Back to England

Reluctantly left Scotland today, back past Edinburgh then along the coast with the first stop of Berwick-upon-Tweed.  A good place for a cup of coffee, walk along the river to the aquaduct for the trains running north/south.  There is an old castle under the bridge which runs up the hill.  There is almost nothing left of this poor old building.  Had a walk around the old city walls then back to the car to continue our drive.
While we were having coffee I checked my emails and found a penalty notice from Cardiff for driving in a bus lane.....35 pounds!!!  Cardiff was a nightmare, not sure how many more I'll get.  Got back to the car after our walk around Berwick-on-Tweed and had a parking ticket......25 pounds!!!!  I'm sure things come in 3's so I'm just waiting for the next problem.
Headed south towards Bamburgh, little did we know they have the biggest castle on a hill overlooking a beautiful sandy beach.  We had a walk around the castle, didn't go in, too far to go today, back in the car and on our way.
Lunch at Craster, just another little fishing village pulling itself up by the bootstraps trying to understand fishing is a dying industry and tourism in these areas are what people want.  We stayed at West Wemyss for the last 3 days.  After the coal mines were shut down and overfishing killed the fishing industry the town was abandoned in the 1980s.  New people coming in, driving to work in nearby cities, renovating the little harbours, looking after the town and opening a Community Pub and breakfast cafe and beautifying the town is bringing people in to stay and spend money (on parking tickets no less...) and renewing the town and the area around it.
Decided to leave the coast and drive through the North Pennines, a National Park with a mountain pass, namely the Killhope Cross, which is the highest paved mountain pass in the UK.  Despite the talk it was very benign, there were some nice views. Over the pass there were snow measuring poles about 3 metres high so there must be a little snow in the area.
Next stop the B&B, another 3 hour drive in 10 hours, not bad!!

Lots of bridges over the Tweed at Berwick-upon-Tweed

Millionaires Row in Berwick

All those little white dots are white swans, hundreds of them in the river.

Saturday is market day.

One good reason a satnav is essential

Bamburgh Castle

Overlooking the beach

Craster Harbour

Our new B&B

St Andrews and Dundee

Decided to do a coastal drive north up to Dundee today.  Called in to a couple of little towns on the way, checked out their ports had a few walks along wharfs and through villages.  Wore ourselves out in Leven, stopped at Crail for the obligatory walk then had coffee and cake in a little tea room over looking the North Sea.

Next stop was St Andrews.  I thought there would be a bit of a village, a large motel and a golf course.  This is a large town, boasting a huge university and about 10 golf clubs within a 10 mile radius.  There is also a substantial cathedral and the usual castle ruin and cathedral ruin.  We parked at the harbour and walked miles through the town to the golf course.  There was a university graduation today so the town was packed.

We found ourselves at the Old Golf Course of St Andrews, took a stack of photos, checked out the souvenir shops then walked the miles back to the harbour.

On to Dundee, parked near the town centre, walked through the mall, had a late lunch and headed home.  Went for a walk along the sea front to the harbour and saw a huge grey seal sunning itself on the rocks.  Our hosts at the B&B caught us as we were coming home and we had a wee dram with them before we staggered up the stairs to blog and bed!!!

Pittenween Harbour

Stone cottage weathered with age

Had a coffee at a small tea house overlooking the ocean

Graduation day St Andrews, tradition dictates graduates (these kids are about 15) jump into the water at the end of the pier, crazy kids, this water is about 12 degrees!!!

St Andrews Harbour

The old St Andrews cathedral

St Andrews Castle

Ye Olde Golf Course

18th hole

Looking back at the club house over the 18th

The famous stone bridge.

 When were were walking to have a photo there was another couple just in front of us.  I volunteered to take photos of them, she offered to do the same for us.......

1st attempt

Second attempt - I asked her to make sure she got the bridge in the photo......

3rd attempt

4th attempt

5th attempt

 We got off the bridge, Pam checked the photos and we got back on the bridge and asked another person to take a couple more......

Why wouldn't she take it 'landscape'???  Lets have some sky and some grass, who cares about the golf course around us????
We gave it away after this........

Had lunch at Tickety Boo's in Dundee

Caird Hall in Dundee

Busy mall in Dundee

Walk along the harbour at West Wemyss

Big old grey seal in the sun.

Edinburgh

Spent the day in Edinburgh today.  The Castle opens at 9.30 so we decided to get there early and avoid the crowds.  The good news was it was the first day they didn’t have rain in 3 years so being hot and sunny, every tour bus driver and every local decided to get to the castle early to avoid the crowds.  There were so many people walking through the castle, we spent about 3 hours looking and struggling our way to all the highlights, it was worth it, with such interesting history and as a bonus there are beautiful views of the city.

From the castle we walked down the Royal Mile.  Lots of souvenir shops but also the cathedral, the university, Parliament House and lots more history and historical buildings.  Had lunch halfway up the second side of the walk. 

Harley and Amanda lived in Edinburgh for a while so we went down towards Leith and found their old address.  Mum and Emily visited them here about 20 years ago.  We then continued to the Leith Harbour and caught a glimpse of the Royal Britannica, the royal yacht for about 40 years.

Home after a long day walking in the hot sun, loved it!!!  Our satnav still enjoys leading us up the garden path, yesterday she wanted us to go up a lane that hadn’t been mowed for 12 months and this morning she wanted us to turn left into a road that was blocked by a farm gate….we have got to know her a little better so the relationship is more tolerance than hate these days!!

Castle entry

People everywhere!!

Great views

War Memorial

The royal fireplace

The royal prison door

The great hall

Leaving now - more crowds than when we arrived

The busker

The Royal Mile

Wanting to get away from the crowds.....

The new Parliament House

The Queens Gallery and castle (behind)

University overshadowed by the mountain

That Mile again

Time for a drink?

St Giles Cathedral

Ceiling detail

THAT castle

Harley and Amandas old flat (top floor above the red car)

The Queens old yacht 

The bridge in to Edinburgh

This is the view by Mr Google