Edinburgh is always a hive of activity but, in December, the city turns in to a winter wonderland and it gets a bit busy.... so, so busy.
A Winter Weekend in Edinburgh
Urquhart Castle
On the banks of Loch Ness, 2km from the small village of Drumnadrochit, lies the remains of Urquhart Castle. A medieval landmark with dramatic scenes that photographers dream about (you might just need to wait a while for the visitors to clear out of the way!).
Rosemarkie Beach & Chanonry Point
A walk along a quiet beach can do wonders for the mind and body. Something about the sea air, sounds of the tide and the birds in the distance make you really switch off. Last weekend we headed out to Rosemarkie Beach and Chanonry Point.
Culloden Battlefield: History on my Doorstep
I’m sure there are plenty of New Yorkers who have never been up the Empire State Building and many Parisians who scoff at the idea of climbing the Eiffel Tower. My version of this is Culloden Battlefield. I grew up approximately 2 miles from this famous landmark and while I had (probably reluctantly) walked around it once or twice as a child, I am slightly ashamed to admit I knew very little about the events that took place there until last week. My lesson? Don’t look past your own doorstep - you never you know what you might learn.
It Takes Two to Tango
If you're looking for a strong coffee with an Argentinian twist, there's no better place in Inverness than the Little Bird Coffee House's regular Cafe Tango events. I stumbled upon this quirky weekend activity on social media a couple of weeks ago and went along to give it a try.
Namaste at home today…
This summer we were fortunate enough to have been invited to lots of social occasions across the country. We caught up with friends and family, ceilidh'd hard and did a lot of miles by car, bike and foot. While I'm a real advocate for being busy, active and on-the-go, it can all become a bit overwhelming and dare I say... exhausting?
Discover canoeing by paddling Aigas Gorge
If anyone feels like putting their relationship to the test then I would recommend hopping in to a canoe with them for four hours. Thankfully, we survived the test and had a brilliant day trip with Explore Highland, canoeing through Aigas Gorge near Beauly. We launched at the Aigas Reservoir and, with unbelievably good weather, [...]
Rodel, Isle of Harris
To me, the Isle of Harris was the place we went for our Easter holidays every year. We would go visiting, feed up on pancakes, gambol around the moors chasing sheep and long for the rain to stop so we could go to the beach. Now that I'm older - nothing has changed, with the exception of an appreciation of just how beautiful this island is.
For the Love of Bikes…and Brunch
One of my favourite places in the Highland Capital is Velocity Cafe and Bicycle Workshop. So I suggest you grab your thick rimmed glasses, pack your MacBook and pedal over to get yourself a hummus superfood salad with a flat white. Then, when you're finished, learn how to tweak your vintage city bike so you'll be cruising like a pro. A pro hipster that is.
Rait Castle: A Ruin with a Ghost
Between Nairn and Cawdor lies a hidden ruin with its own tragic love story. History (well, lets face it - Google) tells us that in the 13th Century, the lands around Rait Castle - situated between Cawdor and Nairn - became the subject of a bitter feud between the Cummings and Mackintosh clans. The first structure had been built by the Mackintoshes, but seized by the Cummings in the late 1200s, and for over a century the dispute raged on.
