylesku and were treated to a close-up view of a pair of Red Deer stags sitting on the grass behind the houses. We spotted several wild deer on the hillsides as we were driving and snapped a clear image of one of these glorious creatures and its splendid antlers.

Taking the coastal, single track road towards Lochinver we were grateful there were lots of passing places along this twisting and turning road that gave us impressive views of waterfalls, hills, bays, sea lochs and crofting hamlets. Eddrachillis Bay, at Drumbeg, is particularly attractive.

Lochinver is the end of the road, literally. But with no cafes open at 4:30 for refreshements we started our journey homeward. Once again, we skirted around Stac Pollaidh, a mountain that seems to dominate the skyline from many angles.

Then we left the North Coast 500 route, cut east, across the moorlands of Sutherland, followed the southern border with Ross-shire towards Bonar Bridge. Rising up over the Struie, a road often closed in winter by snow, we had vistas over the Dornoch Firth and the bridge that crosses it.

Finally, we avoided the fast A9 main road and took the old, ‘top’ Evanton Road. We passed under the Fyrish Monument, past Foulis Castle and by-passed the Highland Farm Café back to Dingwall and ‘home.’

A long day, but a glorious day!

Once you decide to do something, there's that busy waiting period before you go when you need to organise and put things into place. Having decided to return to Australia, itchy feet kicked in pretty quickly, so it's been a pleasure to fill some of that time with visiting favourite, local spots in and around Edinburgh and dropping in on a few friends and family dotted around Scotland to say farewell. 

Scotland is a truly beautiful country. Think lovely lochs, glorious glens, marvellous mountains, stunning cities and wonderful welcomes. Edinburgh has been home for 5 years and it is truly an amazing capital with something to delight everyone.

We are sorry to leave in many ways. We moved there for family, intending to stay permanently, and did indeed strengthen familial bonds but as Scotland's famous bard said, "The best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men gang aft agley." Robert Burns, I wonder what you make of our plans!

You can see more of our farewells and organisation on Instagram. And I'd recommend www.visitscotland.com too!

Planning the move:

• take stock, dig deep about what you want from life

• research costs involved

• calculate if you have enough finances, sell property and car if needed

• let family, friends and employer know plans

• check passports are current (and for us  gratefulness for dual nationality)

• sort through personal belongings and cull, cull, cull before depositing necessaries in storage

• buy your plane ticket

• fill in forms for possible work opportunities

• spend hours researching cars and caravans!

• spend time with loved ones

• keep busy so you don't get frustrated waiting to start the adventure

• enjoy the excitement

Cardiff is the capital city of Wales and Barry, just west of it is a large industrial harbour town and home to the infamous Barry Island. We visited family in Barry but accessed the delights of Cardiff and surrounds as well.

Travelling all the way from Edinburgh we had looked at options and the most comfortable and easy was to take the train. If you are taking several train journeys or a couple of long ones, it’s well worth purchasing a £30 Two Together Rail Card or another Rail Card that suits your travelling group. Check it out using the Trainline app which covers all train routes and cards and acts as your timetable, information updates, electronic rail cards and ticket wallet across Europe. This saved us ££££s and gave us a relaxed journey with views of the countryside.

St Mary’s Street leads onto the High Street and is the main shopping area. Here you’ll find several arcades and the very popular Victorian Markets. There is a plethora of stalls in this marketplace for you to browse and purchase a light take away lunch or a sit-down meal.

I bought some delicious Welsh Cakes here, but even more superior were the same traditional sweet treats I found at Fabulous Welshcakes in the Cardiff Arcade.

Exiting out the other end of Cardiff Arcade you face the castle.

Cardiff Castle is a fine example of a Norman keep that was renovated and decorated in Victorian times and sits on the site of a Roman fortress. Impressive animal sculptures adorn the wall on the city-centre side, under the colourful clock tower.

Around the corner lies the large Bute Park named after the Marquis of Bute who owned the castle and estates. The River Taff flows through the park and you can take several routes around the park for exercise and to admire the large trees, the flower beds and wildlife. Pop into the cafes for a hot drink or an ice-cream.

Opposite Bute Park looms Cardiff Arms Park and the newer Principality Stadium. This is the home of Welsh rugby, the national sport! You could take one of the several tours on offer at the Principality Stadium to get a feel for this magnificent game and the passion the Welsh have for it.

