Harrogate and Knaresborough


We went to see the red kites in Harrogate last week; there’s not a show on or anything. They just seem to gather around the woods near the viaduct. At one time, we maybe saw 20 red kites flying high above us – they were so high up, you probably can’t tell what they are from the photos! Except for the first photograph, which was my best shot of the day.

Afterwards, we drove to Knaresborough for tea and saw the viaduct lit up at night.


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Ingleby Cross


After lunch in the village of Ingleby Cross in North Yorkshire, we drove across the main road to the car park at Mount Grace Priory and followed a public footpath to reach the top of the hills. By the time we got back, the sun was setting, turning the sky a lovely pink.  



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Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh


Another thing on my Edinburgh to-do list was Arthur’s Seat, an extinct volcano in Edinburgh. At an elevation of 822ft, you can see for miles around once you’ve climbed to the top.


We started the walk by passing Holyrood Palace and made our way up the hill; you could see the Balmoral and the castle quite clearly in the distance. There was a stream of people, so you can’t get lost, but at the plaque at the top of Arthur’s Seat, it did get quite busy. After a strenuous climb, you are rewarded with amazing views of Edinburgh and across the water at Fife.


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Edinburgh


We were staying at the Balmoral in Edinburgh, right next to the station, and we even got our room upgraded which was lovely! We had a great view from our room over the hills and what I believe to be Arthur’s Seat. Heading out in the evening, we found a nice little restaurant for tea and saw the castle and other monuments lit up in the dark.



One place I had wanted to visit from last time was the Royal Mile. It’s the main thoroughfare of Edinburgh’s Old Town and is almost exactly a mile long, hence the name. The Mile is full of little shops and cafés, and we stopped off for a milkshake, but for the main shopping area, you want to head to Princes Street.


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Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh


After a brief visit to Edinburgh earlier this year, I decided to head back and explore more of the city. Arriving at lunchtime, we walked about 20 minutes from the train station to the Royal Botanic Gardens, where we had dinner in the café. Entry into the gardens was slightly cheaper than usual as some areas were closed. The Royal Botanic Gardens were founded in 1670; the gardens cover 70 acres and are home to over 13,000 different plant species.


There are so many different parts of the garden to walk around – the Victorian Palm House, Glasshouses and Rock Garden, to name a few. The Glasshouses are home to 10 zones (3 of which were closed) and are host to different collections, including lots of cacti in the Arid Lands. My camera steamed up in the rainforest zone!

Outside, we walked around the grounds that were in full bloom, with pumpkins growing and splashes of autumn colours.


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