Monday saw us pack our bags and head north from Hartlepool to Scotland on a beautiful sunny day.  Quite amazed by the changes of scenery from the rolling hills to the larger broader hills of the northern coast.  Driving is pretty simple, but I am so pleased we brought our navigator with us.  There are so many round abouts and you have to enter them in the correct lane as it’s the only one that exits where you need to go.  Once you understand the system you’re fine. Didn’t upset too many locals before we got the hang of it. There’s a Tyne tunnel so we didn’t have to go through Newcastle again – just into the tunnel on the south side and popped out heading off to Scotland on the other.

Arrived in Leith, Edinburgh about 2’sh.  As it was so nice we decided to walk down the road to get some grocery shopping done as we are staying in a self contained unit.  A very nice one overlooking a river, quite near the ocean terminal where the royal yacht Britannia is moored.

Did I mention the weather?  Well we had a very quick wake-up call that we were in Scotland.  We walked into a Asda supermarket bright and sunny, got our shopping done and walked out into cold, wet miserable rain –and – the car was back at our unit a good 15 minute walk back.  Tried to hop a bus only to be put off at the next stop as it wasn’t going our way. So arrived back at our apartment a pair of drowned rats.  Thank goodness our apartment has double glazing and is very warm inside.   Nice to be able to have a place to ourselves.  Settled down after warm shower and dry clothes with a note to oneself  ‘don’t be complacent about the weather in Scotland.’