Cardiff is a port city. It’s Victorian wealth came from coal. The rich, black fuel was shipped across the world making Cardiff the mega metropolis of coal merchants. Today, Cardiff Bay celebrates its heritage with the preserved Norwegian Church, statues and sculptures, the Millenium Centre for the arts, bars, cafes and restaurants and the wide, open expanse of walkway to Penarth across The Cardiff Bay Barrage which separates, or connects, the calm bay waters from/with the tidal waters of the Severn Estuary.

Penarth is a pretty Victorian town worth visiting in it’s own right with an attractive pier and pavilion.

Barry is a residential town. It too, was developed through coal and had its own docks, Barry Docks. Now though, Barry is famous for Barry Island, its beach, Barry Island Pleasure Park and the accessible coastal walks.

British holidaymakers come in their droves here in the hopes of some sunshine at the seaside. Still useful today are the large numbers painted on the promenade beach wall designed to help children navigate their way on a crowed beach to their families during Miner’s Fortnight.

Most recently Barry has become synonymous with Gavin and Stacey, a BBC comedy series that will have you in gales of laughter. Nessa, one of the main characters works at a Barry amusement arcade and is best friends to Stacey. Their romances and tribulations connect them and the other characters in an hilarious, Welsh, working-class manner. You can get your photo taken with the characters at the café on the promenade where several scenes have been filmed.

There are so many things to do in the Cardiff area. Check the Visit Cardiff website for more.  Here's a selection of our day trips out:

·  Gileston Beach a boulder beach next to a decommissioned power station with a cold-water inlet structure out in the estuary. Fossils, rockpools, access to Wales Coast Path.

·  Monknash Beach and The Plough and Harrow woodland trail down to beach along a brook, fossils, cliffs, rockpools, access to Wales Coast Path. A traditional, historic pub with meals, live music on weekends.

·  Fontygary Crazy Golf part of the holiday park, bar and beer garden and restaurant on site too.

·  Llantwit Major Beach and Heritage Coastal Walk boulder beach, large grassed area for picnics, access to Wales Coast Path, café and Surf Life Saving post. Picturesque cliff walk past fields, woodlands, WWII lookout ruins, down into a beautiful bay and along to a private school in an old castle.

·  RSPB Newport Wetland Reserve paths, views, birds, café, pay for parking/entrance.

·  Parc Penallta Sultan the Pit Pony (artistic earth works), woodland walk trails, climbing boulders, picnic benches.

Nestled in the middle of Cardigan Bay, Aberystwyth is one of those amazing places that everyone you meet has either been to or knows someone who has.

It’s a university town, a seaside holiday destination, a shopping centre for outlying villages, it holds the National Library of Wales (a treasure trove of all sorts of media), it’s a fishing and recreational harbour.

Nothing beats walking the wide promenade, past the Victorian town houses and hotels that face the pebbly beach.Brits are notorious for indulging in ice cream whilst on vacation at the seaside and a few outlets will sell you the usual flavours as well as coffees, cakes and sandwiches. I liked The Hut, towards the harbour end, under the castle.

Tradition, with my relatives, is to ‘kick the bar’ at the northern end of the prom, under Constitution Hill. From here you can walk up the steep path to the top of the hill or catch the funicular Cliff Railway to cast your eyes over the beautiful views across the bay.

Talking of trains, the Vale of Rheiddol’s narrow gauge, steam train will chug you through some of the stunning countryside out of Aberystwyth to Devil’s Bridge. There, follow a nature trail to see waterfalls, grab a lunch at the hotel, photograph the 3 bridges built on top of each other crossing the gorge. They say the Devil himself built the lowest one!

Back in Aber, as the locals call it, stroll around the castle ruins, admire the boats and yachts in the harbour marina, try catching crabs off the harbour wall, stop in at one of the Welsh handcraft shops and/or walk along the Ystwyth River.

By car, a great day out is up to Nant-yr-Arian where watching the Red Kites gather for feeding time is an amazing sight. Or hike a trail, or take your mountain bike for a spin.

There are other towns, beaches and walks to explore near Aberystwyth, the cultural capital of Ceredigion County.